On a bright, chilly fall morning, while many people lingered in bed or went shopping, several dozen Cornellians from around New York City gathered to do something bigger than themselves.

In Central Park, Elyse Richardson '06 and Dan Scellen '06 worked at the Pumpkin Festival, a free event sponsored by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to encourage people to get outside, be active and enjoy the park. In Brooklyn, Katherina Ansink, MBA '06, and her husband, Jeroen Ansink, lent a hand at a Halloween party at Women in Need (WIN), an organization that helps women and their children recover from domestic abuse.

Cornell Cares Day on Saturday, Oct. 30, was a way for Cornellians to give back to their communities by doing a day of volunteer service at several organizations or events in New York City.

"We really wanted to work on a project that would directly affect a group of people in a special way," said Ansink, who helped about 50 families have a stress-free day of fun at WIN's Halloween party, which included a barbecue, DJ, face painting and chalk drawing stations, dance contest, balloon popping game and coloring table. "We actually were a hit after we started putting the colorings up on the wall," said Ansink. "These families go through a lot on a day-to-day basis. ... We were happy to see the kids enjoy being kids without a care in the world."

At the Pumpkin Festival, where hundreds of children dressed as their favorite frightening ghoul waited to pick pumpkins from a virtual pumpkin patch near the 72nd St. entrance to Central Park, Scellen and Richardson helped coordinate volunteers and entertain children waiting in line for various activities for the NYC parks department event, which included a pumpkin patch, haunted house and face painting.

"Cornell Cares Day gives Cornellians an opportunity to get together to do service without a long-term commitment," said Richardson, a native of New York and president of the Cornell Young Alumni group in the city. Volunteers span a wide range of graduating classes, said Richardson. "I thought it would be fun to meet new people and do new things," said Scellen, a graduate of the College of Engineering.

"Volunteers do this because it's an opportunity to connect with the city in ways most working people don't get to do day-to-day," said Shiri Sandler, one of the organizers of Saturday's event. "Sometimes we get to help organizations get something done they've been needing but don't have the money to take care of. ... With other groups, we can be part of something bigger and communitywide," she said, adding that 39 volunteers signed up to work this year.

Saturday's event was one of several 2010 Cornell Cares Days. In January, 65 alumni and 15 students in New York City and hundreds of alumni and students in 20 other cities -- including Shanghai -- volunteered to help out.

"It was a very moving day and a great, great way to spend a Saturday afternoon," said Ansink. "We look forward to working with them again."

The annual Cornell Cares Days are coordinated by Cornell Clubs across the country and the Cornell Public Service Center.

John Mikytuck '90 is a freelance journalist, writer and producer in New York City.