The month of September marks a transition in the lives of Wellesley College students. Returning to campus after our adventures aboard, internships and time spent with family and friends, we are confronted with the realization that it is time, once again, to pull out those books. However, the month of September with its typically warm weather and sunny skies allows us to hold onto that beautiful feeling of summer for just a tiny bit longer after we arrive to campus. The first few weekends on campus are inevitably packed full of activities. We spend time reconnecting with old friends and meeting new friends, running around Lake Waban and lounging on Green Beach. In addition to these delightful moments, the College also offers a number of activities for us to partake in. There’s the infamous Remix, the beautiful Flower Sunday, the annual apple picking field trip. These events provide us opportunities to meet new people, to experience Wellesley tradition at its finest, and to create new memories with our classmates and friends. In addition to these September happenings, the CWS also offers us an opportunity to try something new, to bond with friends and teammates, and to give back to the Greater Boston community. Day to Make a Difference, the annual CWS-sponsored event, provides us with a chance to leave campus for a day as we trek to host sites in and around Boston for a few hours of volunteering.
Traditionally, Day to Make a Difference has been scheduled for the first weekend after classes begin. However, this year, in an effort to make the event more convenient for a larger portion of the Wellesley student body, the CWS will be sending out its volunteers on Saturday, September 21st. For the event, the CWS has partnered with several community organizations ranging from farms to Habitat for Humanity sites to food pantries. Each community partner is committed to helping vulnerable populations, to educating youth, and/or to providing food/shelter to those in need.
Partnering with these community-based organizations, the CWS has provided us, as Wellesley College students, with a meaningful chance to give back without having to pile on another long-term activity to our already jam-packed schedules. Day to Make a Difference is an opportunity to challenge our assumptions, to stretch outside our comfort zones, to work with an organization as it strives to fulfill its mission to better our communities, and, of course, to have fun.
This year, with a diverse group of community partners, Day to Make a Difference provides each participant a unique experience. Depending on your chosen host site, you might have the opportunity to paint a house, to harvest vegetables, to serve a meal to those in need, or to spend time with animals at the zoo. So, whether you are a first-year looking to connect with other 2017 students, a sophomore hoping to make some new friends, a junior striving to foster a sense of camaraderie among your student group or athletic team, or a senior getting pumped up about your last year at Wellesley, Day to Make a Difference offers you an opportunity to learn more about yourself, your peers, and your community.
To view a list of the community partners and to sign up, please follow this link. All Day to Make a Different participants will receive a free T-shirt. If you have any questions, please contact Katie Koski at kkoski@wellesley.edu.
– Victoria Rines ’15