Lend a helping hand during Day of Service

Choose from a variety of activities to help local communities Saturday during UIC’s Day of Service.

“Organizing books, planting flowers, cleaning up beaches, working at a clothing sales, help setting up a fresh market — there are so many to choose from,” said Olivia Desormeaux, graduate assistant for community service in Student Leadership Development and Volunteer Services. “It’s an amazing opportunity to reach out to Chicago neighborhoods.”

Students can sign up through Friday. More than 500 people have registered so far for the sixth annual event, Desormeaux said.

“Students really come away building a community and learning about other areas of Chicago they may have not looked at,” said Desormeaux, a graduate student in public health.

Josephina Frankovich, a recruiter for the event, encouraged students to volunteer.

“It feels good to help others and to also experience new things,” said Frankovich, a graduate student studying public health and social work. “If you grew up on the North Side and spend a day on the South Side, you can really take away a new experience — open up to new things and get a better understanding as to what is out there.”