Community Day Brings 1,800 To Campus

The university’s third annual Community Day on Saturday, April 16, drew an estimated 1,800 visitors to campus from as far away as Stamford, Conn., and Florence, Mass.

The spectacular spring weather was a perfect backdrop for the dozens of activities that took place all over campus, including games and rides for children, music, dance, story hours, TV studio tours, and the second annual rubber duck race down the Hog River.

"It was wonderful to see so many people here on campus, enjoying the beautiful spring weather, interacting with students, and learning about the university," said President Walter Harrison. "We are a private university with a public purpose. This is a terrific way for our neighbors to get to know us, and for the university to showcase some of the resources that we offer Greater Hartford."

Community Day began in 2003 as a way to increase awareness of the rich array of programs, activities, and resources that the university offers to the Greater Hartford community.

The event has been steadily growing, and this year’s was the largest to date, both in terms of attendance and the range of activities and attractions. New events this year included outdoor performances at the Gray Center amphitheater, police and fire safety demonstrations, free showings of the movie, The Incredibles, and a series of events at the University Bookstore, including a “Meet the Illustrator” session with Bill Thomson of the Hartford Art School. Thomson illustrated the children’s book, Karate Hour.

One event that is becoming a Community Day tradition is the colorful parade of rubber ducks down the Hog River. Saturday’s Second Annual Duck Marathon raised $10,000 for University of Hartford Athletics.

Find out the winners of the Second Annual Duck Marathon.

See the winners of the Community Day drawing.

Jonathan Easterbrook, director of marketing services for the university and the founder and coordinator of Community Day, said he was pleased by the rich diversity of people who attended Saturday’s events. Attendees came from more than 40 cities and towns all over Connecticut, and a few even came from Massachusetts.

In addition, Easterbrook said, each year more and more people and organizations from throughout the university are sponsoring events and volunteering at Community Day. For example, the sisters of Phi Mu sorority have been organizing the “Family Fun Day” portion of Community Day for the past two years. Students from Alpha Phi Omega, the nation’s largest service-based fraternity, volunteered in a variety of capacities at this year’s event. And both the University of Hartford Magnet School and the University High School of Science and Engineering sponsored activities at Community Day 2005.