California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

Giving Time to Serve the Community: Students Take Part in Annual Day of Caring

At 8 a.m. onย  Saturday, Sept. 16, students from California Lutheran University, in partnership with volunteers from the city of Ventura and a non-profit called United Way, began their day serving the community inย  the annual Day of Caring.

While projects occurred around various parts of Ventura County, Cal Lutheran students who signed up through the Community Service Center participated in one of four service events. These included a Thousand Oaks Botanical Garden clean up, cleaning books at the Simi Valley Library, cleaning up a river and harvesting oranges for Food Forward.ย 

The Day of Caring has been a longstanding Cal Lutheran tradition, according to Madeline Liberti, Cal Lutheranโ€™s community service coordinator. Liberti also said the event is important for student organizations.ย 

Harvesting oranges to share with the community in need: Moorpark College student Ben Argabrite said he came with his friend Bailey Borup, a student at Cal Lutheran, to one of the Day of Caring projects on Saturday. Argabrite and Borup came together with other students and individuals from the Ventura County community to help Food Forward, a non-profit organization that donates unwanted or leftover food to those in need.  Photo by Aliyah Navarro - Photojournalist
Harvesting oranges to share with the community in need: Moorpark College student Ben Argabrite said he came with his friend Bailey Borup, a student at Cal Lutheran, to one of the Day of Caring projects on Saturday. Argabrite and Borup came together with other students and individuals from the Ventura County community to help Food Forward, a non-profit organization that donates unwanted or leftover food to those in need.
Photo by Aliyah Navarro – Photojournalist

โ€œThe perk of having clubs and organizations sign up for this event is that it is a really easy way for them to get their service requirement,โ€ Liberti said.

Some of the clubs and organizations in attendance were the Happiness Club, Dance Team, Anime Club, the Criminal Justice Student Association, and even a Freshman Seminar class.

Happiness Club, alongside other students and community members, helped Food Forward harvest oranges. Food Forward is a non-profit that harvests unwanted fruit and vegetable crops and takes leftover produce from Farmerโ€™s Markets and distribution centers to donate to people and places in need in the community.

โ€œTheir policy is wherever weโ€™re picking, to try and do the non-profit in the area where weโ€™re picking,โ€ said Joyce Parker, a pick leader for Food Forward.

The orange tree harvest Cal Lutheran students participated in on Saturday in Simi Valley was brought to local causes such as the Simi Valley Senior Center, Moorpark Catholic Charities, Pantry Plus, the Thousand Oaks Methodist Church and the Samaritan Center, according to Parker.

Laura Willits, Community Service Center intern and Happiness Club president, coordinated the Food Forward project while also helping her club fulfill community service hours. Willits believes service is an important part of keeping a bigger picture in mind.

โ€œAs college students, weโ€™re so focused on ourselves right now, which is okay because we have a lot of stuff going on, but I think itโ€™s such a great opportunity to realize thereโ€™s a whole big, wide world outside of Cal Lu,โ€ Willits said.

As a partnership with United Way, a nationwide non-profit dedicated to service and the city of Ventura, Liberti said this day goes beyond Cal Lutheran.

โ€œItโ€™s a great opportunity to meet others in the community. Thatโ€™s why I specifically held just a certain amount of spots in each project, so that students are able to interact with other people in the community who just want to volunteer,โ€ Liberti said.

Natalie Elliott
Reporter

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