Notre Dame alumni giving back to community

The Notre Dame Alumni Association kicked off their second week of Family Volunteer Camp on Sunday.

This year the camp theme is dedicated to a notable Notre Dame figure who left his mark on the university. It is themed "Honoring Father Ted through participating: an event deeply rooted in his values", for Father Hesburgh who passed away earlier in the year.

“Camp is all about embracing our neighbor. Father Hesburgh to me has always felt like the soul of the university,” said Molly Butler, Service Program Director of the Notre Dame Alumni Association. 

“We’re trying to honor his memory to give back to the community the way that Father Ted did his whole life,” said Head Student Leader of Family Volunteer Camp Zack Imfeld.

The week is an opportunity for past and current students to volunteer with their family to help make the community a better place to live. 

“We’ve never done this as a family. They’ve done individual things but we’ve never done it as a family so we’re excited as a family," said Leslie Anand who is volunteering at the camp for the first time with her husband and children.

The camp has grown a lot over the past three years and this year organizers had to add a third week. In total, 74 families from 23 states will participate in the three different week event.

Volunteering will be done at 25 different community partner sites, which includes St. Margaret's House, La Casa de Amistad, and Reins of Life to name a few.

The second week of camp will go from July 19-24 and the final week of camp will be from July 26-31.