More than 1,500 volunteers expected to take part in 50 service projects on Maine Day

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

April 29, 2019 Outreach, Student Life

Editor’s note: Due to extensive rain in the past two weeks, the traditional Maine Day oozeball (mud volleyball) game has been canceled and is expected to be rescheduled.

University of Maine community members will take part in a day of service on Maine Day, May 1.

As part of the annual spring cleanup tradition, UMaine students, faculty and staff will complete volunteer projects to spruce up campus, enjoy a free barbecue and take part in a meal-packing event and other philanthropic activities.

A parade featuring student organizations, residence hall groups, fraternities and sororities, as well as faculty and staff will kick off the day at 8:30 a.m. The parade will start at the Emera Astronomy Center and travel around campus before ending on the Mall.

Those participating in the parade are encouraged to follow this year’s “Nautical” theme. Parade registration is online until 5 p.m. April 29. Trophies will be awarded for the best campus department and student organization parade entries.

After the parade, more than 1,500 volunteers are expected to complete about 50 projects, including gardening, picking up litter and painting at various locations on and near campus.

Student groups will lead many projects, such as Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity members helping the Old Town Recreation Center prepare its baseball field for the season; Alpha Sigma Phi partnering with Down East Emergency Medicine Institute (DEEMI) to clean and stock search and rescue vehicles; the women’s soccer team raking and weeding the blueberry garden outside the New Balance Student Recreation Center; School of Forest Resources staff and students cutting wood and delivering it to the Waldo County Woodshed; and members of the UMaine Office of Veterans Education and Transition Services, MBS Corps and Army and Naval ROTC cleaning and planting around the Class of 1945 Memorial sculpture outside Memorial Union.

Off-campus community projects include summer planting prep at Rogers Farm in Old Town, winter cleanup and redesign of the Orono Community Garden behind the Orono Public Library, and picking up litter along the banks of the Stillwater River.

This year also marks the third Maine Day Meal Packout.

In food-packing events, campus and community volunteers box meals that are donated to food banks and community organizations that provide food for people in need.

The event will be held 9 a.m.–noon in the Memorial Gym. It is organized by UMaine students, primarily those from the Honors College. The goal is to pack at least 65,000 meals. Donations are being accepted online.

Last year, more than 300 volunteers helped pack 85,536 meals. In 2017, UMaine surpassed Harvard University to set a record for the most meals — 107,500 — packed by a New England university during one event.

A list of projects, including the meal-packing event, is available on the Bodwell Center for Service and Volunteerism website. Volunteers are still welcome for many projects. Online registration is open until the end of the day April 29. In-person registration for remaining projects will be available beginning at 9 a.m. May 1 on the Mall (or in the Memorial Union in the event of rain).

Projects will continue until the annual Maine Day barbecue from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Steam Plant Lot. The rain locations for the barbecue are Hilltop Dining, Wells Central and York Dining.

Several student organization philanthropy events also will take place in the lot, including the football team’s bone marrow drive, Golden Key International Honour Society’s dunk tank, Alpha Omicron Pi and Pi Kappa Phi pie-in-the-face booths, Tau Delta and Tau Kappa Epsilon’s car bash, and the St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event hosted by UMaine Circle K.

UMaine Student Government will host Maine Day Fest 5–7 p.m. on the Mall, featuring free fare from several food trucks, lawn games and live music.

Following Maine Day Fest, Kickin’ Flicks will present “Aquaman” at 8 p.m. on the Mall (or the North Pod of Memorial Union in the event of rain). Students are invited to bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy free snacks provided by Campus Activities and Student Engagement (CASE).

President Arthur Hauck inaugurated Maine Day in 1935. It is traditionally held on the last regular Wednesday of the spring semester. To allow students to participate in volunteerism, classes are canceled, with the exception of classes and labs that meet once per week.

Funding for Maine Day is provided by the UMaine President’s Office, Division of Student Life, Vice President for Administration and Finance, Facilities Management and Black Bear Dining.

More about Maine Day is online.

Contact: Elyse Catalina, 581.3747