"Make a Difference Day" is the largest national day of community service. On the fourth Saturday of October, millions of volunteers around the world unite in a common mission to improve the lives of others. Connecticut Public Higher Education Institutions came together for "National Make a Difference Day," except, they turned it into a week of service from October 19-25.http://ctpublicsmakeadiff.org/

"Make A Difference Day" is a day to celebrate the power of people to make a difference.

On a cold, damp Friday in October, twenty-four Naugatuck Valley Community College students, alumni, faculty and staff braved the elements to participate in the state-wide college system “Make a Difference Day” at Waterbury’s historic Fulton Park. Armed with saws, clippers and work gloves, they heartily participated in clearing trees and brush in the park.

Fulton Park is the Overlook community’s pet project. Their goal is to restore the park to its original beauty while making it a beautiful, safe place for the residents who use it. The Student Services team of the College worked with the City of Waterbury, Department of Parks to organize the College’s participation in "Make a Difference Day."

Members of the Waterbury Public Works Department who were on hand to haul away the brush were amazed at the amount of work this outstanding group of volunteers performed in six hours.

Thanks to the participants, Mike Jackman, Jeriel Navarro, Catherine Rourke, Iralis DeJesus, Paula Massey, Chris Gontarski, Brendan Lyga, Shandene Astacro-Brown, Jesse Spangenberg, Mildred Pacheco, Bernardo Frias, Katherine Abreu, Joseph Najamy, Joshua Rivera, Brandon Soto, Adam Quattro, John Aguilar, John Fortier, Davey Peguero, as well as NVCC staff, Karen Blake, Kathleen LeBlanc, Joseph Faryniarz, Sharon Lutkus and Rita Ostrander for a job well done!