
Hiram alumni and friends helped with lawn maintenance around the W. 25th Street Rapid Station in Cleveland. The Redline Greenway will eventually become a three-mile linear park with a multi-purpose trail managed by Cleveland MetroParks. They were one of 20-plus groups that came together across the country to give back at the College’s 14th annual volunteer day.
Hiram College alumni and friends gathered in nearly 20 cities across the country on Sept. 12, 2015, to continue the College’s mission of serving the greater community.
From Syracuse, N.Y., to Hiram, Ohio, to Pensacola, Fla., approximately 200 people participated in the 14th annual Alumni Volunteer Day. The event is built on the tradition of Campus Day, the day students have free from classes each year to perform community service, and in conjunction with the national day of service, Sept. 11.
Take a look at how our alumni spent the day.
(Please note: We are still collecting photos from the day! Please send them to coynejb@hiram.edu or post them to the Hiram College Alumni Facebook group.)
Hiram, Ohio
Alumni gathered in two locations to serve their alma mater: the James H. Barrow Biological Field Station and the Hurd Garden. President Lori Varlotta, Ph.D., joined the group at the field station for harvesting and land clean-up.

Field Station

Hurd Garden
Boston, Mass.
In Waltham, a Boston suburb, Hiram alumni volunteered with Meadowscaping for Biodiversity, staffing an information/activities table and leading children’s activities at a local fair.
Chicago, Ill.
In Schaumburg, a Chicago suburb, Hiram alumni packaged food to go to a children’s charity in Sierra Leone. They packed 17,712 meals, enough to feed 49 children for a year.
Cincinnati, Ohio
In Cincinnati, a group of Hiram volunteers gathered to make baby quits at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Liberty Campus. They finished 15 quilts.
Cleveland, Ohio
Hiram alumni gathered in four different locations in Cleveland to give back on Alumni Volunteer Day:
- George Washington Carver STEM School – beautification projects
- Redline Greenway Project – trackside lawn maintenance
- West Side Catholic Center – preparing and serving food in the women’s and children’s shelter
- Cleveland Christian Home – yardwork and lawn winterizing

George Washington Carver STEM School

Redline Greenway Project

Redline Greenway Project

West Side Catholic Center

Cleveland Christian Home
Columbus, Ohio
Two groups of Hiram alumni and friends gathered in Columbus: at a book sorting warehouse to assemble and sort books for Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Reach Out and Read program and at Clarfield Urban Farm for gardening.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Reach Out and Read program – book sorting warehouse

Clarfield Urban Farm
Indianapolis, Ind.
Indianapolis-area alumni gathered to stock shelves and assist patrons at Gleaners Food Bank.
St. Paul, Minn.
Alumni in Minnesota’s Twin Cities volunteered at Second Harvest Hunger, bagging and boxing 4,920 pounds of carrots –which will translate into 4,100 meals. Read a blog about the project from alumnus Joel Ingersoll.
Syracuse, N.Y.
Hiram alumni and friends from Central New York volunteered at Beaver Lake Nature Center’s Golden Harvest Festival.
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo alumni volunteered at EnPuzzlement, stocking shelves, organizing and taking inventory.