November 1-2, 2008 was Purnell's Annual Community Service Weekend. The student body, along with 40 guests from Church Farms and Phelps School, joined together to work on and off campus on a variety of community service projects.

On Saturday a group of ten students and William Warlick, Director of Community Service, worked with BRIDGES Inc., an outreach program that began in 1988 which includes over 1500 volunteers. Each year BRIDGES volunteers deliver over 75,000 brown bagged lunches as well as clothing, toiletries and other necessities to those in need in our area including Manhattan, Newark and Irvington. Purnell student volunteers took winter clothes collected by Roots and Shoots, as well as 250 bag lunches that they made on Friday night, to the homeless in Irvington, NJ.  Also taking place on Saturday was a visit to Bryan Manor Assisted Living home for Bingo and supper.  Students also set up a booth at the Bedminster Greens Festival while others went out and distributed Angel Flight flyers to local medical facilities. Angel Flight is a non profit organization that arranges free air transportation for medically related needs. It is available to individuals as well as health care organizations.

On-campus students and guests were busy decorating!  They created banners, holiday cards and inspirational letters to be sent to various groups including Agape House, Namumu Orphanage in Zambia, and Kopila Valley Women's School in Nepal.  The Purnell Greens group stayed busy painting the Purnell milk shed and everyone pitched in for the all-campus cleanup.

Each year on community service weekend a hypnotist comes to campus to entertain the students and guests. On Saturday night Skylr the hypnotist did his work in the Carney Center. Participants on stage as well as audience members were able to be hypnotized. Skylr's "suggestions" to hypnotized participants created hilarious scenarios that were fun for all to be a part of and watch.  Everyone enjoyed the fun filled, motivational weekend and our students undoubtedly brought much pleasure to communities near and far. 

View more pictures of the weekend.