RELEASED: March 10, 2005

DANVILLE, KY—Last Saturday dozens of Centre College students ventured into the cold and rainy weather to take part in the second annual Spring Service Plunge sponsored by CARE (Centre Action Reaches Everyone). Patterned after the Fall Service Plunge for new students, the program encourages all students to participate in volunteer service.

"We hope it opens doors for people to go back to the places they visited Saturday," says Becky Barrick, a senior biology major from Danville and CARE president. "I'm really proud of everyone who signed up, and I think they enjoyed themselves. It always makes me feel good to see people willingly sign up for something like this and enjoy themselves."

This year students volunteered at four locations.

Several students went to Charleston Health Care Center and played bingo with the residents.

"I visited [Charleston Health Care] in Danville and plan on returning soon," says sophomore Dusty Butler, a philosophy major from Harrodsburg, Ky. "I felt honored visiting the community there. They made me feel so welcome, and they really appreciated my company. It made me feel so good that I'm capable of adding so much joy to a person's day with just my presence."

Junior Megan Dailey, a double major in mathematics and chemistry from Frankfort, Ky., also enjoyed spending time with the Charleston Health Care residents. She volunteers regularly at Woodlawn Elementary School as a Bonner Leader, a national program where members serve in the community 8-10 hours per week, and Ephraim McDowell Hospital in Danville.

"You get the satisfaction of knowing you've helped to change someone's life," Dailey says. "Through volunteering, you learn about your community, and a great deal about yourself—it helps shape the ideals and values that you live your life by."

Students also volunteered at the Humane Society, building cages for a new section of the facility and socializing the puppies to be comfortable around people. According to Barrick, introducing the new puppies to people by playing with them helps the animals become more adoptable.

At Woodlawn Children's Campus, Centre students helped the understaffed grounds crew by picking up yard debris. Barrick says she's proud of all those who participated this weekend, especially those who stayed out in the cold to help the Woodlawn Children's Campus.

Due to inclement weather, programs for the special-needs soccer league and the Special Persons' Advocacy Network (SPAN) were combined. The groups met in the Combs Student Center ("the Warehouse") on campus, played games and did arts and crafts.

Freshman Cassie Restrepo of Roscoe, Ill., helped with this program.

"I know that change is possible," Restrepo says. "And that helping people, even if it's just one person, benefits not only them and yourself, but also the entire community. Being helpful is contagious!"

Centre Action Reaches Everyone organizes service opportunities for the campus such as blood drives, Salvation Army bell ringing and the Angel Tree projects.

Applications for 2005-06 CARE officer positions are available. Contact Barrick at rlbarr00@centre.edu or Patrick Noltemeyer at 859-238-8752 or notlemey@centre.edu.

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

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