UCLA freshmen express gratitude to U.S. troops worldwide with 'Bruin care packages'
WHAT:
As part of UCLA's summer orientation program, incoming freshmen are assembling care packages filled with snacks, Bruin apparel, iTunes gift cards and personal letters of appreciation for U.S. service members deployed in hostile regions like Iraq and Afghanistan and on ships at sea. By the end of orientation, approximately 5,000 of these special Bruin care packages will have been shipped overseas.
The effort -- part of a campus-wide initiative to encourage a lifelong commitment to volunteerism among students -- is organized in association with Operation Gratitude, a volunteer-run nonprofit based in Van Nuys, Calif., that has sent more than 500,000 packages to troops around world. Everything in the UCLA packages is donated by outside sources.
During orientation, students are also introduced to UCLA's online Volunteer Center, where they can connect with a variety of volunteer opportunities; they are encouraged to attend the annual Volunteer Day, which will take place this year on Sept. 21. Last year, the inaugural Volunteer Day saw 4,300 new UCLA students fan out into the community to work on improvement projects at schools, beaches and parks and on the grounds of the Veterans Affairs facility in Westwood.
WHO:
More than 300 incoming UCLA freshmen, as well as ROTC cadets and instructors, are participating in the care package effort.
WHEN:
Care package assembly will take place at the following times:
• Thursday, Aug. 12, 1-4 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 19, 1-4 p.m.
• Tuesday, Aug. 24, 1-4 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 27, 1-4 p.m.
WHERE:
UCLA's Ackerman Union, 2nd-floor lounge, Room 2414 (map)
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Claudia Luther | 310-206-8258 | cluther@support.ucla.edu
Elizabeth Kivowitz Boatright-Simon | 310-206-1458 | ekivowitz@support.ucla.edu
WHAT:
As part of UCLA's summer orientation program, incoming freshmen are assembling care packages filled with snacks, Bruin apparel, iTunes gift cards and personal letters of appreciation for U.S. service members deployed in hostile regions like Iraq and Afghanistan and on ships at sea. By the end of orientation, approximately 5,000 of these special Bruin care packages will have been shipped overseas.
The effort -- part of a campus-wide initiative to encourage a lifelong commitment to volunteerism among students -- is organized in association with Operation Gratitude, a volunteer-run nonprofit based in Van Nuys, Calif., that has sent more than 500,000 packages to troops around world. Everything in the UCLA packages is donated by outside sources.
During orientation, students are also introduced to UCLA's online Volunteer Center, where they can connect with a variety of volunteer opportunities; they are encouraged to attend the annual Volunteer Day, which will take place this year on Sept. 21. Last year, the inaugural Volunteer Day saw 4,300 new UCLA students fan out into the community to work on improvement projects at schools, beaches and parks and on the grounds of the Veterans Affairs facility in Westwood.
WHO:
More than 300 incoming UCLA freshmen, as well as ROTC cadets and instructors, are participating in the care package effort.
WHEN:
Care package assembly will take place at the following times:
• Thursday, Aug. 12, 1-4 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 19, 1-4 p.m.
• Tuesday, Aug. 24, 1-4 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 27, 1-4 p.m.
WHERE:
UCLA's Ackerman Union, 2nd-floor lounge, Room 2414 (map)
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Claudia Luther | 310-206-8258 | cluther@support.ucla.edu
Elizabeth Kivowitz Boatright-Simon | 310-206-1458 | ekivowitz@support.ucla.edu
