Westmont Magazine More Than 100 Pitch in for Day of Caring

Once again,Westmont sent the largest team of volunteers to the United Way’s 15th annual Day of Caring in Santa Barbara in September. About 115 students,faculty and staff spent a Saturday morning volunteering at two schools and cleaning up a creek.

Last year, Westmont’s team included more than 90 volunteers participating in Day of Caring, Santa Barbara County’s biggest single-day volunteer event.

Resident Director Daniel Clapp and Resident Assistants Lizzy LeRud, Ryan Caddell and Kirsten Holshausen rounded up the record number of students.

The largest group of Westmont volunteers helped Goleta Valley Beautiful create a walking path along San Jose Creek. About 100 volunteers filled three Marborg-donated roll off dumpsters with green waste.

The other group from Westmont painted, landscaped and cleaned Ellwood School. Chris Call, vice president for administration, says Ryan Jorden, assistant professor of kinesiology and assistant men’s soccer coach, provided a big boost when he arrived with the men’s soccer team. “They did the major work of hauling and distributing mulch for the landscaping all over the school,” he says.

The crew from Westmont included four professors and six staff members.