Service Odyssey 2001 April 19-28" 

SALISBURY, MD---Just days away from the “Service Odyssey 2001” deadline, event planners say they are they will reach the goal for volunteers from the Salisbury State University community for the annual volunteer project.

“We are confident we will reach 1,000,” said John Shortt, ShoreCan director who helped plan the event.

The service program involves faculty, staff and student participants from SSU who volunteer their time at more than 50 projects, both on and off the campus. Events include the Spring Olympics, Costal Hospice and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“The program is a great way to pull segments of the campus community together and highlight the University’s volunteer activities,” Shortt said.

Volunteers use their talents and interests to undertake a variety of projects from painting a mural on campus or paddling the Nanticoke River looking for litter.

About 554 volunteers were registered a week prior to the deadline, said ShoreCan Administrative Assistant Heather Milligan. 

In addition, registration forms from numerous sororities, fraternities and residence halls as well as more than 100 volunteers for the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art project are expected within the week, Shortt said.

Event planners said there are still many projects for volunteers to choose from, including Coastal Hospice, the Salvation Army, and the Worcester County Department of Health.

“Service Odyssey 2001 is a great way to demonstrate how much SSU contributes to the Lower Shore counties,” Shortt said.

ShoreCan sponsored a similar project last year, “1,000 in 2,000,” with 1,076 volunteers. 

There is a strong volunteer ethic at SSU where many of the students spend their weekends building houses for Habitat for Humanity and mentoring, he said.

“Students want to volunteer,” Shortt said. “ShoreCan shows them were to go and provides such things as transportation.”

The first 1,000 volunteers receive a free t-shirt designed by SSU junior Jennifer Jeffas. For more information or to register call 410-546-6015 or visit www.salisbury.edu/community/servicelearning.