Service Day volunteers paint West 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 Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania, showed more than 1,000 people gathered in the school's gymnasium how to use their cell phones to donate $10 to the Red Cross' relief efforts.
Regional participation in the day's events was up by about 5,000 over last year, according to Bernstein.
At Peirce Elementary, school officials have reason to believe the spirit of volunteerism will continue long after the new-paint smell fades.
In December the Philadelphia chapter of the national, predominantly African American fraternity Omega Psi Phi approved a two-year, $150,000 commitment to "adopt" Peirce.
Members of the Mu Omega chapter - who led yesterday's painting - have pledged to mentor the older boys at the school, as well as provide scholarships, organize career days, and raise money to improve the school building.
"Studies have shown that fourth grade is a turning point for African American males," Peirce principal Terrel Parris, an Omega Psi Phi member, explained yesterday. "It's when they start pointing in the right direction or the wrong direction."
This is the 175-member chapter's first "adoption," said Jason DeMarco, Mu Omega's vice president.
Wearing purple T-shirts bearing the fraternity's logo, DeMarco and Parris were among 35 Mu Omega chapter members working at Peirce.
About 20 volunteers from the management-consulting firm Accenture Inc. also helped paint yesterday, along with 10 Peirce students and 10 women from the sorority Delta Sigma Theta.