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150 volunteer for Make a Difference Day

Groups picked up litter, did yard work, washed cars, walked animals and more for local agencies.

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By Elizabeth Hagedorn, Contributing Writer 12:15 PM Thursday, November 12, 2009

With rakes held high, 150 volunteers gathered at Uptown Park on Nov. 6 to participate in Make a Difference Day 2009. For the past 19 years, USA WEEKEND Magazine and HandsOn Network have joined together to sponsor Make a Difference Day, a day where neighbors help neighbors, on the fourth Saturday of every October.

Bobbe Burke, coordinator of the Office of Off-Campus Affairs, said Miami students waited until Nov. 6 to participate because Oct. 24 was Homecoming and Oct. 31 was Halloween.

The Honor and Scholars Advisory Board have hosted Make a Difference Day for 15 years, said Amy Lorenz, adviser of HSAB.

On Nov. 6, twenty-one groups went to sixteen different agencies, including the Oxford Senior Center, Animal Adoption Center, Hueston Woods, Community Arts Center, Community Counseling and Crisis Center, Humane Society and the Community Choice Pantry, according to Lorenz.

Nate Ellis, co-chair of Make a Difference Day, said that from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the volunteers picked up litter, did yard and trail work, washed cars, walked animals, took ivy off of a house, cleaned alleys, raked mounds of leaves and so much more.

“I thought it was a cool idea for everyone to come together on one day and make a huge difference,” Ellis said.

Many different groups from Miami participated on Nov. 6 including the Vision Dance Company. Senior Natalie Corral, a member of the dance company, said the head of their group thought it would be a good idea to volunteer.

“We were looking to get more involved in the community and that is why we decided to come today,” Corral said.

The first-time Make a Difference Day volunteers from The Vision Dance Company helped rake leaves at the Community Counseling and Crisis Center while returning volunteers from the Honors Fraternity, Phi Sigma Pi, went back to the Community Choice Pantry.

“We are going to the food pantry and we went there last year so it will be fun to go back and see how things have changed,” said Lauren Graham, a junior in Phi Sigma Pi.

Ellis said that they have already heard a lot of positive feedback about the projects and everyone in HSAB is looking forward to Make a Difference Day 2010.

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