Online registration for Case for Community Day continues through this week until Friday, Sept. 20. The annual event, taking place Friday, Oct. 4, brings together a diverse swath of the university community— students, staff, faculty, alumni and others— to participate in a wide range of service and charity activities for the Cleveland area.

Over 35 projects have been scheduled this year, including landscaping, teaching at local schools and a community health fair. Slots for some events have already filled up, so interested volunteers are encouraged to register sooner rather than later.

Latisha James, Director for the Center for Community Partnerships and one of the event’s organizers, stressed the importance of planning ahead when registering to avoid last-minute cancellations. Before registering, students should ensure that they have no schedule conflicts and check with professors if they plan to miss class.

Created in 2002, Case for Community Day provides an opportunity for members of the Case campus to connect with each other and the Greater Cleveland area in an afternoon of service. Since its inception, over 4,000 volunteers have contributed more than 10,000 hours on 500 community-oriented projects.

Beyond serving the community, Case for Community Day also intends to foster better work environment and togetherness on campus by providing an opportunity for people with a variety of positions to interact outside their routine. Many volunteers also come back on their own and continue to work for the institutions, nonprofits or communities which participate in the event. “It is a great way to meet people across campus and build new relationships,” James said.

However, James also emphasized the importance of students making a serious commitment when registering. In previous years, some events went understaffed when students found conflicts too late, cancelling the day before or simply not showing up.