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EL PASO, Texas - Oregon State University President Ed Ray will join OSU student leaders and alumni in a community service project during their trip to El Paso for the 2006 Brut Sun Bowl.

This Thursday, volunteers will assist with a playground clean-up project at the Child Crisis Center in El Paso and will organize a special Oregon State tailgate for the kids. The El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau collaborated with the OSU Alumni Association to make this project happen.

"Service to others is an important value of Oregon State University and our alumni are committed to volunteer and civic service in all its forms," said Jeff Todd, executive director for the OSU Alumni Association. "While we are visiting El Paso we look forward to making a small contribution to the community serving as our host for the Sun Bowl."

OSU President Ed Ray said he is "passionate about making an impact in the local communities we visit over the holidays for bowl games." This tradition started when OSU visited the Insight Bowl a couple of years ago.

"One of the things I love about being president of Oregon State University is that, wherever in the world they go, our graduates work with passion and intelligence to make life better for others," Ray said. "I'm proud that our alumni and students who travel to El Paso to support the Beavers in the Sun Bowl will donate some time to continue this tradition of service."

The children at the Crisis Center will participate in a prize drawing for two tickets to the Sun Bowl. The tickets were donated by two generous OSU alumni traveling to El Paso for the festivities. They will participate in the event as volunteers as well.

For more details, go to http://www.osualum.com/sunbowl_service