Volunteer at UB Community Day

Saturday May 15th is your chance to make some new friends, have fun and beautify the neighborhood all at the same time. It's the 2nd annual UB Community Day where residents, UB students and staff all come together to volunteer in the neighborhood.

This year's event is in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo, so we'll be doing some minor home repair work and gardening in various areas of the University District.

The event is from 9:00am-3:00pm, with volunteers asked to arrive at 8:30am on the South Campus. After the volunteering is done, come to the after event celebration for refreshments and a chance to win an ipod shuffle.

Anyone is welcome to volunteer, for more information and to sign up contact UB Community Relations at 716-829-3099.

Get Involved in Our Summer Events

Now that the weather is getting warmer, you know what that means! Time for the planning of the neighborhood summer programs.

Now is your chance to get involved in the planning and coordination of the University Community Farmers Market and the Samuel P. Capen Garden Walk, two of our favorite events. Please see below if you are interested in volunteering on the planning committees for either event, or both.

University Community Farmers Market

Our neighborhood farmers market began in 2007 and was held on Saturdays on the UB South Campus. The first planning meeting of the year will be this Wednesday April 21st at 6:00pm in 109 Allen Hall on the South Campus. If you are interested in having a hands-on role with the market, are interested in supporting local business and healthy living through fresh food sales, or have ideas on the market, please come to the meeting this Wednesday.

Samuel P. Capen Garden Walk

The planning for the 2010 Garden Walk is underway. The Walk will be held on Saturday July 17th. Be a part of the planning committee, which meets on Thursday April 29th at 6:00pm in Allen Hall on the South Campus.

For more information on the planning meetings for these groups, please contact Jessica in UB Community Relations at 829-6145.

UB Community Service Day with Brush Up Buffalo

As part of the University at Buffalo’s inaugural UB Community Service Day on Saturday, June 20, the university will participate in Brush Up Buffalo 2009. All community members, faculty, staff, students, and alumni are encouraged to volunteer.

Founded in 1996, Brush Up Buffalo is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that organizes an annual event to repaint about 10 to 15 low-income, single-family, owner-occupied homes and revitalize city neighborhoods. This year’s event takes place in the University District, directly south of the UB South Campus. The University at Buffalo is proud to be a key sponsor.

Registration for Brush Up Buffalo 2009 is simple and can be done on the Brush Up Buffalo web site. You will be asked to include your name, e-mail, phone number, t-shirt size, and lunch preference.

About 500 volunteers from across the region are expected to participate this year and the organization hopes to repaint approximately 15 homes. More homes may be painted if additional volunteers register. There is no cost to participate, but volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.

All Brush Up Buffalo volunteers will meet at the UB South Campus beginning at 7:30 a.m. Parking is in the Diefendorf Lot off Sherman Road at Bailey Avenue. Buses are provided to transport volunteer teams to and from houses. Each volunteer will receive breakfast, refreshments on-site at the houses, a Brush Up Buffalo t-shirt, and lunch back at the UB South Campus.

With 30 to 40 volunteers assigned to each house, the painting takes about three to four hours to complete. Most volunteers are finished with the entire day by 1:00 p.m. Most supplies are provided, but volunteers are encouraged to bring extra ladders if possible. No painting experience is necessary, and union painters will be at each house to provide assistance.

Please consider taking part in this unique opportunity to volunteer with friends and neighbors to help beautify the neighborhood.

Get Involved in Our Neighborhood Events

Here is your chance to get involved in two of our neighborhood activities, the Farmers Market and the Capen Garden Walk.

This Monday, March 23 at 6:00pm will be a committee meeting for the Samuel P. Capen Garden Walk. If you like to garden, and are interested in helping with this year’s event, please come to the meeting and bring your ideas. See photos of the Garden Walk here.

Tuesday, March 24 at 6:00pm will be a committee meeting for the University Community Farmers Market which runs Saturdays from May to October on the UB South Campus. The market is a great community social event, please come get involved.

Both meetings will be held in the conference room in 101 Allen Hall, which is the 2-story glass building right across from Tim Horton’s. Parking is free and available next to the building in either lot.

All are welcome. RSVP with Jessica Biegaj in Community Relations at 829-6145 or jbiegaj@buffalo.edu. We look forward to seeing you there.

Photos by Nancy J. Parisi and UB International Admissions.