HOLLAND (WHTC) -- Instead of spending their Labor Day weekend relaxing, 400 Hope College Freshmen lead by upperclassmen will be volunteering. As part of Freshmen Orientation, Hope College students are asked to sign up for the annual “Time to Serve” day. On Saturday, the students will be put into groups of six- ten and sent to 40 different locations across Holland and Zeeland. Wilma Hart from the student development office at Hope said that the day is meant to introduce the new students to Hope’s motto and to acquaint them with the Holland community.
"Service is part of Hope's Mission Statement and we like to introduce (students) to service immediately, so we give them the opportunity to learn about it within their first week," Hart said.
Students will be participating in various tasks when volunteering including cleaning, organizing, painting and landscaping. Hart said that due to the popularity of this event, Hope has added another “Time to Serve” program on Martin Luther King Jr. Day that is open to all students. Hope also hosts a dance marathon to raise money for DeVos Children’s Hospital and a Relay for Life to raise money for cancer research.
By: Claire Fodell