Over the weekend, Park Scholarships hosted the annual Service Raleigh event, where over 300 volunteers joined us to connect while giving back to the community. Thank you to everyone who attended! Volunteerism on this scale wouldn’t be possible without the support of community partners and leadership of the Service Raleigh team and site leaders.
Scholars, staff and friends gathered at Stafford Commons Saturday morning, April 5, 2025.
Volunteers collected t-shirts and snacks before gathering with their service team to kick off the event.
Some of the volunteer sites included: Able to Serve, CASA, City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation, Community of Hope Ministries, the local Food Bank, Franciscan Community Garden, InterAct, the Umstead Coalition, YMCA of the Triangle, and more.
“This year, we are excited to welcome over 300 volunteers and 28 site leaders who will serve local organizations, schools, and communities throughout Wake County!”
Rida Tariq
321, Service
Keynote speaker and Park Alumna, Lindsay Wrege ‘21, set the tone for the event.
Lindsay is the Co-Founder and CEO of 321 Coffee, a coffee shop and roaster based in Raleigh, NC, that employs individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She and fellow Class of 2021 Park Scholar, Michael Evans, started 321 Coffee as students. Now, they employ over 50 adults with IDD and have 5 locations, including a new spot on Centennial Campus.
Lindsay shared her story of growing up in a mixed-ability friend group. The love and support they shared were a formative part of her social development. As they grew older, her friends began to share experiences of different professional boundaries due to their perceived limitations. Today, Lindsay is motivated to build workplaces that honor capabilities and help employees build new skills.
It’s not easy, but service-oriented leaders like Lindsay, Michael, and their team at 321 have the ability to change their corner of the world. Together, Park Scholars are making a big difference today and every day. Her characterization of service-leadership is embodied in her welcoming smile and bold impression on the world of business for good. Thank you, Lindsay, for helping us wake up with a motivating message on Saturday morning.
Over 20 Years of Service
Service Raleigh is a longstanding tradition, upheld by Park Scholarships for over 20 years. We have often partnered with NC State Student Government and the Goodnight Scholars to host and spread the initiative.
Each year, the Service Raleigh Team arranges service projects, delegates site leadership, and works with the Park Assistant Director of Enrichment to gather project materials and spread the word. This year, the team consisted of:
- Elle Nichols | Chair, Logistics Committee
- Harvik Kolla | Chair, Web Team | Park Scholar ‘27
- Gabi Martin | Chair, Partners Committee
- Izzy Pan | Co-Chair, Community Involvement Committee | Park Scholar ‘27
- Vedika Venkataramanan | Co-Chair, Community Involvement Committee | Park Scholar ‘27
- Rida Tariq | Co-Chair, Site Leader | Park Scholar ‘27
Thanks to our committed Assistant Director of Enrichment, Maggie DeWeese, and wonderful Graduate Assistant, Sylvia Rodriguez, for advising the team.
