March 22, 2019

Media Advisory – “The Big Event” 2019

The largest one-day service event ever at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, “The Big Event: A Saluki Day of Service” returns on March 30 and reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover it.

Nearly 700 students, faculty and staff will be donating their time and energy that day to 18 service projects at locations throughout the community. It’s SIU’s way of showing appreciation for the region’s support of the university and its people. As the campus rallies students for a day of community service, it inspires and encourages year-round community involvement.

Students plan the day

Modeled after the day founded in 1982 at Texas A & M University, SIU’s Big Event is planned by and focuses on students. Student volunteers will begin arriving at the John W. Corker Lounge in the Student Center at 7 a.m. that day. Chancellor John M. Dunn will talk with volunteers at 8:15 a.m. in the Student Center Ballrooms.

Then, they’ll be off to help across the region. The Texas event now draws more than 10,000 participants annually and is replicated at more than 100 campuses across the United States, including SIU, as well as at universities in Australia, Germany, Italy, Pakistan and Spain. This is the third year SIU has sponsored The Big Event.

Volunteer efforts in two shifts

SIU’s day of service is comprised of two work shifts: 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m.  Students can work either or both. Upon arrival at the various locations, as noted below, members of the media are welcome to speak with student site leaders. Other students may be available for comment or photos/video as well.

All events will take place rain or shine. Lightning or severe weather may cause students to be returned to campus from some locations.

The schedule

“The Big Event: Saluki Day of Service” schedule, including the beneficiary organization, time, location and a brief description of each project, along with the names of the student site leaders, includes:

Morning-only events

  • Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale: 250 N. Springer St., Carbondale. Volunteers will be painting a gymnasium mural, organizing the library and doing touch-up painting. Jenna Lee is the student site leader.
  • Green Earth Inc.: Green Earth Preserve, 2009 W. Freeman/intersection of Emerald and W. Freeman Streets, Carbondale. Students will remove invasive garlic mustard plants. Lange Chen is the student site leader.
  • Special Olympics: Dunn Richmond Economic Development Center’s business incubator, 1740 Innovation Drive, Carbondale. Volunteers will assist with administrative tasks and Madelyn Shively is the student site leader.
  • The View: 725 S. Lewis Lane, Carbondale. Volunteers will be cleaning the church grounds and assisting with interior building cleaning. Alexander Giesen is student site leader.
  • The Women’s Center: 610 S. Thompson St., Carbondale. Students will deep clean the shelter’s kitchen. The student site leader is Madelyn Maynard.

Afternoon-only sessions

  • Carbondale Community Arts: 304 W. Walnut St., Carbondale. Volunteers will help children make puppets. Victoria Mueller is the student site leader.
  • For Kids’ Sake: 100 E. Jackson St., Carbondale. Workers will help prepare for the 19th annual “For Kids’ Sake” art auction. Patrick Codo is the student site leader.
  • Gaia House/University Interfaith Center: 913 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale. Students will gather trash, paint, clean and wash windows. The student site leader is Meranda McCubbins.
  • Habitat for Humanity: 1513 Dogwood Road, Carbondale. Volunteers will make bird houses to be sold to raise funds for the organization. Alexander Giesen is the student site leader.
  • Francis CARE Shelter: 6228 Country Club Road, Murphysboro; Students will clean the cages and grounds. The student site leader is Madelynn Shively.
  • Wesley Foundation: 816 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale. Helpers will repackage rice for distribution to Carbondale food pantries. Jacqueline Juarez is the student site leader.

All-day locations

  • Alzheimer’s Association; stationed outside of the Carbondale Wal-Mart, 1450 E. Main St. Volunteers will collect donations and distribute brochures to increase Alzheimer’s disease awareness. Student site leaders are Patrick Codo (morning) and Jenna Lee (afternoon).
  • Eurma Hayes Center: 441 E. Willow St., Carbondale. Students will perform exterior maintenance work and site work inside with the satellite campus of the Women’s Center. The student site leaders are Steven Bartoszewski (all day) and Madelyn Maynard (afternoon only).
  • Humane Society of Southern Illinois: 95 Humane Road, Murphysboro. Students will provide animal care, paint, clean and do yard work at the facility. Emily Russell is the student site leader.
  • Keep Carbondale Beautiful: Town Square Pavilion/120 N. Illinois Ave. Helpers will pick up litter and recyclable items at various locales around Carbondale. Site leaders are Victoria Mueller (morning) and Lange Chen (afternoon).
  • SIU Student Sustainable Farm, 3373 Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale. Volunteers will prepare plant beds, wash seed trays, hoe, weed, turn and harvest compost, plant vegetables and do whatever is needed for spring planting. Trevor Murphy is the student site leader.
  • Andrews Episcopal Church, 402 W. Mill St., Carbondale. Students will make sleeping mats for homeless people. Kiara Hartmann is the student site leader.
  • Touch of Nature Environmental Center, 1206 Touch of Nature Road/about eight miles south of Carbondale off Giant City Road, Makanda. Volunteers will help spruce up the site by picking up sticks, limbs etc. that have fallen during the winter. Site leaders are Laura Gackstatter and Jacob Williams all day and Meranda McCubbins for the morning.

For more information

If you have any questions or need more information about “The 2019 Big Event: A Saluki Day of Service,” contact Danielle Lorentz, event director, at danielle.lorentz@siu.edu or Kathy Smith-Shaffer, assistant dean of students, at kathylsmith@siu.edu or 618/453-7521.