Community service is not a new concept to Prospect Ave., but for the first time Tuesday club leaders came together behind a service program called the Prospect Alliance for Community Action (PACA).
The culmination of weeks of work, PACA plans to coordinate the community service activities of the clubs.
"The presidents of the eating clubs decided that we could pool our resources to make a larger impact in the community," Inter-Club Council and Quadrangle Club President J.W. Victor '05 said.
Ross Mandeville '05, community service chair of Tiger Inn, came up with the name for the alliance.
He hopes that "PACA will make club members more aware of the opportunities available for community outreach."
Though many eating clubs have completed community service activities in the past, their actions have generally been independently organized.
Jen Lewellen '05, community service chair of Colonial Club, said this is the first time clubs have formed a permanent community service organization to coordinate their efforts.
According to the PACA charter, "the purpose of the PACA is to facilitate communication between clubs and between community service chairs within those clubs, thereby creating a permanent infrastructure that will make possible joint community action initiatives on an order of magnitude larger than those for which any single club could alone be responsible."
Lewellen hopes this collaboration will help the surrounding communities and increase publicity for Street-backed events.
PACA has the potential to improve the image of the eating clubs within the community, Victor said. Several projects have already been organized.
The group's first major initiative is Let's Get Ready (LGR) — a free, national college preparatory program for high school students.
LGR co-director Megan Jaye '06 said 72 students have already volunteered to tutor.
"The program will bring members out of their club and make Prospect Avenue more of a community," Jaye said.
Another program is PACA's clothing drive on campus this week.
Along with Princeton Human Services and the local YMCA, the eating clubs hope to collect over 1,000 articles of clothing by next Tuesday.
Eating club members and underclassmen alike are encouraged to bring clothing donations to the Street.
Victor said University administration has supported the PACA initiative.
"[Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Students] Flores-Mills has been phenomenal to work with," Victor said. "She is full of encouragement, good advice and recognizes the potential the clubs have."
PACA hopes to expand its role on campus in the future.
Victor would like to see the alliance develop a working relationship with the Student Volunteer Council (SVC) and incorporate SVC programs at the Street.
PACA met last night to coordinate future operations. Many clubs' community service chairs, represenatives of the ICC and LGR organizers were in attendance.
Read More
GSG approves audit, delays budget approval after ‘insufferable’ meeting
Nikki HanThe final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
The final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
Effort to restore chapel’s pews slowly progresses
Ben GoldstonHead carpenter Jim Sullivan has been restoring the Chapel pews over the last year. The dry atmosphere of the Chapel has warped the wooden pews over the years.
Head carpenter Jim Sullivan has been restoring the Chapel pews over the last year. The dry atmosphere of the Chapel has warped the wooden pews over the years.
Metals, molecules, and medicine: chemical biology’s influence on health and sustainability
Aanya KaseraChemistry professor Chris Chang’s lab studies the chemical biology of the elements, specifically examining the roles that copper, iron, and zinc play in biology across all kingdoms of life.
Chemistry professor Chris Chang’s lab studies the chemical biology of the elements, specifically examining the roles that copper, iron, and zinc play in biology across all kingdoms of life.