Southeastern students spread community spirit through ‘The Big Event’

Tuesday, March 18, 2014 10:53:55 AM CDT
by: Rene Abadie

1)The Big Event volunteers2)Painting volunteer3)St. Tammany volunteers

1) LION UP FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE – Some of the nearly 600 Southeastern Louisiana University students 'Lion Up' as they prepare to go out to work sites in Hammond and the surrounding area as part of The Big Event, the university's annual day of community service. This was the fourth year the Student Government Association sponsored The Big Event, which has now become a national day of community service by college students.

2) PAINTING FOR A CAUSE – Participating in The Big Event, Cierra McDaniel, a Southeastern Louisiana University sophomore from Kentwood, paints a wall in the offices of Child Advocacy Services in Hammond.

3) CLEANING FOR A CAUSE – Andrew Lombardino, left, of Slidell and Justin Boudreaux of Mandeville clean the grounds of Child Advocacy Services in Hammond as part of Southeastern Louisiana University's community service day The Big Event.


HAMMOND – Nearly 600 Southeastern Louisiana University students spread their good will and thanks to area communities and organizations by volunteering their Saturday morning (March 15) to service projects in the region.

Moving heavy furniture, cleaning, landscaping, painting and other activities occupied the students as they went from site to site as part of the Student Government Association-sponsored The Big Event. This is the fourth year Southeastern students are participating in The Big Event, a nationwide effort to involve students in community service.

"I think The Big Event is a really great thing we have at Southeastern. It gives us a chance to thank the community that we call home while we attend the university," said Taylor Petit, a marketing major from Luling, who served as co-director of the service day. "We are grateful for what the community does for us and are very willing to give back when we can.

"It's so awesome that in a few hours we can make such great connections to the people in our community," she added. "A few internships were actually given out Saturday to some of our volunteers."

As the students assembled in the Stadium parking garage before going to their assignments, Southeastern President John L. Crain offered some words of encouragement.

"This demonstrates that you understand that education is much more than books and classwork," he said. "You're showing that you know if you want to be part of a good community, you have to give back to that community. This makes me very proud of you, our students."

Mark Goree, associate pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Hammond, was high in his praise of the work done around the church facilities by students from Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority, Delta Tau Delta and Kappa Sigma fraternities.

"These are good kids and they all did a great job," Goree said. "The girls cleaned windows, and the guys moved some very large, heavy pieces of furniture from upstairs. It was a tremendous amount of work that would have taken us weeks to accomplish, and they knocked it out in a few hours. We're an older congregation, and our members physically just aren't able to do this kind of work."


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