Brock University will be rolling out its annual Welcome Wagon across Thorold and St. Catharines this weekend to greet new and returning students living off campus and connect long-term residents who live in the area.

Student volunteers and staff will be joined by community partners on Saturday, Sept. 12, as they visit approximately 500 households in neighbourhoods Brock’s main campus. Representatives from both the City of St. Catharines and the City of Thorold will also be on hand for the event, including bylaw enforcement officers and fire and emergency services, as well as Niagara Regional Police Service and Niagara Region Waste Management.

Throughout the day, staff and volunteers will  hand out Welcome Wagon tote bags filled with information to help students settle into off-campus living as well as tips for being respectful members of the community.

Also included in the tote will be the Good Neighbour Guide with detailed information for students, property owners and long-term residents, and the Brock Student Local Guide, a spotlight on area businesses put together by the Student Life and Success team.

“Welcome Wagon is a great way for us to welcome students living off campus in the community – whether they’re renting or living at home – the Off-Campus Living Team is here to support them. It’s also an opportunity to connect them with local businesses, services and resources that will support them throughout the academic year and to set them up for success,” says Aryan Purkayastha, Off-Campus Living Coordinator.

Students will be volunteering for the Welcome Wagon as part of the Brock Cares Day of Service, the University’s largest day of community volunteering. Ending Welcome Week on a high note, this day allows students to give back to the community through 17 volunteer opportunities with organizations across Niagara.

Participants receive a free Brock Cares T-shirt, lunch and transportation. The day wraps up with an afterparty hosted by the Downtown Thorold BIA that includes activities, tours of downtown businesses, a free dinner and transportation back to campus.

“Welcome Wagon and Brock Cares Day of Service help to set the tone for a year of good neighbouring, giving our students information they need to settle into the community and the opportunity to build good relationships with their neighbours,” says Kristen Smith, Manager, Off-Campus and Community Experience. “For our community partners and neighbours, these collaborative events allow them to recognize students as neighbours and valuable members of the community who are customers, volunteers and potential employees for area businesses.”

More information about supports and resources available for off-campus living can be found on the Neighbourhood Relations website.