Durham starts off on the right foot with new Duke students

From the forum of the Trinity Park neighborhood comes this encouraging synopsis by Susan Kaufmann of beginning of the year activities for new Duke students, as sponsored by Durham merchants, neighborhood groups, and all individuals interested in planting the seeds of understanding and mutual respect:

Thank you for welcoming first-year students to their new home town of Durham. About 500 students experienced the city by performing some type of community service -- such as sorting donations to Read Seed, a Durham nonprofit that gives books to low-income children. Others visited a small farm that raises produce and animals for area Farmers Markets. Yet others attended a Durham Bulls game. And every freshman received $50 to spend in participating Ninth Street restaurants. Special thanks to Trinity Park resident Alice Bumgarner and her crew of neighbors who assembled care baskets for students and to John Schelp, who gave his famous walking tour of East Campus and environs!

Listen to an audio report of Duke students learning about Durham's Civil Rights heritage: http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/mmedia/audio/civilrightstour.mp3

Read about the 2006 Duke Orientation program:

Students Take A Walk Through Durham
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2006/08/city.html

Students, Meet Durham
First-year students visit farms, restaurants and ride bikes in tours of Durham and the surrounding community
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2006/08/farm.html

Heck, I've been here six years and even learned a fair bit. Note also that Duke University provided some of these activities as part of their Class of 2010 orientation program.

Let's keep the momentum going...good on ya, Bull City!