Southeastern students to serve organizations in ‘Big Event’
Contact: Rene Abadie
Date: April 16, 2012
HAMMOND – More than 800 Southeastern Louisiana University students will assemble Saturday (April 21) and hit the streets of the area to participate in the Big Event, a massive community service initiative sponsored by the Student Government Association.
The students, who represent more than 25 different organizations and university teams, will be working at over 50 area job sites that include local non-profits and charitable organizations, said Big Event Executive Director William Takewell.
"The purpose of the Big Event is to demonstrate to our community that Southeastern students care and want to give back and establish good relations with the people here who support our university," Takewell said. "We believe it will also be a unifying experience for all the students involved."
This is the second year that Southeastern students are participating in the Big Event, a project initiated by Texas A&M University that has spread to more than 80 universities nationwide. It is considered the largest single day of service where college students give back to their communities.
Last year, approximately 325 Southeastern students participated in the service day, volunteering to work at 26 job sites.
"This year, we want to make an even bigger impact on the community with student-provided services," Takewell said. "It is our way of expressing gratitude to area residents who support us throughout our college careers."
Among the agencies being assisted this year are Headstart, Child Advocacy Services, the Council on Aging and various food pantries.
Southeastern was recently recognized for its service activities by being named for the second consecutive year to the President's Honor Roll for Community Service by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The citation recognized the work of more than 2,600 Southeastern students who provided nearly 98,500 service hours worth an estimated $21 million to help various needs throughout the region.
