The Big Event: Lock Haven’s campus united in service

by Kassidee Wozniak News Editor

The Office of Community Service at Lock Haven University (LHU) hosted 13 community service initiatives and volunteer programs during The Big Event from April 11 through April 15.

The Big Event offered a full week of various events that provided service to areas of need on the LHU campus and surrounding Lock Haven community.

Chrissy Wise, assistant director of Community Service, described the importance of LHU hosting The Big Event and how the university strives to help others.

“One of our greatest campus strengths is our commitment to serving our community and those in need.”

In order to participate, students, clubs and organizations were responsible for registering and notifying Wise, via email with their project ideas before Feb. 28.

The ideas for projects were endless, and participants had the ability to support local non-profit organizations, clean-up downtown areas, or host fundraisers. Campus volunteers were available all week to assist in the set up process of the scheduled events.

On the first day, Tues- day, April 11, the sorority Alpha Sigma Tau hosted the Roads to Peace Flower Bed Project at the Roads to Peace Center from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Participants planted flowers to help brighten the center’s landscape and scenery.

The second service opportunity of the day, the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity brothers organized an SPCA dog walk from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Volunteers walked Clinton County SPCA shelter dogs around campus and the local community.

Order of Omega, Greek Honor Society, hosted LHU Rocks at the Alumni Pavilion from in the evening of Wednesday, April 12. During the program, students painted rocks with words of kindness and placed them randomly on campus for others to find.

At the same time, Wednesday’s second event, Flowers for Seniors, was organized by the Outreach for Humanity club.

Volunteers planted flowers in flower pots in the Parsons Union Building Eagle Wing (PUB). The flower pots were then given to senior citizens in Lock Haven nursing homes.

As the week continued, Lock Haven Student Government Association (SGA) hosted an afternoon campus spring clean-up on Thursday,

April 13. SGA volunteers helped clean up the entirety of LHU campus by removing trash, sticks and debris. Gloves and trashbags were provided to participants by the organization.

Skylar Lininger, a sophomore and SGA member, commented on her experience volunteering in the clean up.

“It allowed me to explore places on campuses that I have not seen before, and I enjoyed giving back to my community.”

The Campus COVID Team and Clinton County Coalition also organized a volunteer opportunity on Thursday in the East Campus Science Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Volunteers of the Clinton County COVID-19 Preparedness Project assembled up to 1,000 health bags that contained: COVID tests, thermometers, hand sanitizer, masks and other health necessities for residents in need throughout Clinton County.

Volunteerism continued into the weekend.

On Friday, April 14, the Biology club hosted the Campus Orchard Project at Fairview Suites where members of the campus community helped weed and spruce up the orchard trees in order to thrive in the spring.

Later in the day, sorority Sigma Kappa and Circle K club organized the Jared Box Project in the PUB Multi-Purpose room. Participants collected age appropriate toy donations and packed plastic storage boxes to bring joy to children at the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital. Saturday also proved to be eventful for students partaking in the campus-wide community service project. Following SGA’s lead, fraternity Alpha Chi Rho organized another afternoon cleanup at the Bald Eagle State Park Environmental Center. Volunteers helped the staff members of the park get ready for Spring visitors by cleaning up hike trails and debris.

While Crow brothers picked up litter in Milesburg, the Tri Sigma sisters traveled to the Lock Haven Fire Hall to bag ice, wash fire trucks and clean around the firehouse.

The evening concluded with Outreach for Humanity’s Sleep Out for the Homeless event at the University Commons lawn and Alumni Pavilion. Student participants helped raise money and awareness for the Merit House and Life Center by camping outside without shelter for several hours.

On the last day of the Big Event, Up to Crick and Clinton County Cleanscapes organized the Route 44 Roadside Clean-up where volunteers were divided into four groups to clean up debris and collect litter found on the roadside.

Anyone interested in additional information about The Big Event or future volunteer opportunities, contact Wise at cwise@commonwealth. edu or visit her in the Community Service Office.