University Times

There’s still time for staff, faculty and student volunteers to sign up for Pitt’s Oct. 7 Day of Caring.

At the 15th annual event more than 400 Pitt volunteers, including family members and friends, are expected to work in surrounding neighborhoods and at local and regional agencies as part of the broader Pitt-United Way campaign, which formally kicks off Oct. 12.

“Day of Caring usually has been a Wednesday in September, but we thought it would be more convenient for participants, particularly faculty, to have it a little later in the term when things have settled in and on a Friday,” said Pitt Volunteer Pool coordinator Steve Zupcic.

While most of the Day of Caring community opportunities are full, Zupcic said, three projects still need volunteers: “Keep It Clean, Oakland,” the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank/Duquesne School District cooperative stadium painting project and the Parental Stress Center-Pittsburgh/Pitt Office of Child Development on-site fix-up project.

The Oakland clean-up project is part of an ongoing neighborhood campaign to coordinate beautification efforts co-sponsored by the Oakland Planning and Development Corp. and other local agencies.

Volunteers are asked to call Zupcic at 4-7709 or e-mail him at stz@pitt.edu for more information or to register. Pre-registration is required. All projects are set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 7.

Volunteers also may refer to the web site (www.pitt.edu/~united/projects.html) for updates on Day of Caring.

In addition to work release time (with supervisor approval), volunteers get a T-shirt; lunch at the host agency; all necessary tools and equipment; transportation, and the opportunity to win prizes during this fall’s Pitt-United Way fundraising effort.

Pitt’s 2005 United Way campaign will kick off Oct. 12 and run through Nov. 23. This year’s campaign goal is $500,000.

Members of the 2005 Pitt-United Way steering committee include: campaign manager Anne Franks, Institutional Advancement; campaign co-chairs G. Reynolds Clark, Community and Governmental Relations, and Jerry Martin, obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences; Shawn Ahearn, Trish White and Bill Young, Office of Public Affairs; Jean Ferketish and Kim Honath, Office of the Chancellor; Joyce Giangarlo, Student Life; Chris Kenyhercz, Office of Administration, Health Sciences; George Klinzing, Office of the Provost; Michael LaFrankie, School of Medicine; Scott Lehman and Jamie Vance, Employee/Labor Relations; Doug Martin, Jean McDonough, Tory Pleskonko, Fran Povlick and Mary Treganowan, Institutional Advancement; Jason Morrill, Special Events; Heidi Pido, Parking, Transportation and Services, and John Wilds and Zupcic, Community and Governmental Relations.

Steering committee member Robert Dunkelman heads the retirees campaign.

Terry McManus, United Way of Allegheny County, serves as the UW representative on the committee. The Pitt-United Way web site, www.pitt.edu/~united, provides a link for pledging as well as updates on the campaign.

—Peter Hart