Thousands Gather at All Staff Picnic to
Kick Off University’s 50th Anniversary Celebration
Many staffers sign up for Volunteer50 initiative

Ioana Patringenaru | August 25, 2010

Photos by Erik Jepsen

Some had never volunteered. Others had put in hundreds of hours through the years and become leaders in non-profit organizations. Experienced or newbies, many staff signed up for UC San Diego’s Volunteer50 initiative, which kicked off Aug. 20 during the campus’ annual All Staff Picnic.

This year, in addition to the usual fun mix of free entertainment, food and an information fair, the picnic doubled as the kickoff for the university’s 50th Anniversary celebration.

“This is a very, very special All Staff Picnic,” Chancellor Marye Anne Fox said.
Fox thanked the staff for all their hard work. “You are an integral part of UC San Diego,” Fox said. “Without the staff, nothing happens.”

Chancellor Marye Anne Fox urged attendees at the All Staff Picnic to take part in the Volunteer50 initiative

The 50th Anniversary celebration will run during the 2010-11 school year, Fox said. It will include three signature events. Founders’ Day, on Nov. 18, will mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the document that actually brought UC San Diego into existence. The event will include music, food and entertainment. Innovation Day, on Feb. 25, will allow faculty and students to showcase their work while interacting. Finally, a Green Open House, on April 16, will show off UCSD’s accomplishments as a living laboratory for green innovation.

“It’s a happy time for the university,” Fox said. “We’re coming together and solving our monetary problems.”

Fox invited staff members to take part in these events. She also urged them to take part in the Volunteer50 initiative. It encourages the entire campus community, including all students, faculty, staff, alumni and university friends, to perform at least 50 hours of volunteer service during the 2010-11 academic year.

Hundreds of employees stopped by the Volunteer50 table to sign up for the new university service program and collect Volunteer50 bracelets, buttons and bookmarks.

The initiative is expected to demonstrate the impact that students, staff, faculty and alumni make, day in and day out, all over San Diego County. In addition to supporting the university’s mission of service, Volunteer50 will showcase the widespread and diverse contributions of UCSD volunteers, as well as the work being done by the university’s partner agencies throughout the region.

During the picnic, staff members could sign up for the initiative at a booth. Lisa Avery, who works at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, said she has been wanting to volunteer for a long time. The initiative gave her the final push to do it. “I like working with animals,” she said. “But I’m interested in trying new things.”

By contrast, Aaron Byzak, director of governmental affairs for Health Sciences, is a longtime volunteer and the president of the board for the North Coastal Prevention Coalition, an award-winning, youth-focused organization dedicated to preventing drug and tobacco use.

Byzak said he grew up in an abusive home and both his parents had a history of alcohol and drug abuse. By age 10, he had vowed never to touch either. When he heard about the coalition, he decided to help other youths swear off illegal substances and cigarettes.

Volunteer50 will allow the campus to come together and quantify its good works, Byzak said. “It’s important to be able to convey to the community what we do as a whole,” he said.

To attract volunteers, staff members handed out T-shirts, Frisbees, rubber wristbands and pins. “It’s a good way to give back to the community,” Rachel Corell, a staff member in the Warren provost office and an alumna, said of the initiative. “It’s a good way to encourage others to give back too.”

Another booth that attracted many staff members was the Alumni Association. The organization was encouraging employees to take part in a tailgate party during UCSD Day at PETCO Park on Sept. 26.

Staff members dined on everything from chicken and potato salad to ice cream and cherry limeade.

Cheryl Kettnich, who graduated in 2008 with a degree in anthropology, now works as an administrative assistant in Housing, Dining, and Hospitality. She said she wanted to find out more about what the staff alumni chapter was doing and had a great time at the picnic. “The food was wonderful,” she said.

A free meal was, of course, one of the event’s main attractions. More than 3,600 staff members lined up to feast on chicken and burgers, potato and pasta salad, corn and fruit. A variety of beverages also were available, from ice tea to cherry limeade.

To help staff members wait in line, Chuck Morgan, former president of the UCSD Staff Association, had them take part in a few rounds of trivia. He asked questions about UCSD’s history. The person who gave the right answer received a free T-shirt and a ticket for an opportunity drawing for door prizes. The picnic is important because it brings all the staff together, Morgan said.

Staff were entertained by a variety of bands and singers who performed.

Janny Li, from the Career Services Center, and Gina Kim, from bioengineering, echoed his comment. “It reminds us of the community that we have,” Kim said. “Community needs to be emphasized, especially in these times.” “Plus there’s free food,” Li chimed in. She had loaded her plate with a turkey burger, corn on the cob, pasta and potato salads. Kim had a similar plate, but with a veggie burger.

While staff members ate, a variety of bands and singers performed. This year’s performers included Lorre Escalona, Mark Aquino and Anna Levitt, Paul Magnano, We Heart the Funk and Candace Dillon. In accordance with the picnic’s 50th Anniversary theme, they revisited hits from the past five decades.

When one of them launched into a rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” Joan Stewart and Molly McDonald, both of UCSD Extension, couldn’t resist and stood up to dance.

“You always dance to the Bruce,” Stewart said.

“He’s the boss,” said McDonald. “And it’s such a lovely day.”