On Saturday, Oct. 19th, The Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) hosted Into the Streets, an annual day of service that invites all students to volunteer, whether alone, with a club or with a group of friends. Students can collaborate with community organizations such as Elizabethtown Community Housing and Outreach Services, Community Cupboard, Girls on the Run, the Latino Hispanic American Community Center and more. Transportation was supplied to the people that needed it, though service projects were also available at the Koons Activity Venue (KAV) for students who chose to remain on campus. Meanwhile, other clubs engaged in the Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation and Community Services Fall Fest by producing crafts with local children.
Students and some staff members made washable cotton sanitary pads that would be offered to communities.
At the fairground, different clubs were located in the barn. These tables provided activities for children and adults alike. The activities consisted of making lava lamps, slime, mini pumpkin crafts and cotton ghosts.
The Occupational Therapy Club expressed how they were extremely happy to be there and have fun with everyone who takes an interest in their table.
Outside in the field, they had other activities like a face painting station, pumpkin painting and water pumpkin pong. Different types of inflatables were present, including a slide, a hungry hippo game and a bouncy house. Yard games were offered with a mini barrel train ride for kids, hayrides and a pumpkin golf course. The Elizabethtown College wrestling team was in charge of the haunted house.
At this event, a total of four food trucks were available for people to purchase either coffee, tea,desserts, Philly cheesesteaks or barbecue.
Into the Streets is designed to introduce more students to thoughtful community service and provide a learning experience that inspires them to volunteer regularly. The annual event aims to develop a large number of student leaders, build powerful coalitions between diverse campuses, communities and national organizations and foster new purpose and understanding in the university’s community service movement. The theme of Into the Streets changes each year, and this year’s theme was Jumping into the Streets.
Students participated in Into the Streets for senior projects. The GEARS Fall Fest food drive is partnered with the Bear Backs food program collecting through Nov. 2 at the community center. They provided supplies like canned food, spaghetti, and many more.
“This was my last Into the Streets, and it was a huge success. This has been one of my favorite years and it feels great to make such an impact in the wider Etown and Lancaster Community,” Senior and CCCE student assistant Ariea O’Krepka said.
