Service Projects, Barbecue, Oozeball Set for Maine Day, April 29

University of Maine students, faculty and staff will take part in Maine Day, the annual campuswide spring cleanup tradition, on Wednesday, April 29. UMaine community members will complete service projects aimed at sprucing up the campus, enjoy a free barbecue, and compete for the oozeball — mud volleyball — championship.

About 40 projects will include raking, planting flowers, picking up litter and painting at various locations on campus, the bike paths and downtown Orono. Beautification of UMaine’s historic district, including Lord, Alumni, Holmes and Winslow halls; the President’s House; The Maples; and the Cyrus Pavilion Theatre, will help mark the university’s 150th anniversary.

Festivities will begin at 8 a.m. with a parade featuring student organizations, residence halls, fraternities and sororities. The parade, themed “Celebrating 150 Years of UMaine,” will travel around campus starting from Hilltop and ending on the Mall in front of Fogler Library. Parade line up begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Emera Astronomy Center.

From 9 to 11:30 a.m., volunteers will take part in service projects on and off campus. A list of projects is available on the Bodwell Center for Service and Volunteerism website. Online registration ends at 11:59 p.m. April 27. In-person registration for remaining projects will be available on the Mall (or in the Memorial Union in the event of rain).

Projects will continue until the annual Maine Day barbecue takes place in the Steam Plant Lot from noon to 2 p.m. Several student organization philanthropy events, as well as the annual oozeball championship, also will take place in the lot from noon to 3 p.m.

Activities taking place in the Steam Plant Lot include the Sophomore Owls’ battle of the bands, human curling with the UMaine Curling Club, the Delta Tau Delta car bash, and the St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event hosted by UMaine Circle K International.

Drop by the UMaine 150th anniversary celebration table at the barbecue to be part of the photo and video series wishing the university happy birthday. Free 150th anniversary tote bags and window clings will be available.

Also on Maine Day, seven teams of University of Maine Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) students will unveil their design challenge projects from 9 a.m. to noon in rooms 137 and 140 of Bennett Hall. The 2015 senior capstone projects were created so a local 8-year-old girl born without a left hand can play a Baroque soprano recorder in music class. The girl will select the design that best suits her.

President Arthur Hauck first inaugurated Maine Day in 1935. It is traditionally held on the last regular Wednesday of the spring semester. Classes with three or more weekly meetings are canceled to allow students to participate in volunteerism.

The Maine Day Committee organizes the event, and funding is provided from The University of Maine President’s Office, the Division of Student Affairs, the Vice President for Administration and Finance, Facilities Management and Black Bear Dining.

For more information about Maine Day, visit the website or email EJ Roach at ej.roach@umit.maine.edu.