Shining a Light on Our Community Volunteers
Recently, I took my siblings to their first Wake Forest Lovefeast. (In case you missed the service, the livestream is still available to watch). The Lovefeast may be my favorite Wake Forest tradition, and it was even more magical this year watching my family’s flames join the sea of candlelight that flooded Wait Chapel. There’s nothing quite like seeing people from all across our campus community come together in the spirit of “hospitality, generosity and proclaiming hope,” as University Chaplain Chris Donald put it.
As I reflect on his words, I want to close 2025 with a moment of appreciation for the many Wake Forest alumni, families and friends who exemplify those qualities out in the world. WAKECommunities wouldn’t be what they are without countless people carrying Pro Humanitate spirit and Deacon pride wherever they go. From Charlotte to Phoenix, Atlanta to London, our community volunteers take the initiative to build connections and spread joy and generosity in the places they call home.
Community-Driven Engagement
The Lovefeast is far from the only event that brings our broader Wake Forest community together, though it does set a high bar in beauty and attendance. Throughout the year, alumni in cities hundreds to thousands of miles apart from one another organized game watches, happy hours, volunteer events and more, all with the goal of connecting Wake Foresters with one another.
A group of Phoenix Deacs planned an entire calendar of events: a happy hour in October, a Wake vs UNC game watch in November and a volunteer shift just last week. Numerous other game watches sprang up across the country, from D.C. all the way to San Diego. On the opposite side of the globe in the United Kingdom, alumni Aisling Quirke (’19) and Mish Uttamchandani (’18) followed up on the pottery class they planned last December with a holiday happy hour at a London brewery — and the pair are already thinking of the next way to connect U.K. alumni!
The fun isn’t stopping with the end of the calendar year. January 2026 is starting strong with watch parties already underway for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and upcoming basketball games. Keep an eye out for those opportunities and others on the community events calendar!
Deacs Doing Good
The year has not been exclusively focused on building connections, eating good food or even cheering for the Deacs, however. Wake Foresters made sure they lived up to our motto with dedicated efforts to do good in their local communities. Pro Humanitate Days back in April saw 30 service projects in 16 cities across the country, ranging from assisting with gardening classes for inmates at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility to cleaning up debris from Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. Check out some of the amazing projects that took place in the Pro Humanitate Days 2025 photo gallery.
Later this year, in October, the WAKEAtlanta Board of Directors worked with Veronica Beard to organize a shopping event during which 15% of all proceeds went to the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund. In November, Dr. Amy Grybush (MA ’16), a proud Charlotte Deac and Assistant Professor on the Reynolda campus, ran a food drive benefitting Nourish Up to support community members facing food insecurity. Both projects were entirely driven by community members, with support from the WAKECommunities team only after the volunteers laid the groundwork for these amazing initiatives.
Most recently, Phoenix Wake Foresters got together for the aforementioned volunteer shift packing emergency food boxes at St. Mary’s Food Bank, while WAKEJacksonville-Orlando continued their holiday tradition of adopting a family through Harbor House of Central Florida, which provides critical services to domestic abuse survivors. By the donation deadline, just about every gift on the wish list had been purchased!
Thank You… and Happy New Year!
Like the flames of the Lovefeast candles spreading from wick to wick, the light of Wake Forest spreads thanks to our incredible community volunteers. We are so grateful for the time, resources and heart Wake Foresters invest in this place we hold dear.
As we wind down 2025, I hope you all have a joyful end to this year and beginning of the next. I look forward to working alongside you to find even more ways to connect Wake Foresters and spread Pro Humanitate in the new year. Please don’t hesitate to contact us to learn how you can take part and become a volunteer in your WAKECommunity!