Make A Difference Day - Traveler

The Traveler - News
Issue: 10/18/04

Volunteering draws many
By Christian Moseby, Staff Writer

Several UA students volunteered Saturday with other people in the community for Make A Difference Day, a national day of service.

According to USAWeekend.com, Make A Difference Day is a national day of service sponsored by USA Weekend publication, where citizens volunteer to work in their community. Last year more than 3 million people volunteered in communities around the world.

For the past 14 years, organizations including World SHARE, J.C. Penney, Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America have contributed to this service each year.

The UA has been a part of Make A Difference Day since 1992, said BG, the Make A Difference Day chairwoman for the UA.

This year the UA formed 40 different service projects under Make A Difference Day, she said.

For the past two months, the UA advertised the event and encouraged students to participate. Students were able to sign up online to volunteer for a service project of their choice. Last Thursday, volunteers participated in a volunteer orientation session, during which volunteers met with their project leaders.

The service projects ranged from Adopt-A-Park, where the volunteers had to help with cleaning, maintenance and pruning of shrubs by the castle at Wilson Park, to painting walls at the Seven Hills Homeless Shelter.

Saturday morning, before the volunteers began their projects they participated in a rally in the Connections Lounge in the Arkansas Union. Healey Tonsing, program coordinator for Faith in Action, a United Way partner agency, spoke to the volunteers about why volunteering is important.

"The community couldn't function without them," she said. "From cleaning to painting, it's important to have the community involved because we're all in it together."

She also thanked the volunteers on behalf of all non-profit organizations.

Sue Borrego, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students, also spoke to the volunteers.

"This is a day in which you're somebody's hero," she said.

Project leaders Catandra Johnson and LaTrice Duncan were in charge of the Peace at Home Family Shelter Fiesta service group. The Fiesta was held at the Thrift Shop for Families or Victims of Domestic Violence.

The volunteers helped set up and maintain the Fiesta, and worked inside the store. Johnson and Duncan said they were really satisfied with the work they did, and they were even happier that they were able to volunteer.

"I really enjoyed it," Johnson said. "Everyone, including the volunteers and the customers had a good time."

Duncan said, "It was a good experience to be able to give five hours back to the community."

For "Big Razorback Day," another Make A Difference Day project, Big Brothers & Big Sisters gathered at Bud Walton Arena with the Razorback basketball team and other volunteers to entertain children. The children watched the basketball team practice, got players' autographs and took pictures with the athletes.

BG said overall she thought the day went well, and she enjoyed every moment of organizing Make a Difference Day.

"Being able to volunteer was an awesome experience, because it helps the community a lot," she said. "Volunteering can also prepare a person for the real world. Because you get to see real problems that people are having, and you get to help them."