Students to turn over a new leaf in community service

Author: Claire Stephens

Robinson Community Learning Center

The Robinson Community Learning Center and Circle K of the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College are sponsoring the annual “Turning Over A New Leaf” event Oct. 27 (Saturday), encouraging college student volunteers to rake the lawns of houses in the Northeast Neighborhood of South Bend.

Houses eligible for raking are between Hill Street, Angela Boulevard, Colfax Avenue and Twyckenham Drive. Last year more than a hundred college student volunteers raked the lawns of 48 houses in the Northeast Neighborhood.

All are welcome to volunteer Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; rakes and breakfast will be provided. For more information or to sign up, please call Marguerite Taylor at 574-631-9425.

The RCLC encourages community between Notre Dame partners and the Northeast Neighborhood of South Bend through relationship-building and educational opportunities. The RCLC offers programs and activities sponsored by local agencies and organizations, including after-school tutoring, a youth Shakespeare company, the Take Ten violence prevention program, computer instruction, a youth entrepreneurship program and English-as-a-new-language classes. More than 500 residents and volunteers participate each week in on-site RCLC programming, and as many as 300 Notre Dame students, faculty and staff volunteer with center programs.

Other events the RCLC has hosted this fall have included bike rides for kids, a back-to-school picnic, neighborhood meetings and free classes for parents and caregivers of young children.