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In an effort to provide meaningful help through volunteer service and build relationships with community members, around 500 student volunteers from ��Ӱֱ�� State, ��Ӱֱ�� University, and Houghton College pitched in Saturday for the third annual Celebrate Service Celebrate Allegany.

The event coincides with the national Make a Difference Day, the largest national day of community service. CSCA began in October 2012 as a Leadership Allegany project with a vision to develop a countywide day of service involving students from all three Allegany County-based colleges.

Volunteers undertook dozens of mainly-outdoor oriented activities across the county Saturday at such places at schools, playgrounds, churches, food pantries, and libraries. Their tasks varied from painting and inventorying disaster kits to raking leaves and cleaning.

Jonathan Hilsher, director of the Center for Civic Engagement at ��Ӱֱ�� State, said more than 200 ��Ӱֱ�� State students participated this year, which is the highest total number of volunteers the college has had at the event so far.

“I think it’s great to see different organizations making CSCA a part of what they do,” Hilsher said. “For example, the baseball team volunteered at two Wellsville sites on Saturday. Coach Jason Cronin and the team often make it a point to include community service into their busy schedule, something I’m seeing more and more of in other organizations throughout campus.”

Unlike the first two times Celebrate Service Celebrate Allegany took place, the weather cooperated this year.

“It was great that the weather was so nice, especially with so many outside projects,” Hilsher said. “That hasn’t been the case the last two years with the weather typically being either drizzly or windy, and maybe 20 degrees cooler than it was on Saturday.”

Derek Perry, an ��Ӱֱ�� State technology management major from Angola, said he volunteered at the Yorks Corners Mennonite Church in Wellsville, redirecting water that was draining into the building. He said Celebrate Service Celebrate Allegany is a great way for students to give back to the community.

“We had a much larger turnout this year than we did last year, which is very promising to see,” Perry said. “I felt this year went very well, the weather was absolutely beautiful, registration went quickly for how many people attended, and there were no problems with transporting people to locations.”

According to Hilsher, an important aspect of the event is that students are able to cultivate relationships with local businesses and non-profit organizations.

“There was a lot of meaningful volunteer help provided Saturday. But, I also feel that this day is a great platform for relationship building. It enables students to get off campus and meet community members and community members to meet college students,” Hilsher said. “I think that’s one of the best things about an event like this.”

In photo above: ��Ӱֱ�� State students, from left to right, Collin Kratzer, a financial services major from Canisteo; Felix Paulino, a computer information systems major from Bronx; and Stephen Eaton, an architectural technology major from Rochester, prep and clean storm windows Saturday during the third annual Celebrate Service Celebrate Allegany.