UW Law School students start off first year with community service

This week, the class of 2014 at the University of Wisconsin Law School will put aside their textbooks for a day of community service.

On Wednesday, Aug. 31, more than 200 students will partner with Project Linus, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “providing security through blankets” for ill or traumatized children and teens. Working together, the students will make handmade blankets and cards to be given as gifts.

In the past, incoming classes of law students have done community service projects such as volunteering at a senior center or accompanying residents at an assisted living facility. This year, school administrators thought a project with a hands-on element could be particularly effective.

“Community Outreach Day is a reminder that law is a service profession,” says Kimberly Frank, student services coordinator at the Law School, who organized the day of service. “The blankets are a way for our students to engage with their new community.”

Students will gather at UW–Madison’s Lowell Hall, where they will break up into groups and make no-sew fleece blankets. They will also create cards for the blankets’ recipients. Both Project Linus staff and UW Law School staff will be available to provide guidance and support.

“We hope that this chance to reach out to members of Madison is rewarding for the students and a way for them to understand that their lives at UW Law can extend beyond the classroom,” Frank says.