Hundreds of University of Idaho students will go out into the Moscow community Saturday to make a difference.
The Center for Volunteerism and Social Action is once again celebrating Make a Difference Day by gathering 500 students, faculty and staff to offer their services to members of the Moscow community.
“For us, it’s a day where 500 Vandals go out into the community, work with a variety of community partners on tons of service projects and make a big difference in the community,” said Laura Exley, involvement student coordinator for ASUI & the Department of Student Involvement.
Exley said participants of the event range from members of Greek houses, student organizations, classes and individual students that feel like they want to get involved.
Center for Volunteerism and Social Action’s Outreach and Recreuitment Coordinator Tony Ive said the hope is that individuals will be able to find organizations or causes that they believe in and are willing to continue to work with.
“The idea is to plug people into the community and get them to continue. If you do Make a Difference Day and you leave not wanting to get involved, then we’ve kind of failed,” Ive said.
The Center for Volunteerism and Social Action has been putting the event together since roughly 2000 and have worked closely with the community to find places where Vandals can lend a hand.
This year, students will have the chance to work with Habitat for Humanity, the food bank in Lewiston, the Salvation Army and Orphan Acres — a rehabilitation farm for horses.
Projects range from baking pies to raking leaves and building restoration. Participants will also work with the elderly and the disabled. There will be projects through local elementary schools, like painting playgrounds.
“If there is any kind of need on the Palouse, we’ve tried to address it in some way and work with every organization that is interested in participating,” Ive said. ” We stretch from everywhere from Pullman to Troy.”
Exley said members of the community have been looking to get volunteers on Saturday to help them with things like winterizing their businesses.
“Anyone can do it. If you are looking for a way to get involved, it’s a really great opportunity to meet not only other Vandals, but members of the community,” Exley said. “And it’s just a fun day.”
Registration will be open until 5 p.m. Tuesday. The registration form can be found at uidaho.edu/volunteer.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check-ins are at 9 a.m. in the SUB ballroom.
Jacob Dyer can be reached at [email protected]