The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    Students to show appreciation during Big Event

    Teams of college students across the country make an effort to clean up their local communities during the annual Big Event service project. The Student Government Association brought the event to Southeastern in 2010, and it has continued to grow in participation and service.
    The Big Event 4 will take place on campus and around Hammond on the morning of March 15.
    "The Big Event is different from other service projects because it is not based on socioeconomic need," said Taylor Petit. "The Big Event is a way for the entire student body and campus to express gratitude to residents who support them during their college career."
    The Big Event was founded at Texas A&M University in 1982. Since then the Big Event has seen tremendous growth. Presently, more than 72 universities across the nation participate. On Saturday, April 14, 2011, students and staff of Southeastern volunteered more than 1200 hours of service to the Hammond and Ponchatoula communities through various projects at 34 service sites in the university's first Big Event. In 2014, the Big Event Executive Board is hoping to double the projects and overall service hours. SGA is expecting between 600 and 700 participants this year.  
    "There aren't any requirements to sign up a team," said Petit. "You can even sign up as an individual. The only requirement is that teams max out at 10 people, but you can have less."  
    According to Petit, the Big Event is one big day of community service in which the Southeastern campus gives back to the surrounding areas of Hammond and Ponchatoula, and it is important to give back to them because these local residents attend sporting events, donate to the university and support the college lifestyle.
    "Whether it is painting houses, raking yards or laying bricks, the type of job is not important," said Petit. "The Big Event is not about the type of job we do or the number of jobs completed or how many students participate. Rather, it is the interaction with the residents and the resulting unity in the community that makes the Big Event so big."
    Service jobs include moving furniture, tearing down fences, gardening, cleaning closets, helping with the first annual Hammond Literary Festival and more. After all tasks are completed, participants gather for a celebration. This year the party, which will provide free food and drinks to all participants, will take place at the Lions baseball game versus the Lamar Cardinals at "The Pat."
    For more information or to register, search for SGA on the university website.
     

     

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