Service Day volunteers paint N. Philadelphia school | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/19/2010

Service Day volunteers paint N. Philadelphia school | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/19/2010

Service Day volunteers paint N. Philadelphia school

By David O'Reilly

Inquirer Staff Writer

Plastic sheets lined the stairwells and the sweet smell of fresh paint filled the halls of the T.M. Peirce Elementary School in North Philadelphia yesterday as dozens of volunteers - among an estimated 70,000 in the region - joined in the 15th annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service.


"A friend asked me to come and I said, 'Sure, why not?' " said Jared Barchus, a University of Pennsylvania sophomore, who was mopping up paint spills from the school's polished stone floors. "I love kids. I love helping out."

The effort at Peirce was one of about 1,100 service projects in Philadelphia, the four Pennsylvania suburban counties, South Jersey, and Delaware - an increase of about 200 over last year, according to Todd Bernstein, founder and director of the King Day of Service.


The campus of Girard College in North Philadelphia served as the center of the day's activities, drawing dignitaries including Mayor Nutter, Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers, and former Sen. Harris Wofford.


Gov. Rendell and his wife, Judge Marjorie O. Rendell, canceled their appearances hours before they were scheduled to speak at Girard because they were flying to Haiti, Bernstein said. They were planning to return with children from a damaged orphanage.


"I couldn't think of a nicer excuse for them not to be here," Bernstein said.


Concern for earthquake victims inspired one of the group activities at Girard. Tom Foley, president of the American