January 19th - Martin Luther King Holiday (No Classes)

Service Week Kickoff: Giving Back to the Community

MLK Service Project: Daycare Facelift (OFF-CAMPUS)

The Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships and VT-ENGAGE at Virginia Tech have received a MLK Challenge Grant to provide facelifts for ten area daycares and preschools. We are currently recruiting ten teams of ten students to lead this effort. Faculty, staff, and community members are welcome and encouraged to volunteer to work with these teams—it will be  a lot of fun to work together!

Each team will have $100 in seed money for supplies and can solicit funds to expand their project. There will be a team
leader for each team. Transportation and lunch will be provided. Prizes will be awarded to the teams based on a
variety of categories for improvements made to the daycares and preschools. The day of service will begin with a
special breakfast for everyone in Squires to celebrate MLK Day.

We now have 19 teams registered for the Daycare Facelift project and are done recruiting teams. Volunteers are still needed to be runners to go buy supplies during the day for the teams—you need your own transportation and will need to volunteer
from 10:00 AM—2:00 PM. We also need volunteers to photograph the teams before, during, and after their daycare facelifts—
from 10:00 AM—3:30 PM. You do not need to be a professional photographer—just have reasonable experience
taking digital photos and have a digital camera to use. To volunteer, email: engage@vt.edu.

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Meet in the lobby area in front of Commonwealth Ballroom by 9:45am.
Daycares and preschools will be located in Blacksburg and Christiansburg.
Contact: Karen Gilbert, engage@vt.edu, 231-0691

Children’s Literacy and Service Activities during Community Breakfast speaker
SVEA (student-virginia education association) possible children’s literacy display and give away for kids

January 22nd - Making A Difference for Children
Information Booth A, Squires Student Center
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

“Making a Difference for Children” provides an opportunity to work on projects that have an impact on children throughout our area and world. From creating children’s books for those caught in conflict, those learning to read for the first time, and to developing hats for cancer patients at St. Jude Hospital.

AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Hats for Children: Participants can follow a template and create fun hats for children who have lost their hair
while undergoing cancer treatment.
Books of Hope: Creative writing students who have previously signed up to participate can
pick up their materials to create alphabet/story books for young children in Uganda.
Ronald McDonald House: pop-top collection, RMH charities collects the metal tabs off soda cans as a fundraiser;
write get well/support cards for hospitalized children and families.
VTENGAGE sign-up area

January 23rd - Giving Back to Create a Sustainable Community
Information Booth B, Squires Student Center
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

“Giving Back to create a Sustainable Community” provides an opportunity for the community to learn more about how we can serve the environment through our collective efforts. Among the projects will include pocket ashtrays, understanding your environmental footprint, all-natural bird feeders and other activities.

AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Bird Feeders: Participants can make and hang environmentally friendly bird feeders from peanut butter and birdseed.
Keep Your Butts Off the Ground: Local fire department provides pocket ashtrays to smokers with information
on the dangers of throwing cigarettes on the ground.
Environmental Footprint: Participants can learn about their environmental "carbon" footprint and ways that they can reduce their
VTENGAGE sign-up area