Orange takes on a brighter hue on the SU campus and around the country for National Orange Day

Orange takes on a brighter hue on the SU campus and around the country for National Orange DayMarch 14, 2007Kelly Homan Rodoskikahoman@syr.edu

Syracuse University’s students, faculty, staff and alumni are making plans to celebrate National Orange Day, marking the 137th anniversary of the University’s founding on March 24, 1870.

This year’s campus celebration will take place on Friday, March 23. Festivities will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the atrium of the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center with greetings and remarks by Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric F. Spina, Senior Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs Barry L. Wells and Student Association President Ryan Kelly. They will help to carve the first slice of birthday cake from one of six cakes donated by the SU Bake Shoppe. A visit by Otto the Orange and music and entertainment by Z89 will also be part of the event.

The Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion will offer free skate rentals to persons wearing orange that day, and the SU Bookstore will offer a 25 percent discount on SU collegiate apparel to anyone wearing a sticky orange. Rachael’s Restaurant in the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center and the Goldstein Alumni and Faculty Center will prepare “orange” luncheon specials. In the evening, the Carrier Dome, Crouse Hospital and the National Grid building in downtown Syracuse will be illuminated in orange.

A hallmark of National Orange Day is community service, both locally and around the nation. On campus, art supplies will be collected in collaboration with Partners for Arts Education in the Schine atrium from noon-2 p.m. to benefit schools in the Syracuse City School District. Around the country, SU alumni club members will participate in the following activities on March 23 or 24:

• The Alumni Club of Central New York will adopt the Ed Smith School in Syracuse and provide mentoring, tutoring and support for the school’s fund-raising efforts.
• The Alumni Club of Northwest Pennsylvania will volunteer at the Emmaus Soup Kitchen.
• The Alumni Club of Indianapolis will volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.
• The Alumni Club of Connecticut will participate in a beach clean up at Lighthouse Park in New Haven.
• The Alumni Club of Philadelphia will volunteer at Philabundance, the food bank of Greater Philadelphia.
• The Alumni Club of Chicago will sponsor its first Community Service Day, “Perk Up the Park” at Wicker Park.
• The Alumni Club of Greater Boston will volunteer at the Greater Boston Food Bank.
• The Alumni Club of Rochester will participate in volunteer training for the Camp Good Days & Special Times Headquarters.
• The Alumni Club of Washington, D.C., will run a water/cheering station at the 2nd Annual National Marathon.
• The Alumni Club of Fort Myers (Fla.) will volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.
• The Alumni Club of the Capital District (Albany area) will volunteer for the Regional Food Bank.
• The Alumni Club of Southern California will volunteer at “A Day at the Races” at Santa Anita Park.
• The Alumni Club of Arizona will set up, serve and do clean up for the main dinner hosted by St. Vincent de Paul at the Unger Dining Room in Phoenix.

For more information on National Orange Day history and activities, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (315) 443-3258 or sualumni@syr.edu, or visit http://www.syr.edu/alumni. Contact information for alumni clubs can be found at http://alumni.syr.edu/regional.html.