We are requesting donations of new and gently used books for toddlers through young teen years.  If books have been a blessing In your life, please consider donating a book as a way to pass the blessing on to others.  The generosity of The University of Scranton community in the 2007 and 2008 Blessing of the Books enabled the distribution of over 3,200 books to needy children in our local community and beyond.

Purple donation boxes are located on the first floor of: McGurrin, Leahy, Hyland, STT, Library, DeNaples, Condron and in the EXSC wing of the Long Center.  If you want to personalize your donated book, bookplates for that purpose can be found in the donation boxes.

Please join us on December 1 at 3:30 pm, McGurrin Lobby, as Father Scott Pilarz, S.J. blesses the collected books prior to their distribution. 

If you have questions or prefer to have books picked up from your office, please contact student
coordinators Michele Wall wallm3@scranton.edu or Colin Holmes  holmesc2@scranton.edu.

All members of the University Community are invited to attend this annual tradition of celebrating the First Sunday of Advent.  The liturgy concludes with a candlelit procession to the Dionne Green for the lighting of the Christmas Tree.  Students returning to campus from Thanksgiving break are encouraged to invite their families to the Mass.

Contact: Office of University Ministries
email: universityministries@scranton.edu
phone: 941-7419

November 4-Dec 1 - Cut out ornaments for The Giving Tree at the U ofS.  Contact Mike Wiencek in the Community Outreach Office, at wiencekm2@scranton.edu. Flexible times.

November & December- various dates.  Help answer phones with pledges for WVIA public TV.  Your own transportation necessary to Pittston.  Contact cristinmarcy@wvia.org

November 12-30.  Write holiday cards to soldiers.  Must be mailed by Dec 1.  Contact lettersforiraq@yahoo.com for address and mailing info.

November 19 - 23– United Neighborhood Centers needs help stocking their pantry shelves.  1:00-5:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.  Great for groups, as 10-15 are needed at a time.  Contact Stephanie Salinis at saliniss2@scranton.edu

November 20 – Spanish translators for calling families for Thanksgiving food baskets.  2:00-4:00 p.m.  Community Outreach office, contact Ellen Judge @ judgee2@scranton.edu

November 21 – The Greater Scranton Jaycees Santa Parade needs balloon carriers, traffic helpers, sign holders, etc.  7:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. in downtown Scranton.   This is an outdoor event.  Dress appropriately. Volunteers meet at the Scranton Job Center at Franklin and Spruce (there will be a tent where the volunteer coordinator will be set up).  More info contact president@scrantonjaycees.org

November 22 – Community Outreach Thanksgiving Food Baskets.  Help put baskets together from 10:00 a.m. –noon in DeNaples.  1:00 p.m. to ? Deliver baskets to families in need.  Drivers with their own car a plus.  Contact Pat Vaccaro @ vaccarop1@scranton.edu

November 22- CCHF Perkey Turkey 5K run with Compassionate Care Hospice.  From 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., help set up, clean up event, hand out snacks, run around!  Contact Becky Klepadlo at bklepadlo@cchnet.net

November 24- Friends of the Poor Thanksgiving Dinner at the Scranton Cultural Center.  Peel potatoes, set and decorate tables, carve, serve and carry, clean up.  9:30-a.m.-9:00 p.m.  Contact 570-348-4428.

November 25- Family to Family Thanksgiving Basket giveaway at the Scranton Cultural Center.  Unload trucks, basket packers, distributors.  6:00 a.m.-2pm.  Contact 570-348-4428.•        

November 27th – Dec 24 -  Holiday Gift Wrap for UCP.  Individuals and groups are welcome to sign up. Viewmont Mall.  The booth opens daily at noon. Contact 570-347-3357 or email ucpnepa@epix.net.•       

November 27th – Dec 24. Christmas Gift Wrap Program at Steamtown Mall needs individuals/groups between 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. to benefit Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.   Contact Pamela at Pamela.formica@lls.org

December 4, 5, 7 &10- EOTC needs elves for their Toyland workshop where kids shop for their families.  Set up and tear down workshop, test out the toys.  Contact Carlene at cgula-eotc@verizon.net

December 6- The Community Outreach office is hosting a Holiday Party for agency children from 1-4pm.  Help decorate the Ballroom, serve food, do a craft table, help with Santa pictures, assist with sing a long.  Contact Ellen Judge at judgee2@scranton.edu

For more information on any of these opportunities, please stop by or call The Community Outreach Office at 570-941-7429, DeNaples 205B.

Saturday, November 21, 2009
7:30 p.m.
Houlihan McLean Center

Admission FREE
The evening's program includes music written by composers from a variety of Eastern European traditions, including works by Rimsky Korsakov, Gliere, Shostakovich, Tschesnokoff, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, and Nelhybel. This year celebrates the 90th anniversary of the birth of Vaclav Nelhybel, who was composer-in-residence at the university at the time of his death in 1996, and whose more than 700 works in both manuscript and published form are housed in The Nelhybel Collection at The University of Scranton.
The University of Scranton Concert Band is an 80 member ensemble, with students from majors spanning the curriculum all brought together by their shared commitment to making music.

The University of Scranton Mountain Sports Club is going to Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid, NY for our Annual Intersession Ski/Snowboard trip!  We will depart from Scranton on January 5th and return January 8th.  The trip includes 2 days of skiing/snowboarding at Whiteface Mountain, 3 nights at the High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid, and transportation to and from Lake Placid.  The cost of the trip is $260.  This trip is open to University of Scranton students, faculty, and staff.  For more information or to reserve a spot, please contact Lauren Hahn, MSC treasurer, at hahnL4@scranton.edu.

Please join us for Math SPIRAL, Students and Professors InteRacting And Learning, this Wednesday, November 19, 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the Math Lab, St. Thomas 161.  This week senior math major Amanda Jones will describe RSA and Public Key Encryption.  All disciplines are welcome and refreshments will be served!   Contact Dr. Jennifer Franko at frankoj2@scranton.edu or x 6113 for more details.