AZUSA, Calif. — What’s a great way to have new college students get to know their community? Have them spend a day of service in the city. With this goal in mind, Azusa Pacific University once again teams up with new students, Azusa Mayor Joseph Rocha, and a number of community partners for City Links 2009.
More than 1,400 new students will participate in 60 projects throughout Azusa, including cleaning schools, painting houses, cleaning the riverbed, and more on Sept. 19, 26, and Oct. 3. City Links teams the city of Azusa and Azusa Pacific University in service alongside one another to build relationships among those who learn, work, and live in the city.
“Every year, we are amazed to see the churches and organizations build stronger connections with the community and the incoming APU students,” said Matthew Visser, director of ministry and service at the university. “Mayor Joe Rocha has really led this effort to blur the lines between the community of Azusa and Azusa Pacific.”
From 2005-07, City Links was an annual service day where incoming APU students would spend a day serving at local schools, churches, and parks alongside community members. After three years of focusing those efforts on year-round projects, City Links returned in 2008 with the city of Azusa coordinating community projects, which are divided over several Saturdays, with APU facilitating student participation.
“City Links brings together the city of Azusa, the Azusa Unified School District, and incoming APU students,” said Mayor Rocha. “It provides the students with a more personal view of the city, its people, and culture. This program also provides an avenue to show Christian life in practice.”
For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.apu.edu/citylinks/.
