UofL employees, alumni kick off Homecoming 2017 with community service

The UofL Alumni Association and UofL Office of Community Engagement co-hosted the 2017 Louisville Alumni/Cardinal Day of Service Oct. 6 -7. Faculty, and staff, as well as alumni councils and chapters across the nation, co-hosted service events as a way to kick off Homecoming 2017. 

According to the Office of Community Engagement, about 60 faculty and staff participated throughout the two days at five sites, including Supplies Over Seas, a Louisville-based nonprofit organization that meets health care needs in medically impoverished communities around the world by collecting and distributing surplus medical supplies and equipment. SOS partners with hospitals and other businesses to recover medical supplies that would otherwise go to landfills and ship them to a community in need. At the end of June 2017 SOS shipped 112 tons of medical supplies to various location around the world.

Several students, staff, and UofL alumni came together to help SOS with it's mission including members of Phi Delta Epsilon, a co-ed international medical fraternity. 

"I really want to give back," said Kara Sorenson, a sophomore in UofL's Pre-Med program, and a member of Phi Delta Epsilon. "This is a great learning experience and its a great way to be social with people who have the same interest as you."

The volunteers worked together to sort various medical supplies into one of 40 categories, being careful to examine expiration dates.

"I really wanted to get my volunteer service hours up," said Shonnese Washington, a sophomore nursing major at UofL. "I feel like this will be a good experience."