Northwest Missouri State University - Tower Yearbook (Maryville, MO)

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Acts Students donate time and energy to improve campus and community. of charity by Jessica Hartley A heartfelt smile from an elderly woman, the slobbery lick of an orphaned dog and a man ' s warm handshake for fixing up his home inspired students to reach out and volunteer. Tucked within the Student Affairs Office in the J.W. Jones Student Union, the Volunteer Service Learning Center sent needs assessment surveys throughout the community to find opportunities to serve. Society wouldn ' t exist if there were no volunteers, Volunteer Coordinator Meredith Naughton said. All the services that volunteering provides wouldn ' t be met. Students eager to participate stopped by and filled out a questionnaire, which helped to pinpoint what type of volunteering interested them. It is a way to build skills in a non-confrontational way, Naughton said. You can have an outlet foryour passions, you can explore different careers and meet new people with like interests. Many possibilities surfaced for students to get involved. By participating in Beautifying Residences Using Student Help, 135 students helped elderly and low-income families fLx up their homes. You get out and you scrape and you paint and you feel proud because you know the person ' s gonna be proud. And, when you see and meet that person, you feel that extra connection. That ' s a feeling that people should have more often, Naugthon said. Students gathered at four different Maryville homes to update the exterior for BRUSH Sept. 11-12. Coordinators split the days into four-hour shifts, but a few students labored the entire day. Just as I began feeling like I wasn ' t getting anything done, the older lady that owned the house came home and stood on her porch, introducing herself to all of us. Amanda Kiskersaid. Shewas so sweet andextremelygratefid. Seeing her gratitude and hearing her say that she would remember us for what we did made a day of climbing through scratchy bushes and scraping off old paint absolutely perfect. Other volunteers opted to start fresh by helping Habitat for Humanities construct an entire house for a selected family. That was so worth my time, Christine Rusco said. The family is now going to be able to live in this really nice house, and I had a part in that. To me, that is amazing and means a lot. Nathan Kwarta scrapes off old paint in order to repaint the entire exterior. Of the four homes selected, two of them were completely repainted, and the others were retrimmed. photo by Mike Dye If painting and construction were not appealing to some, students put one foot in front of the other. The annual Alzheimer ' s Memory Walk, held Oct. 9, encouraged participants to walk three and a half miles around Maryville to raise research funds. Students also worked with animals at the New Nodaway Humane Society, which provided shelter for homeless animals. Volunteers walked dogs, played with cats, cleaned cages and bathed animals. We have lots of animals that we don ' t have the time to do a lot of basic care for them, supervisor Rhonda Adanison said. It ' s what keeps this place running. Martin Luther King. Jr. Day took place on Feb. 17, and students observed the day through community service. His historical efforts influenced people ' s lives, including Melanie Bucy, who said his words kept her devoted to volunteering. Bucy abided by King ' s word. Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don ' t have to have a college degree to serve. You don ' t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. Bucy said she used the quote to humble herself and let herself know that anyone could make a difference. He gave up his life to help the lives of others, and I respect anyone who can do that, Bucy said. Alternative spring break encouraged college students to give up their class-free week to help others. Looking to possibly head to Florida, where hurricanes left families distraught, students combined to serve communities facing complexities. Nearly all organizations on campus volunteered, whether through blood-drives, fund-raisers, donating furniture to international students, using leftover Aladine money for food drives or encouraging students to vote. For Naughton, 2004 marked her first year with the Volunteer Service Learning Center. She made volunteering her life, she said, because she believed it was her civic responsibility. Most people find themselves in need at some point in their lives. Today, you may be the person v dth the ability to help, but tomorrow you, or someone you care about, may be the recipient of someone else ' s volunteer effort, she said. 24 volunteer DESIGNED BV | JESSICA HARTLEY

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Marie Beatty and Jessie Nielsen work idfA ' lher to remove the chipping, white paint. Beautifying Residences Using Student Help. an annual fall event. aided homoowners in need, phofn hv M hr Dvn Staining wood, Christine Rusco spends her time working on a home in Pickenng for Habitat for Humanity. I just do it to give back to the community and to make others feel good. Rusco said. photo by Adam Watson Students worl together to rejuvenate one of the homes chosen for Beautifying Residences Using Student Help. More than 100 students lent a helping hand during the two day event. photo by Mike Dye volunteer Student Life 25