From Akwaaba to Yavneh House, nearly 50 student organizations are preparing for Princeton in the Nation's Service (PINS), a month of volunteer projects to benefit the local community and Hurricane Katrina victims.
Organizers moved the start of PINS from October to the beginning of the school year due to the devastation in the Gulf.
"There is no better way to be in the nation's service than to efficiently and effectively aid Katrina victims," PINS student coordinator Carol Wang '07 said.
Scenes of hurricane damage convinced USG president Leslie-Bernard Joseph '06 to scale down plans for what he described as a "flashy" PINS kickoff celebration featuring prominent speakers.
"Katrina definitely put a lot of things in perspective. The famous speakers — that was more for us than for anyone in the community," Joseph said.
Joseph and Wang said the goals of PINS are to maximize volunteer participation and fundraising, and to get students involved in sustainable service projects.
Volunteers have already raised close to $10,000 from Katrina benefit concerts and donation tables, though this is well below the $25,000 goal that Joseph originally set. The USG will direct funds to the New Orleans communities near Dillard University, to which the administrations of Princeton and Brown have pledged aid and assistance, Joseph said.
Closer to campus, upcoming projects include arranging blood drives for the American Red Cross and tutoring children at the Boys and Girls Club. The influx of PINS volunteers will also be used to bolster SVC and Community House programs that are "struggling," Joseph said.
Joseph emphasized the value of having student groups — especially clubs and teams not typically associated with community work — perform service activities together.
"When you're doing something with all of your friends, it begins to seem like part of your regular Princeton experience. I think the focus on group service will keep participation numbers up," he said.
The multitude of events developed from the idea of a single service day in Joseph's campaign platform for the USG presidency; Wang put forth a similar concept in her platform for USG Campus and Community Affairs Chair. The two officers held meetings with students and University officials to flesh out their plans.
"We all agreed that a month was a better way to get students involved," Wang said.
Despite concerted publicity efforts, some students are confused about where PINS fits into the constellation of existing service groups, Wang said.
"PINS is sort of the umbrella, we're connecting all the community service organizations — SVC, Community House, PACE — and really celebrating all those projects," she explained.
PINS closing ceremonies are planned for Oct. 22, but Joseph and Wang said they hope that student groups will decide to continue their service throughout the year.
"Even onetime service projects have that potential impact of being a hook," Wang said. "We want students to ask themselves, 'How do I make service a more integral part of what I do on campus?' "
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