WILL SEBERGER/Arizona Daily Wildcat Forest Melton (standing) and Kathy Tat, physiology juniors, paint a chain link fence at the McCormick Park YMCA Saturday morning.

More than 300 volunteers gathered on the UA Mall Saturday morning to volunteer with non-profit agencies around Tucson.

The University Activity Board's Project Volunteer and the Varney Center for Student Involvement and Leadership organized the 17th annual All-Campus Philanthropy event for members of the UA community.

The event began with an 8 a.m. check-in, lots of bagels and some yawning post-Halloween volunteers.

Education sophomores Danielle Harris and Marcia McClune waited for the event to begin. Harris worked the night before and watched a scary movie.

"And I had to wake up bright and early for this shindig," Harris said.

"I like to volunteer because I like to help people," McClune said, explaining why they were not in bed, sleeping, "and we're applying for the College of Education soon, so we need the volunteer hours ö so that's my selfish motive."

Like most volunteers, the two did not know where they were going to spend the day until Saturday morning and did not know what to expect when they arrived.

"Don't ask us what we're doing. We just know it has to do with Oro Valley and with books," said McClune, who was assigned to the library in Oro Valley.

After a short address from communication senior Mike McGarry, from Make-A-Wish Foundation in Tucson, students piled into buses, vans or their own cars to go to their assigned projects.

At the Lighthouse/City YMCA, students sanded tables and painted walls.

One student wore a T-shirt imprinted with the catchphrase: "Philanthropy: not just another f-word."

Standing in paper coveralls, Janelle Paine, a political science junior, primed a wall in the center's multi-purpose room.

Paine said she is preparing for the Peace Corps, which she plans to join after she graduates.

"Everybody needs help," said Paine, roller in hand, "so if you have the time, why not? And, in a way, I guess it's kind of selfish too Îcause it makes me feel good, but it also does a lot of good for other people."

Outside by the pool, UA financial services employee Johanna Valdez sat on a plastic tarp and painted the bottom portion of a wall. Valdez said she started volunteering three years ago and tries to volunteer as often as possible.

Evan Witte, a financial entrepreneur junior, said volunteering was self-rewarding, but that he also likes providing something for people who do not have what he has.

"This is awesome," said Noni O'Sullivan, executive director for the Lighthouse/City YMCA, as volunteer painters scrambled around her. "This is wonderful, to get this kind of help. The kids are enthusiastic and friendly."

Volunteers received T-shirts and free pizza when they returned to the UA at 1:30 p.m.

Project Volunteer director, Breanna Weeks, said the day was a success.

Weeks explained that the event retained a larger percentage of its registered volunteers and benefited more organizations this year than last year.

The organizers were also able to secure three bands to play for the returning volunteers while they ate pizza and socialized.

"With all the things we did and all the lives we touched, I think we did make a huge difference," she said.

Kim Dinh, a molecular and cellular biology sophomore, sat on the grass with her friend, sporting her T-shirt and listening to the band onstage.

"I feel good that I helped," she said, "but I'm kind of tired Îcause we spent time outdoors."

Dinh and her sister Mai, a biology freshman, spent their day pulling weeds and doing other maintenance chores at Colossal Cave Mountain Park.

"This is a nice closure," Dinh said, referring to the bands and the pizza. "They didn't just send us off home."