Sign up for projects 1-6 March!!!!

Registration is open and time to sign up for the biggest action days yet of Serve the City Leuven. Not only do we have over 200 volunteers spots for STC projects, but we are also partnering with KULeuven, KHLeuven, UP & LOKO to mobilize hundreds of students under the banner Icare. For STC projects simply click on the sign up page or serving days. Look at all the projects and sign up. You can also sign up for UP projects at www.kuleuven.be/Icare for projects that will raise money for Jeanne de Vos who works with the poor in India. Spread the word and become the change you want to see in this world!

And we are tying in an expo on 3 March. Check it out at www.servethecityexpo.be

March 3 – 19h – EXPO plus

Expo is back…this year earlier and ‘plus’. It will be a mix of artforms and a presentation by Carlton Deal (Founder of Serve the City) about the motivation for serving humanity. It will be back in our offices at Leo XIII seminarie and with a private sponsor funding the expo (through the connection of Leo XIII)! Check out www.servethecityexpo.be for more info.

Support Serve the City – join the High 5 Campaign

Serve the City Leuven started in the summer 2008 and has been supported in large by people outside of Belgium who wanted to see this movement started, but in order to keep it going we need to find local support. We have kept our cost low and all kinds of people have donated their time, talents & resources (graphic work & an office as an example). To keep things going and take it to the next level we now need to find local support. Just as we believe that everyone can serve, we believe that everyone can take part and support this initiative. So we are launching a high 5 campaign. It’s simple: donate 5 euros per month to support the work of Serve the City Leuven. You can send donations to our bank account: SERVE THE CITY LEUVEN – KBC 734-0277692-87 (please mention High 5 campaign in the memo). Thank you for your support!

Serve the city = a movement of love

Serve the city seeks to mobilize people to be givers in this world rather then takers. We do this by initiating serving opportunities on a regular basis in the city, but projects are not the end. It’s just something to get the ball rolling. It’s a way of life. It’s getting up in the morning saying to yourself, ‘Thank you God for this day you have given me. How can I be a giver today?’ How different would our world be if everyone began to adopt this mindset? It would be beautiful! And since the human world is populated by individuals, each on of us can do our part…today is new day!

93 first year university students serve Leuven on 9 September!

It was great to have so many students come and help out in 11 projects in Leuven. Students helped paint an office of an organisation that gives classes to people with disabilities (Vibeg), students rooms (Leo XIII seminarie), a cafetaria of a soupkitchen (Poverello) and took a bunch of elderly folks to the kermis (from OCMW Capucijnehof & Eduard Remy), organized a bunch of games for an afterschool program (Fabota) and did cleaning an yard work for crisiscenters (CAW Crisiscentrum + CAW de Meander) and an organisations for people with disabilities (Roerhuis). They also did some cleaning at Open Therapeuticum Leuven, an organisation that helps students who have been through the trauma of a car accident.

This serving day was part of a week long camp called ‘Onthaaldagen’ with UP (University Parish) of the KUL (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and they asked Serve the City to organize a bunch of projects for the students. What a great way to start a new journey in a new city and help bring some love to others!

See more pics of that day on Flickr.

It would be great to hear some stories about your experience, also from the projects…

A great first year!

Less then a year ago Serve the City launched in Leuven and it’s been an amazing ride. Over the past year, we had the priviledge to work with 20 different organisations on 6 different action days (ranging from 1-5 days per action days). It started last summer with a week long serving initiative and turned into regular (every 6 week) action days. We got recognized by LOKO (Leuven student organisation), Leo XIII seminarie gave us a great office to use and 4 interns came on board to help with the logistics + a core team formed. We hosted several parties and the first ever STC Expo to tell the story of Serve the City in Leuven. Over 250 volunteers are now networked with Serve the City Leuven! Lots of friendships have been ignited, people served and lots of love that freely went around in Leuven.

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Mother Theresa

We anticipate a great year with new contacts and partnerships in Leuven!

With hope,

Horace

PS. Summer opportunities will come online in a couple weeks!