More than 25 local service agencies will get a helping hand Sept. 26 from hundreds of University of Guelph students.

It’s the University’s 17th annual Project Serve day. Initiated in 1997 as a way of introducing students to community involvement and volunteerism, the program is now an annual event. It’s support in part by funding from the United Way of Guelph Wellington Dufferin.

Students will contribute approximately 1,000 hours of volunteer assistance during the one-day event.

Working with teams of five to 15, they will spend a half day doing various jobs from environmental cleanup to sorting food at non-profit agencies that address social, environmental and health issues. Each volunteer group is headed by a team leader who is a senior student, faculty member or staff member.

Students will gather at the University Centre at 11 a.m. for registration and a welcome address. Students will then board buses at noon for travel to their volunteer placements, returning to U of G at 4 p.m. for a wrap-up session in Peter Clark Hall.

Project Serve was named “Program of the Year” by the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services in 2001.

Registration and additional information are available online.