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As previously stated in this manual, the purpose of the Duke Clubs Program is to promote communication and interaction between Duke University and the University family of alumni, parents, students, and friends through a variety of social, educational, athletic, and community service activities. Duke Clubs community service activities provide the opportunity to realize the University?s humanitarian goals, and to involve Club members whose needs are not met by other Club programming, and those who are not participating in other projects. Community Service activities appeal to a wide variety of Club members including recent graduates who were active in social concerns on campus, retired alumni, parents at home, and pro?fessional school graduates, just to name a few. Through community service ?hands-on? work, Duke Club members are able to help children, the homeless, elderly, disabled, abused, illiterate, ?at-risk,? and underprivileged. Through programs that institute systematic changes and/or raise awareness of community problems, Club members are able to benefit society as a whole.
The goal of Clubs community service work is threefold. First, Clubs strive to foster a lifetime commitment to educating alumni and making them aware of serious social problems. Second, Clubs mobilize alumni into action, empowering them to serve as volunteers in worthwhile projects that create positive change in their communities. Third, community service work fosters a more humanitarian spirit among Club members and in the communities where Clubs exist. Through awareness, action, and humanitarian spirit, Clubs community service work will benefit society.
Opportunities to serve one?s community are endless. In fact, the process of selecting a project can become overwhelming; there are so many people and organizations that need help! The easiest way to begin is to select a Club member to serve as Community Service Coordinator.
It is important that the Club board always supports, participates in, publicizes, and endorses the Club?s community service projects. It is essential that the board and the community service volunteers under?stand that projects are tremendously rewarding, that they do not need to involve large numbers of people, and that they can be hard work both physically and emotionally. Most importantly, it should be emphasized that volunteers should never consider a project a failure. If a volunteer can look back on a project and feel as though a difference was made to even one person, then the project was worthwhile. Numbers are not important; awareness, understanding, and action are.
The Duke Alumni Association Community Service Award is given each year to an Alumni Club that demonstrates outstanding community service. Nominated by the Clubs staff and voted on by the DAA Board of officers, the community service award can honor such things as a long-time community service project or an accumulation of activity over time. Winning Clubs receive publicity in Duke Magazine and on www.dukealumni.com, plus a $500 stipend.
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