Community gears up for annual day of involvement

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

DePauw University's Hartman House for Civic Education and Leadership will sponsor the 2007 Putnam County Make a Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 27.

This national day of service and volunteerism will involve community members, youth, and DePauw students. Make a Difference Day celebrates the power of cooperation and service along with an estimated 2 million other volunteers nationwide.

Millions of Americans across the country are expected to spend the 17th Make a Difference Day doing volunteer projects to improve their communities and help neighbors in need. This day is the largest community service effort in the nation, rallying corporations, government leaders, charitable organizations and everyday Americans into action on one day.

This year's Putnam County Make a Difference Day consists of a non-perishable food drive benefiting the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry. The Emergency Food Pantry serves the entire county and has provided for hundreds of households. In 2005, the MADD food drive collected a total of 1,482 canned goods. The community is challenged to reach 2,000 this year.

All Putnam County residents can make a difference all week long, from Monday, Oct. 22 to Friday, Oct. 26, by participating in the city-wide food drive and donating to the following local sites during business hours: National City Banks, Old National Bank, First National Bank, Kroger, Wal-Mart, Hank's Deli, Putnam County Senior Center and DePauw University Hartman House. Community members are also highly encouraged to organize their own food drives at their offices, schools and organizations. For more information on how to plan a food drive or make your own nonperishable foods collection box, visit the Hartman House web site at www.depauw.edu/univ/hartman/outreach.asp.

For anyone unable to visit any of the donation sites, DePauw's Civic Fellows and Bonner Scholars will be joining efforts to Trick or Treat for canned goods from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Oct. 27.

All community members are invited to share in a Make A Difference Day Celebration at the Senior Center from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 27.

Collection boxes can also be dropped off on this day. Visit the Emergency Food Pantry inside the Senior Center to see the difference efforts have made and enjoy a brunch prepared by Senior Center volunteers.

For more information on this project, contact Sophia Bermeo by calling (765) 658-4863 or by e-mail at sbermeo@depauw.edu.

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