ewberg, OR (August 18, 2009) -- George Fox University will close its doors for one day to allow more than 1,500 students and employees to serve nonprofits, public agencies, churches, retirement homes and individual citizens for the school's 11th annual all-campus “Serve Day” on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Teams of students, faculty members and employees will do a variety of projects -- including construction, painting, weeding and cleaning -- for recipients in Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas and Yamhill counties. Stops will include the Oregon Zoo and Shriner's Hospital for Crippled Children in Portland, the Sherwood YMCA, the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn, and the McMinnville Area Habitat for Humanity. Other locations to be served include churches and nonprofits in Tigard, Sherwood, McMinnville, Dayton and Beaverton.

The theme of the event is "Rejoice!" and is based on Psalm 68:4-5: "Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds - his name is the Lord - and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling."

"Serve Day is a tradition reaching into its 11th year, yet every time it is a new experience for those involved," Serve Day coordinator Rachel Lee said. "Each year results in new lives touched, both in our surrounding community and on our campus.” 

"We just lend ourselves as helping hands to all the people around us," said senior Angie Leder. "We want to be there for them in whatever capacity they need, whether that be to do painting, yard work or just being with people - sitting down and having a conversation with those who don't normally get that relational interaction."

"This special day has become a deeply rooted tradition in the life of the George Fox University community as we seek to show the love of Christ by serving Newberg, Portland, Salem, and the surrounding area," Lau said. "Our hope is that Serve Day will challenge those inside and outside George Fox to make a difference in their communities by serving others as a way of life."

George Fox University is ranked by Forbes as one the top 100 colleges in the country and highest among Christian colleges. George Fox is the only Christian university in the Pacific Northwest classified by U.S. News & World Report as a national university.