For the past several years, Columbia University has conducted a Community Service Day in which alumni are encouraged to participate in various projects that support local community service programs in the Morningside Heights area. Our club first participated in the concept two years ago when 18 of our members and their families volunteered to do a spring cleanup and planting project in support of the Newark Pre-School Council at one of their classroom sites. Founded in 1965, Newark Pre-School Council is now one of the oldest and largest Head Start early education programs in the United States serving three and four year old children. It operates 117 classrooms at 37 locations throughout Newark and serves about 2,500 children. . We raked leaves, planted shrubs and flowers. consumed orange juice, bagels and coffee and generally had a good time. We were joined by several children from that classroom site and their parents.

On Saturday morning, April 10, we are going to repeat the event. We are told by Newark Pre-School Council that several site managers have requested our help. Since 15 people seems to be a good number to send to a single site, we request your response at this time if you believe that you and members of your family would participate with us. There is no cost. We will provide the food. Newark Pre-School Council will provide the tools and the plantings.

If you will join us, please send an email to me at pag73@columbia.edu to let me know how many in your family will join us. As soon as we know how many of us will participate, we can decide how many centers we can cover. We will let you know where the locations are as soon as they are confirmed.

Food will be available at 8:30 a.m. and we expect the work schedule to last until noon. The rain date is April 17.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Paul Gomperz
Program Chair