Clemson alumni around the U.S. participate in National Week of Service

Published: April 5, 2012

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson Clubs and groups across the country will participate in a National Week of Service this month. Designated “Every Tiger Cares,” the events will take place April 10-17 at locations that span the nation.

The Clemson University Alumni Association is encouraging clubs everywhere to take part in service projects in their communities that weekend. Individual alumni who are not part of an area group also are encouraged to wear orange and volunteer.

While activities will range from picking up trash to roofing a house, these alumni will be participating in something that was a vital part of their college experience at Clemson.

“Clemson students have a very strong service ethic,” said Jennifer Shurley, associate director of civic engagement at Clemson. “Our students’ commitment to service, and their ability to balance that with a challenging academic schedule, is impressive.”

According to Shurley, 10,017 students engaged in 72,793 hours of service in the past year. And that’s just what was recorded.

Service events on the Clemson campus during the week of service include Clemson Sweep Friday, April 13, and the Relay for Life April 13 and 14.

The National Week of Service is sponsored by the Clemson Alumni Association, which represents Clemson’s 125,000 alumni. Each alumni group can choose its own service project. Clubs or groups already signed up for “Every Tiger Cares” and their respective projects include: 

Greenville Clemson Club
Coordinator: Amit Toprani
Phone: 864-901-6383
Project description: The Generous Garden Project helps fight hunger by growing, harvesting and coordinating fresh fruits and vegetables around the Greenville area. We provide lovingly grown, locally grown fresh produce to local food banks, shelters and ministries. Most of it we grow ourselves, and this is where we need your help. You can get involved at many levels by volunteering and spreading the word about us. You, your family and friends can volunteer even if you have never worked in a garden before. When you come please bring garden tools with you. See  http://generousgarden.org/ for more information.
Location: 161 Verdin Road, Greenville
Date: April 14
Time: 8 a.m. to noon

Arizona Clemson Club
Coordinator: Sammie Holmes, sammie.holmes@scansource.com
Phone: 864-986-9886
Project description: The Arizona Clemson Club alumni, family, and friends will be serving the March of Dimes Walk for Babies event in downtown Phoenix at Wesley Bolin Plaza. Our responsibilities include set up and registration, manning water stations, assisting with tear down, as well as having members of our group participate in the Walk for Babies.
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 8 a.m.

Greater Austin Clemson Club
Coordinator: Vickie Morgan, Victoria.L.morgan@gmail.com
Project description: The Greater Austin Clemson Club is excited to help beautify part of the gorgeous Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail by picking up litter as part of Clemson’s National Week of Service. We’ll meet at the Norwood Tract Metro Park off Riverside Drive and I-35 at 1009 Edgecliff Terrace.
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 9–11 a.m.

Baltimore/Washington, D.C.. Clemson Club 
Coordinator: Elizabeth Jackson, Jackson@clemsonclub.org 
Phone: 703-556-0149 
Project description: Clemson alumni volunteers will participate in a Sports Fair with retired veterans at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington on April 14. Alumni and veterans will play basketball, bowling and bean bag toss while enjoying visiting with each other and sharing engaging conversations. Volunteers should RSVP at www.clemsonclub.org.
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 8:30-11 a.m.

Charleston County Clemson Club 
Coordinator: Sandy Powers, sandypowers@alumni.clemson.edu 
Phone: 843-881-8919 
Project description: Camp Happy Days, an organization for children with cancer, will be holding their third annual Bed Races to raise funds to support their programs. We will help with various activities such as parking, setting up, giving out information, registering race teams and cleaning up. (www.charlestonbedrace.com; www.camphappydays.com)
Date: Sunday, April 15
Time: 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Clemson Women's Alumni Council
Coordinator: Jenny Pettigrew, teamp200@aol.com 
Phone: 864-884-5346 
Project description: We are participating as a team for the Clemson University Relay for Life event. We will be raising money for this event for donations to Cancer Research. 
Date: Friday, April 13
Time: 5 p.m.-5 a.m.

Clemson Club of Jacksonville
Coordinator: Todd Smith, thsmith1@yahoo.com
Phone: 904-372-9222
Project description: We will be volunteering with a local dog/pet related charity/organization. More information coming soon.
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: TBA 

Lexington County Clemson Club
Coordinator: Al Harman, al.harman@comporium.com
Project description: We will volunteer at Lexington Interfaith Community Services, 216 Harmon St. in Lexington. 
Date: Friday, April 13
Time: 1-6 p.m.

Los Angeles Clemson Club
Coordinator: Leigh Ann Spence, leighannspence@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 323-202-6745
Project description: We will be hosting a weekend patio barbecue for all of the residents of the Veterans Home of California–West Los Angeles (currently have 81 residents: three women and 78 men) on Saturday, April 14. There will also be Red Cross volunteers from local high schools hosting bingo games at 2 p.m. The Veterans Home of California–West Los Angeles is a 396-bed, long-term care facility located adjacent to the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System in West Los Angeles.
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

NYC and Tri-State Clemson Club 
Coordinator: Bryn Smith, volunteer@nycclemsonclub.com 
Phone: 864-630-5433 
Project description: On Saturday, April 14, the Clemson University Tri-State Area Alumni Club will be partnering with The Riverside Park Fund for Clemson University’s National Week of Service. The event will last from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. with activities ranging from spreading wood chips, weeding, planning and picking up debris, to a whole host of other beautification efforts at Riverside Park in Manhattan. 
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Nashville Area Clemson Club
Coordinator: Don Harris, don.l.harris@tn.gov 
Phone: 615-579-2017
Project description: On Saturday, April 14, a group of Nashville Area Clemson alumni will gather at the Nashville Rescue Mission to help prepare, serve and clean up after feeding scores of homeless men. We will also do other volunteer jobs as assigned to us by Nate Peebles, volunteer director for the mission, Clemson fan and Greenville, S.C., native.
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Newberry County Clemson Club
Coordinator: Stewart White, sjwhite4@gmail.com 
Phone: 803-414-7051 
Project description: Assist and work with the Midlands SORBA to clean up and re-establish the mountain bike trail in Lynch’s Woods located in Newberry County. 
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 9 a.m.–until

Greater Orlando Clemson Club
Coordinator: Jaime Reynolds, Jaime.m.reynolds@gmail.com 
Phone: 407-488-8889 
Project Description: We will help distribute items at the Community Food and Outreach Center, 150 W. Michigan St., Orlando, organize shelves and clean the grocery section and thrift store. 
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 9 a.m.–noon

Pittsburgh Clemson Club
Coordinator: Allison L English
Phone: 412-867-9853
Project description: The Pittsburgh Clemson Club will have several collection points throughout the Week of Service for clothing/goods for two local organizations. The officers will then get together at the end of the week, sort the items and distribute them to the two agencies we are working with, Light of Life and Dress for Success.

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