[/media-credit]Yohanny Vargas '12 helps out with arts and crafts during the event.
UCARE, which stands for Union Community Action Reaching Everyone, is a program to connect Union students with volunteer opportunities throughout Schenectady.
UCARE Day was started as a way to give back to the local community right here on campus.
This year’s carnival was held in Memorial Fieldhouse and featured different activities such as arts and crafts, face-painting, a moon bounce, a cotton candy stand, basketball, and jewelry-making.
[/media-credit]Ben Rubin ‘14 busts some dance moves with a participant from one of the local elementary schools. The event attracted dozens of families and student volunteers for the 15th year in a row.
In addition, ice cream was donated from Stewart’s, paper products were donated from Price Chopper, and all other costs were covered by individual organizations and the Kenney Center.
Student coordinators Cybil Tribié ’11 and Malebogo Tlhajoane ’11 worked together to organize the carnival.
Both coordinators are work-study students at the Kenney Community Center and have been heavily involved in the UCARE program throughout their time at Union.
“I have been coordinating the UCARE carnival for the past four years with one other student, but this year since both herself and myself are seniors, we’ve been teaching two younger students how to organize the whole event, Zoralys Molina and Ulcha Ulysses,” said Tribié.
The fieldhouse was filled with students tabling and local children of all ages.
“My first year the anticipated turn-out was approximately 150 community members, but last year we had over 500 attend and about 150 volunteers,” says Tribié.
This year the Kenney Center tallied about 500 attendees. Most families stayed for the entirety of the three-hour event to enjoy the festivities.
Tribié notes, “I think it went extremely well and the members of the community seemed to really enjoy it.”
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