Students at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry will donate labor and present a check for $4,000 to Flower City Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, Dec. 2.
The students, all members of the class of 1998, hosted a basketball tournament to benefit the Flower City affiliate. More than 65 percent of the class played in the competition, and virtually the entire class supported the event through a donation of time or finances.
"Even though medical and graduate students have very full schedules, they want to contribute to the Rochester community in a meaningful way through community service," said Joan Hensler, director of the school's Students of Rochester Outreach, a volunteer program. "The students plan to make this an annual fund-raising project."
Students will present the contribution to Executive Director Arthur Woodward at 9 a.m. at a Habitat building site at 43 Thomas St. In addition, 15 students will proceed to work at 45 Epworth St. as part of a special project called "Build a house, help a family," organized by SRO. They will be on site from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m.
More than 80 physicians and local businesses made cash donations or provided prizes for the winning teams in the basketball tournament. Primary financial sponsors included AVS Textile Printing, Paychex Inc., Pontillo's Pizzeria, the Distillery and Subway.
For more information, call Flower City Habitat for Humanity at (585) 423-7444, or the Community Programs office at the School of Medicine and Dentistry, (585) 275-2929.