On Nov. 20, Cornell students will host a free community dinner for residents of Owego, N.Y. A September flood devastated the town south of Ithaca, damaging more than 75 percent of homes and forcing large-scale evacuations. Residents continue to rebuild.

A group of student organizations are calling for volunteers to help set up, prepare and serve dinner for several hundred people. Transportation will be provided.

"This is a great opportunity to help those in need in our local community, and we encourage you to join in our efforts," said Student Assembly (SA) resident Natalie Raps '12. "As Cornell undergraduates, we belong to a community that extends beyond the campus to the surrounding upstate New York area, and we are dedicated to helping our neighbors in need. Many students have looked for ways to help out, and Thanksgiving provides a great opportunity to show how much we care."

Volunteers are asked to fill out an online form.

Much of the food is being donated by farmers in western New York; the rest is being purchased with the support of the School of Hotel Administration. Student volunteers will prepare and cook the food. The dinner will be held at Tioga Opportunities, 9 Sheldon Guile Boulevard, Owego, from 5 to 8 p.m., Nov. 20.

The student organizations ask those who cannot attend to consider donating canned goods to the Food for Flood Relief campus drive. Collection bins are located on North Campus at the Robert Purcell Community Center and Appel Commons; on Central Campus at Barton Hall and Bartels Hall; and at the West Campus residential halls. Volunteers are also needed to make decorations for the dinner and can do so at the Cornell Caring Community Celebration Nov. 17, noon-3 p.m., in Willard Straight Hall's Memorial Room.

The Owego event is sponsored by SA, Cornell Concert Commission, Greek Tri-Council, Cornell Hillel, the School of Hotel Administration and Cornell's wrestling team.