unity's first Social Action Day attracted mitzvah-driven
h and adults.
RUTH LITTMAPR1 STAFF WRITER
Socail
Action Day
drew a
crowd.
unteerism) is really related to
community awareness of the
needs," she said.
Social Action Day augment-
ed this awareness, organizers
said. It also functioned to give
people guidance. Many say they
want to volunteer, but don't
know how.
Danny Siegel, author, lec-
turer and chairman of the Ziv
Tzedakah Fund, spoke to audi-
ences of adults and children
about ways to give back to the
community. It takes initiative,
he said, recounting stories
about youth who formed coali-
tions to donate leftover school
lunches to the hungry.
Many people
say they want
to volunteer,
but don't
know how.
eena Loeffler, 12, has a pet dog.
One of her elderly friends at
Prentis Manor has a pet peeve:
Deena's dog has bad breath.
The gripe, however, hasn't
deterred this Akiva Hebrew
Day School student and her
comedic canine from entertain-
ing residents at Prentis Manor,
part of the Jewish Home for
Aged.
"All the people love it, even
though one man told me to get
breath mints for my dog. I like
helping people. I think volun-
teering is important," she said.
Deena was one of 350 chil-
dren and adults who showed up
.411 11 1i
Sunday at the Maple-Drake
Jewish Community Center for
the first community-wide Social
Action Day. The event show-
cased more than 40 Jewish,
gentile and secular organiza-
tions offering volunteer oppor-
tunities.
Hospice of Southeastern
Michigan showcased its Jewish
Hospice Services. The Chil-
dren's Center Tutorial Program,
which utilizes volunteers to help
at-risk youth with academics;
also participated.
Ellen Bean sat at a booth in
the lobby of the JCC and edu-
cated passersby about Volun-
teer Network, sponsored by the
Jewish Federation of Metro-
politan Detroit's Women's Di-
vision. Volunteer Network
supplies volunteers to organi-
zations that need extra help
with specific events. It's conve-
nient for busy people who want
to volunteer, but can only han-
dle one-shot opportunities, she
said.
Ms. Bean said enthusiasm
for volunteering is on the in-
crease within the Jewish com-
munity. Carol Rosenberg,
representing the Jewish Home
for Aged, agreed.
"I think that (increased vol-
He talked about a college stu-
dent, Ari Newman, who called
the White House to ask where
uneaten meals were sent. Le-
gal complications prevented
White House leftovers from be-
ing donated, "but (Ari) opened
the whole thing up," Mr. Siegel
said. "Now it's time to call the
mayor's office, the governor's of-
fice. Ideally, there should be Ari
Newmans everywhere." With
that goal in mind, the Social Ac-
tion Committee Council, Jew-
ish Community Council, The
Jewish News and the Jewish
Community Center sponsored
Sunday's event. ❑