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The Carolina Center for Public Service celebrated 25 years of connecting Carolina and community with a reception featuring staff, students and friends, followed by a meal packing event, in which some meals packed went to benefit those impacted by Hurricane Helene in Western NC.

 

On October 4th, students, staff, and the many friends of the Carolina Center for Public Service gathered at the Kenan Center to honor celebrate its 25th anniversary. Speakers at the reception included Robyn Fehrman, who served as APPLES President the year the Center began and current APPLES President Anna Mercer, as well as CCPS Director Dr. Lynn Blanchard, and Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. Attendees adorned cords that represented the Center’s many programs and affinity groups including APPLES, BPSS, Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholars, and previous particpants of the Tar Heel Bus Tour.

 

Carolina alumna and longtime supporter and friend of the Center, Mrs. Marjorie Buckley announced another generous gift to the Center in honor of distinguished professor and former Carolina Provost, Dr. Richard “Dick” Richardson. The Dick Richardson Connection Fund will continue to build on the Center’s and the University’s longstanding tradition of meeting the needs of communities across the state of North Carolina by connecting them to the resources, staff, faculty, and students of Carolina.

 

Following the reception Friday evening, over 100 volunteers gathered in Fetzer Gym Saturday morning to participate in Heels Pack Meals! CCPS, in collaboration with non-profit 9/11 Day, AmeriCorps, The Pack Shack, and UNC Campus Recreation hosted Heels Pack Meals to bring a meaningful volunteer activity to campus for Tar Heels past, present and future during our Homecoming weekend. “During a time of great divide across our nation and around the world, this was an opportunity for people to come together in remembrance of those lost 23 years ago on September 11, including five Carolina alumni, to help in eradicating food insecurity in our community, and in celebration of 25 years of CCPS’ commitment to connecting Carolina with community” stated CCPS Director Dr. Lynn Blanchard. 

This anniversary drew many parallels to previous CCPS anniversaries. Shortly after the dedication of the Center in 1999, the Center was tasked with spearheading the University’s response efforts to Hurricane Floyd. As a part of CCPS’ 10th anniversary, a meal packing event was also hosted just before the reception.

 

The video below created by CCPS student employee Xiaahua “Chrissy” Wang and details the Center’s milestones over 25 years.

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