Throughout the day on Thursday, March 24th, the Public Interest Law Alliance, in conjunction with the Public Interest Resource Center, will hold its annual silent auction on the Delaware campus. The auction will take place along Main Street of the Main Law Building. PILA and PIRC are still accepting last minute donations ahead of Thursday’s auction. Those interested in donating can download the 2011 donation form as a PDF.Proceeds from the auction will be used to pay for scholarships for Widener Law students who participate over the summer break in unpaid public interest internships such as for a non-profit, legal aid, or government organization.The Public Interest Law Alliance promotes public interest law initiatives within the law school and informs the student body about public interest job opportunities. Students participating in PILA also do volunteer work within local communities.Recent PILA efforts included a visit to the Ronald McDonald House in Wilmington on the morning of Friday March 19, 2011. PILA President Nicole Phillips led a dozen Widener Law students who arrived with several shopping bags and a simple goal; prepare a lunch for people in need.The law students worked together to get the meal prepared in time for the lunch crowd, and to get the industrial kitchen cleaned up for the evening volunteers. Once everything was done, the students accepted an invitation to dine with some of the guests of the Ronald McDonald house. The event was the second of three community service projects organized by PILA for the spring semester.Finally, the Public Interest Resource Center and PILA will also hold a “Public Interest Recognition Event” on the evening of Thursday, April 21st in the Barrister’s Club from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. This event will celebrate the accomplishments of those students who have actively participated in public interest projects.