New College of Florida Students Volunteer 235 Hours in One Day

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(November 9, 2010) — More than 80 New College students and alumnae/i participated in the national Make A Difference Day on October 23. Students contributed over 235 volunteer hours throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties cleaning up Myakka River, building affordable housing, delivering food to needy people and swimming for multiple sclerosis. New College alumnae/i repaired bicycles in North Carolina and worked at a food bank in Texas. 

New College students spent 48 hours canoeing down the Myakka River to clear the natural landscape of litter and debris. Volunteers worked 48 hours with Habitat for Humanity in Ellenton, Fla., building and forming the foundations for affordable housing. A Meals on Wheels team spent 36 hours delivering food to needy families. The New College Swim Club sponsored a Swim-a-Thon at the College’s outdoor pool where 43 participants contributed 103 hours, 1,343 laps and over $800 for the Multiple Sclerosis Association. New College alumnae/i repaired and assembled children’s bikes to donate to Habitat for Humanity in Chapel Hill, N.C., and distributed food packages at the Capital Area Food Bank in Austin, Texas.

New College has a long tradition of service in the community. It is one of the few colleges in the country to host a VISTA AmeriCorps volunteer staff on campus. New College students volunteer regularly as tutors and mentors to area youth and with Habitat for Humanity, Resurrection House and the Boys and Girls Club.

Make A Difference Day is an annual nationwide event for communities to offer their talents, skills and labor to help other people. It takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October and was created by USA WEEKEND Magazine.

Photo Captions:

(1) New College students canoe down Myakka River to remove litter and bottles from the natural habitat. (Pictured are Ruth Silimon, Madhuri Shukla and Stacy Roudabush.)

(2) Students swim 1,343 laps and raise $800 at New College’s Swim-A-Thon for the Multiple Sclerosis Association.