First Lesson for Incoming Lebanon Valley College Students: The Value of Community Service

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Lebanon Valley College students participate in the 2014 orientation service project.

ANNVILLE, PA (08/24/2015)(readMedia)-- More than 500 incoming Lebanon Valley College students will gather in one room for a two-hour-long service project at 3 p.m. Aug. 30. The entire incoming class of freshmen will work with returning student leaders at 15 different stations to make items to be donated to local charities, as well as national and international service organizations. The students will collaborate in the Arnold Sports Center.

The bulk of the items benefit service organizations in Lebanon County. The Humane Society of Lebanon County will receive 120 fleece blankets made by students for distribution with adopted kittens. Hundreds of "tug toys" will be braided for adopted dogs. Friendship bracelets with rubber athletic charms will be donated for athletes involved in Lebanon County Special Olympics. Four cardboard playhouses will be colored and donated to Habitat for Humanity of Lebanon County. In addition, Lebanon City School District will receive 120 hand-made felt puppets.

Several items will be sent to non-profit organizations outside the county. Vases filled with cards and brightly colored paper flowers will be delivered to patients of the children's hospital at the Hershey Medical Center. Holiday cards created during the project will be sent throughout the year to families at Hope Lodge in Hershey.

At the national level, students will write letters of encouragement to current military personnel. Plarn-yarn, which the students will make from plastic bags-will be mailed to a group of volunteers in West Virginia to be knit into sleeping mats for the homeless. Friendship bracelets mailed to the Cool Kids Campaign will be distributed to children with cancer.

International concerns have not been forgotten. Representatives from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) will bring education kits for verification by the students. Hundreds of shoe boxes will be wrapped in Christmas paper in preparation to be filled with toys and sent to children in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through Operation Christmas Child.

As they work, students will enjoy music provided by a live D.J.

The service projects provide a unique opportunity for incoming LVC students to work together as a class toward a common goal. "We're particularly pleased by the high level of involvement on the part of returning students," said Chaplain Fullmer. "All of these projects are coordinated for the incoming students by returning students who are heavily involved in service organizations on campus."

The Orientation Service Project is the first of a series of programs designed to support LVC's goal of preparing students for a life of service to others. Throughout the academic year, students will also engage representatives of local service organizations at a service fair, work monthly with the American Foundation for Children with Aids (AFCA) and Habitat for Humanity of Lebanon County, and participate in national service initiatives such as Make a Difference Day, MLK Day of Service, and Lebanon County Day of Caring, among other projects.

To encourage service to the nation as well as the local community, LVC's Student Government has designated funds for a service trip to Florida during spring break. An international service trip to Peru is also in initial planning stages.

Several incentive programs reward students for their service. Bronze, Silver, or Gold Community Service Awards based on the number of hours a student serves the local community are posted on LVC's Job Center Profile for consideration of prospective employers. Students who serve the local community are also recognized at an annual banquet and in the College's Commencement program.

Community members who know of active or retired military personnel or residents of local retirement community who might appreciate a note from a college student are welcome to contact Chaplain Fullmer in the Office of Community Service and Volunteerism at 717-867-6135 or fullmer@lvc.edu. The donation of shoe boxes to the office would also be appreciated.

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Contact Alison Wenger at 717-867-6034 or LVC's Office of Community Service and Volunteerism at 717-867-6135 for more information regarding community service at Lebanon Valley College.

About Lebanon Valley College

Lebanon Valley College is a private, coeducational college founded in 1866 and dedicated to the liberal arts. The College offers 36 undergraduate majors plus self-designed majors and a range of minors, concentrations, and pre-professional options, as well as graduate degree programs in athletic training, business administration, music education, physical therapy, and science education.

The College has 1,573 full-time undergraduate students and 106 full-time faculty. Students can choose from more than 90 clubs and organizations, and 12 study abroad programs. LVC awards generous academic scholarships to those whose high school records demonstrate a commitment to challenge and achievement.