Volunteering is a tradition at Manchester that we’ve celebrated for decades. This year, Ali Goetcheus, director of our Center for Service Opportunities, has been recognizing Volunteers of the Month – students and employees – from nominations submitted by faculty and staff.

When Ali sent her email asking for nominees for November’s Volunteers of the Month, she included a list of volunteer projects for the month. It was impressive: Blessings in a Backpack, Flannels and Flapjacks, Community Dinner, Blood Drive, Habitat Raking Leaves, The Great Move, Warm Up America, Food Pantry, Book Bash, Friendsgiving Cooking, Rotary Club Veteran Breakfast, Rotary World Affairs Conference, Giving Tuesday, Fellowship of Churches Move, and a variety of First-Year Experience service projects.

Among the most impressive things about this list is that our students and employees have been helping with some of these projects for many, many years. And our high level of participation is a tradition as well.

In this season of giving and thanksgiving, we are grateful for the ways our students and colleagues are connecting with our community. We are glad to have good neighbors and be good neighbors.