FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTOBER 5, 2002

Jon Neill ('89) applies sealant to the Bob Tuck Kiwanis Playground in Wooster, one of four Wooster Scots in Service Day work sites.

Overcast skies and a threat of rain failed to dampen the collective spirit of volunteers from The College of Wooster who gathered at four sites in Wooster and 13 other cities across the country for the second annual Scots in Service Day Saturday.

Hundreds of volunteers participated coast to coast in an event designed to highlight the College's longstanding commitment to volunteerism and community service.

"Scots in Service projects give alumni a chance to reunite with their alma mater and engender a sense of pride that their college is doing something of value in their community," said Marian Cropp, associate director of alumni relations who traveled to Minneapolis/St. Paul, where she assisted Wooster volunteers in the preparation of food packages for children, seniors, and income-eligible pregnant and postpartum women at Second Harvest Heartland.

In Wooster, students, staff, and alumni joined forces to paint pavilions, picnic tables, and other buildings at Cohen, Christmas Run, Freedlander, and Wooster Memorial Parks. They also spread mulch, repaired trails, and spruced up the grounds at all four sites.

While the work would surely produce some stiffness and soreness by Sunday morning, volunteers were all smiles on Saturday. "It's enjoyable," said Andrew Connell, a senior from Butler, Pa., who was helping to paint the birthday pavilion at Freedlander Park. "I think it's good for the College to provide service to the community."

Angie Ferrara a first-year student from Rochester, N.Y., was also happy to help. "I like to volunteer and meet new people," said Ferrara. "It gets you off the computer and away from campus for a few hours."

For Victoria Wilson, a 2002 Wooster graduate now living in Kent, it was a chance to make up for lost time. "I wasn't an active volunteer as an undergraduate," she said. "I heard about this last year after the fact, so I decided to come back this year and participate. It's nice to visit with friends and do service as well."

Jon Neill ('89) and his wife, Laura ('89), had an eye on the future when they signed up to help. "We brought our kids with us," said Jon as he applied a sealant to the Bob Tuck Kiwanis Playground. "I think it teaches them the importance of service and a good work ethic."

Neill's daughter, Emily, 7, appeared to enjoy the experience. "I'm going to tell all my friends about this," she said to another volunteer.

In addition to Wooster and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Scot volunteers assisted with projects in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Northern New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., where Wooster President Stan Hales chipped in to help with the restoration of historic Watts Branch Park.

"The event was well-organized and the volunteers were great," said Jeff Steiner, a member of the class of 1974 and the volunteer coordinator for the project in Wooster. "I think we all had fun."