Cornellians and Ithacans alike gathered for the third annual BEAR, or Being Engaged And Responsible, walk on College Avenue’s 400 block Tuesday evening.
Traffic on the block was halted from approximately 6 to 8 p.m. as University and Ithaca community agencies tabled along the road to discuss local resources and offer information on ways to volunteer on campus and in the city.
Julie Paige, the director of off campus and cooperative living at Cornell, praised the event for bringing “permanent neighbors and current students together to foster mutual respect within the community.”
Local organizations at the BEAR Walk included Finger Lakes Reuse, Planned Parenthood and Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County. CUEMS volunteers on the walk also educated students about what to do in the event of a friend’s alcohol emergency and encouraging students to join their organization.
“Cornell University Emergency Medical Service is a great way to be involved on campus and give back to the community,” said Steven Davies ’19, Cornell University EMS member.
The off campus housing committee answered student questions spanning from the role of financial aid in off-campus housing to how to search for living arrangements.
“The off campus housing table was my favorite because the person I spoke to helped me learn about resources I didn’t know existed,” Dana Horowitz ’19 said.
The Cornell Class Councils and The City and Local Affairs Committee assisted with the logistics that made the BEAR Walk possible. This year, class council implemented a more hands on outreach strategy to engage members of the community.
“This year we helped by going door-to-door around Collegetown, distributing door tags with information about being a good neighbor,” said Senior Class President. Lauren Lang ’17.