The Hoya Comments on "25 Days"

The following article appeard in The Hoya's January 25th edition. It can be found at http://www.thehoya.com/node/15136.

Students To Join Hands in Service

Student groups will join together during the month of February to complete dozens of service projects as part of the Patrick Healy Fellows Program’s “25 Days of Service.”
The Healy Fellows Program, an alumni-student mentoring and service program, was recently awarded a $4,000 Reimagine Georgetown Grant to commission the numerous volunteer service projects.
Each day from Feb. 1 to 25, student groups, including the Corp, GERMS and GUSA, will participate in a variety of service projects.“The idea is to bring different student groups together during the month of February in the spirit of service and fellowship, which are the key pillars of the Patrick Healy Fellows,” Mahen Gunaratna (SFS ’08), senior Patrick Healy Fellow said.
“We hope this experience will celebrate service. Our goal is to unite different student groups by serving others,” said Xavier Ringer (COL ’08), senior Patrick Healy Fellow, who has been involved with the initiative since November.
Projects include a Sigma Phi Epsilon and GU Women’s Center collaboration to clean the Georgetown campus, as well as an organized volunteer trip to Bread for the City, a non-profit organization in southeast D.C., organized by the Lecture Fund and Midnight Mug. The Interfaith Alliance also will hold a cook-off and food drive, among the total 25 initiatives taking place throughout the month.
“The only thing I wish about the 25 Days of Service is that students not in particular groups on campus could become active in something that is interesting to them as well,” Shannan Henry (NHS ’10) said.
A reception in Old North on Feb. 1, led by Vice President for Public Affairs and Strategic Development Daniel Porterfield, will kick off the month.— Mary McGuire