UK Advising Network Presents 7th Day of Service in the Bluegrass

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 1, 2016) — For the seventh year in a row, members of the University of Kentucky Advising Network teamed up together to help serve the Bluegrass community in a day of service. This year approximately 50 advisors gave their time and energy helping others at Hope Lodge, Ronald McDonald House and the Lexington Veterans Affair Medical Center on May 20.

Volunteers began early Friday, May 20, getting pumped up to serve at a professional development session featuring Jason Cummins, director of the Impact Leadership Program at UK Athletics. Following Cummins' talk, participants took part in two small sessions of their choice on advising, assessment, work-life programs, InDesign, international students and professional networks.

In the afternoon, the group headed to their volunteer sites. The network's Day of Service is a popular annual program where advisors get to use their skills helping others outside the campus borders.

"The Day of Service is a long-standing tradition of ours. Like most of our events, it’s a chance for advisors across campus to connect, but this is also an opportunity for us to give back to the Lexington community. Even though we have wide ranging advising roles at UK, we are all united by our enthusiasm for helping others," said Jamie Dunn, chair of the UK Advising Network.

The time serving is a great opportunity that not only benefits the organizations the group helps, but the volunteers themselves.

“My favorite part is spending time with colleagues from other departments. It is always a fun day to support the Lexington community," said Leslie Hall, an undergraduate studies

advisor who has participated all seven years.

Part of the American Cancer Society, Lexington's Hope Lodge provides patients with not only a place to stay, but it also offers a supportive and safe environment where patients can focus on wellness. A full crew of American Cancer Society staff and volunteers help create a relaxing and informative environment, providing around the clock "awake" service. In addition, Hope Lodge guests have access to the American Cancer Society’s nationally acclaimed National Cancer Information Center and website. These services connect cancer patients and caregivers to information on cancer, local resources, support groups and patient service programs.

Lexington's Ronald McDonald House, part of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass, helps families to access specialized medical treatment by providing a place to stay at little or sometimes no cost. At the house, families can enjoy: home-cooked meals; laundry facilities; 21 bedrooms with private bathrooms; indoor and outdoor play areas for children; special suites for children with suppressed immune systems; recreational activities; and transportation to and from local hospitals three times per day. Much of the Ronald McDonald House’s work is done by dedicated volunteers who serve as van drivers, help with yard work and cleaning projects, conduct fundraisers and serve on a variety of committees.

The Lexington VA Medical Center is comprised of two divisions, Leestown and Cooper, with community based outpatient clinics located in Berea, Hazard, Morehead and Somerset. The Leestown Division, located at 2250 Leestown Rd., offers inpatient Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse treatment, nursing home care, hospice and respite services, home based primary care, prosthetics and orthotics, geriatrics, optometry, mental health as well as primary care and women's health. The Cooper Division, located at 1101 Veterans Dr., offers emergency care, inpatient medical-surgical care, acute psychiatry, intensive and progressive care units, ambulatory surgery, medicine and surgery specialty clinics, and hemodialysis.

The UK Advising Network is sponsored by the Division of Undergraduate Education. Membership in the Advising Network is open to anyone employed at UK. To receive a weekly digest of campus announcements, alerts regarding changes in academic advising, Advising Network events and other news, email Jennifer Doerge.

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu