Special day lets you 'Make a Difference'

Fresno State, the Volunteer Center of Fresno and Councilmember Tom Boyajian’s office, along with other City of Fresno entities, are participating in the “Make A Difference Day.”  The event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22, from 8 a.m. to noon. 

Make a Difference Day is a national event encompassing the most comprehensive nation-wide day of helping others.  It is a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors.  In Fresno, the day will include landscape clean up at schools, parks and on street medians and trails as well as at The Discovery Center.  Each city council members’ office will determine the specific projects in their district. City Councilmember Larry Westerlund’s office is working with Fresno State to determine cleanup projects near campus so students can participate even if transportation is an issue. 

For those interested in the citywide project, a kick-off event will be Oct. 22 at 8 a.m. at Fresno City Hall.  After the kick-off, volunteers will go to their cleanup sites. The day will wrap up at noon when volunteers will return to City Hall for a free celebration barbecue. 

All members of the campus community are encouraged to volunteer with the citywide event or through projects coordinated by the Office of Civic Engagement and Service-Learning. 

For more information and to register to volunteer, call Renee Delport in the Civic Engagement and Service-Learning office at 8-7063, or e-mail rdelport@csufresno.edu.  Deadline for registration is Oct. 20.  Volunteers must be at least 16 years old.  

For more information on National Make A Difference Day visit www.usaweekend.com/diffday/aboutmadd.html.