UNCA Introduces New Students to Community Service August 14;
Hundreds of Students to Work on 27 Projects

UNC Asheville continues its ambitious program initiating all new students into the culture of community service through a massive community work day Monday, August 14. This fourth annual Bulldog Day: A Time of Service will send some 625 people to 27 service projects in the Asheville community.

Coordinated by UNCA’s Key Center for Service Learning, the community service day is a central part of a four-day new student orientation program that begins Saturday, August 12.

"Bulldog Day is a wonderful affirmation of what a great liberal arts university can contribute to its community," said Chancellor James H. Mullen. "I thank all the students, faculty and staff who will be giving their time and energy."

Some 510 new students--led by 112 faculty, staff and upperclass students--will take on a wide range of projects. Teams will assist Claxton Elementary students with photography and gardening projects; help Irene Wortham Center residents paint recreation room walls; collect life stories from residents of Bartlett Arms and Aston Park Tower; clear brush and plant native species in the Thompson Street green way; and assist the YWCA of Asheville staff with outdoor beautification projects.

Other UNCA teams will lend a hand to the Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry, Asheville City Schools Preschool, Brooks Howell Home, Caring for Children Preschools, Catholic Social Services, Dickson Elementary, Emma Elementary, Hall Fletcher Elementary, Hillcrest Head Start, Irene Wortham Center, Johnston Elementary, Jones Primary School, Manna Food Bank, Randolph Elementary, Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club, The Summit, Vanderbilt Apartments and Western Carolina Rescue Mission. Several teams will work on UNCA’s new perimeter trail and at the University Botanical Gardens.

Jeannie Johnson, a UNCA senior who is serving as Bulldog Day student coordinator, says its hard to tell who is more enthusiastic about this endeavor, the students or the agencies.

"It’s a fabulous opportunity for new students to interact with faculty and staff outside the classroom while giving back to the community which has given so much to UNCA," she said.

Community organizations made quick responses to UNCA’s offer for service teams, Johnson said, with almost all the agencies served last year requesting teams again this year and a few agencies adding their names to the roster.

This is the fourth year that UNCA teams will go to Manna Food Bank. "UNCA’s Bulldog Day is a tremendous asset to Manna Food Bank and the community," said Patty Couch, Manna Food Bank volunteer and events coordinator. "The UNCA students are such hard workers. We accomplish so many tasks in such a short time. It’s a wonderful getting-to-know you experience and very often the Bulldog Day students return on their own during the semester to volunteer."

Bulldog Day begins at 9 a.m. on the UNCA quad, where Chancellor Mullen will speak to the service teams who have gathered at the Ramsey Library terrace. Then the students and leaders will board buses, vans and cars for transport to their projects. Teams will return to campus at about noon for lunch together in the cafeteria.

Media Contacts:

• UNCA Public Information, 828/251-6526