blog
National ‘Make a Difference’ Day Enlists Students, Universities
Students across the country offered their time and services Oct. 25 for national Make a Difference Day.
Make a Difference Day began in 1992 by USA Weekend Magazine to encourage community service on a local scale. An estimated 3 million or more Americans took part in this year’s events nationwide. The annual event happens the fourth Sunday every October. Ten volunteer projects were awarded $10,000, the proceeds of which will go to the charity of the winner’s choice.
Students at the University of New Mexico were some of the approximately 4,000 volunteers in more than 100 projects. Participants hailed from organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters to the Miss America Organization, and did work from painting fences, to raking leaves, to preparing food for children.
More than 500 students from the California Polytechnic State University participated in various volunteer work opportunities. Heather Demosthenes, program assistant for the university community center, said the goal is to have students involved in the community and giving back.
“[We] want to get students involved in volunteer opportunities that give back to the surrounding community,” Demosthenes said.
More than 2500 participants gathered in the student center of St. Louis University on Sunday. Michael Harriss, a student at Saint Louis University and president of the university’s Student Government Association, said he has volunteered for three consecutive years in Make a Difference Day. From helping to create a pumpkin patch for inner-city children to painting a classroom in an elementary school, Harriss said the work he does is exactly why he enrolled at the university.
“Make a Difference Day is a great way to get involved in service,” Harriss said. “It’s kind of the embodiment of why you come to SLU.”
More from The Daily Lobo at the University of New Mexico
More from the Mustang Daily at the California Polytechnic State University
More from The Make a Difference Day website in USA Weekend Magazine
More from Saint Louis University
More from The Santa Maria Times
