Canned Food Drive for Rosie's Place

Team Leader: Wheelock Alumni Association Board
Date: Friday, March 23, 2012 through Sunday, April 22, 2012
Time: N/A
Location: Boxes are located in the lobbies of the Campus Center on Wheelock's Boston campus and 43 Hawes St. on the Brookline campus. 
Description of Project: Rosie's Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women, offers emergency and long-term assistance to women who have nowhere else to turn.  They are looking for donations of non-perishable food items, particularly canned vegetables and fruits, cereal, peanut butter, pasta, non-refrigerated juices, and rice. Please drop your donation at one of the boxes on campus.

Collecting Supplies for Schools in Jacmel, Haiti 

Team Leader: Castagna Lacet (clacet@wheelock.edu) and Heather Bundy (hbundy@wheelock.edu)
Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2012 through Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Time: N/A
Location: Donations should be dropped off or sent to the Social Work Department on Wheelock's Boston campus, Activities Building, 3^rd floor.  Mailing Address: Social Work Department, Wheelock College, 200 The Riverway, Boston, MA 02215
Description of Project: In preparation for a service learning trip to Haiti in May, the Social Work Department is collecting coloring books, crayons, pencils, colored construction paper, and other classroom supplies. Cash donations will also be accepted.
Special Notes: Castagna Lacet is the faculty leader of the Haiti Student Service Learning Trip (May 27-June 10) to Jacmel, Haiti. Jacmel was seriously affected by the 2010 earthquake and Wheelock hopes to help in this community. Students will work with two schools and a physio-therapy clinic, while also exploring the community and assessing mental health needs. This initial trip will help guide what activities students on future trips are engaged in with our partners in Haiti.

Watertown Community Gardens

Team Leader: Rachael Thames '07/08MS
Date: Saturday, April 14, 2012
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: 165 Grove St., Watertown, MA 
Description of Project: In collaboration with the Church of the Good Shepherd in Watertown, MA, volunteers will be working to build raised beds for the gardens. Fruits and vegetables grown in the garden will support the Watertown Food Pantry. Volunteers are asked to bring rakes and garden gloves if they have them. 

Young Elementary School Aquarium Day

Team Leader: Sara Hosmer '93
Date: Thursday, April 19, 2012
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: Young Elementary School, Randolph, MA
Description of Project: The New England Aquarium will be coming to Young Elementary School during vacation week to provide families with something fun to do.  The School is looking for volunteers to assist aquarium staff and support the families in attendance.  

American Red Cross Blood Drive

Team Leader: Angela Freniere (Co-Leaders Lauren Bird and Ashley Lee)
Date: Friday, April 20, 2012
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Wheelock College Campus Center, Room 103
Description of Project: Please join Student Advisors and the Gay Straight Alliance in helping save lives by taking half-an-hour out of your day to give blood. There will also be information and a petition about the discriminatory FDA legislation surrounding giving blood.
Special Notes: To set up a blood donation appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org. Click on the blue button in the upper right-hand corner that says "MAKE A BLOOD DONATION APPOINTMENT." Enter sponsor code 5504 and it will bring you to the Wheelock College schedule for the day. If you are a first time Red Cross donor you will need to register before choosing a time slot. Walk-ins are accepted, but an appointment is strongly encouraged. Please contact Angela Freniere at Angela.Freniere@my.wheelock.edu with any questions.  

Riverview High School Cyesis Teen Parent Program

Team Leader: Dr. Kathy Kourapis '83, katherine_kourapis@sarasota.k12.fl.us
Date: Friday, April 20, 2012
Time: 9:30 - 11 a.m.
Location: Riverview High School Cyesis Teen Parent Program,1 Ram Way, Sarasota, FL 34231
Description of project: The goal of this year's Wheelock World Service Day in Sarasota is to connect Wheelock alumni with these young children for the purpose of encouraging early literacy. Alumni will be asked to bring a children's book appropriate for infants and/or toddlers. Following a brief overview of the program, alumni will join one of the nurseries and read their books to individual children or small groups of children. The book will be left in the nursery as a donation. Refreshments will follow.
Special Notes: Also RSVP to Dr. Kathy Kourapis' '83, katherine_kourapis@sarasota.k12.fl.us 

Giving Hope...Making Miracles 5K Run/Walk

Team Leader: Kristen Pietro '00 and Karen Herlihy '00
Date: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Time: 9:00 a.m. to noon
Location: Village of Minerva Park, Columbus, OH
Description of Project: Join Team Wildcats by running or walking to benefit Jassmine Cobb, a 12-year-old battling Sickle Cell Anemia. Thanks to the Children's Organ Transplant Association, Jassmine received a lifesaving bone marrow transplant in 2010. 100% of the funds raised from this event will support Jassmine's transplant-related expenses.    
Special Notes: There is a race entry fee of $25 ($30 day of), but there are also a variety of activities for participants throughout the day. Contact Kristen at kpietro53@yahoo.com for more information. 

Middlesex Fells Cleanup

Team Leader: Beverly Mattatall '72, bevmattatall@yahoo.com
Date: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Time: 10:00 a.m. to noon
Location:  Department of Conservation and Recreation, Stoneham, MA
Description of project: Collecting litter on the paths and roadways
Special notes: Contact Bev Mattatall for directions, bring work gloves

14th Annual Muddy River Cleanup

Team Leader: Lauren Marquis '11MS
Date: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Meet outside of the Wheelock Family Theatre, Boston, MA
Description of Project: Cleanup along the park, such as picking up trash, downed tree limbs, and debris.

Community Engagement Forum

Team Leader: Rashad Cope and William Rodriguez
Date: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Time: 9:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Location: Mattahunt Community Center, 100 Hebron Street, Mattapan, MA 02126
Description of Project: For this community event, volunteers will be needed to assist with event set-up, event sign-in, refreshments, etc.

Wheelock College 16th Annual Make-A-Wish-Talent-Show

Team Leader: Bryan McGrath, bmcgrath@wheelock.edu 
Date: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Wheelock Family Theatre 
 Description of Project: Volunteers can help the night of the show, donate items for a fundraising raffle (for example: tickets for local show/sports, unique memorabilia, gift baskets, gift cards, etc.), buy a bracelet, star, or t-shirt at one of our tables in the Campus Center, or show their support by attending the show.
Special Notes: All proceeds from the show and from our fundraising will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This year, we are starting the fundraising early and we are hoping for your help! Our goal is to raise $4,000! 

Boston Area Rape Crisis Center 7th Annual Walk for Change

Team Leader: Kasey Riley '03/'07MSW, kriley@wheelock.edu
Date: Sunday, April 22, 2012
Time: Registration begins at 9:30 am; Walk begins at 11:00 am
Location: Start/stop at Canal Park at Cambridge Side Galleria and walk along the DCR's Charles River Basin pathways
Description of project: Join the crowd that is making a difference for survivors of violence and abuse. The 7th Annual Walk for Change promises to be a high energy inspirational, community building event. Last year over 1,500 walkers—survivors, families, friends, teams, volunteers—joined together to walk to increase awareness about preventing sexual violence, support survivors of sexual violence, and raise funds for BARCC's free services and revolutionary prevention programs.

Cape Cod YMCA Healthy Kids Day

Date: Saturday, April 28, 2012
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: YMCA Cape Cod, 2245 Route 132, West Barnstable, MA 02668
Description of Project: The Cape Cod YMCA is hosting their annual "Healthy Kids Day" and is looking for volunteers to help with a variety of activities, such as hosting a healthy food table. Wheelock alumni and staff have helped out at this event for the past two years.     

Project Bread Walk for Hunger

Team Leader: Bryan McGrath, bmcgrath@wheelock.edu
Date: Sunday, May 6, 2012
Time: Rolling start between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m.
Location: Walk begins and ends at the Boston Common
Description of Project: Project Bread's 2011 Status Report on Hunger showed that 1 in 10 of our neighbors here in Massachusetts is struggling to put food on the table every day. The Walk for Hunger supports more than 450 emergency food programs in 129 communities in Massachusetts. Join the Wheelock Rocks the Walk Team in walking 20 miles to raise money and awareness for families who are struggling to have enough to eat every day.
Special Notes: RSVP by Monday, April 30. For more information, visit www.projectbread.org or contact Bryan.