Students clean up community

Augustana Volunteer Coordinator Billy Thomas would be the first to say that community service is not simply manual labor—it's a way of life.

As this year's Spring Clean Up Day approaches, Augustana students are once again encouraged to think about volunteering. Last year for this event, 145 students served eight different organizations in Sioux Falls.

''The plan is to always provide Augie students with the opportunity to become educated about the community and the needs out there,'' Thomas said.

Tomorrow, groups of Augustana students will donate their time to the Great Plains Zoo, the Humane Society, Bowden Youth Center, the St. Francis House, the YMCA Lief Erickson camp, Volunteers of America and the Center for Active Generations.

Spring Clean Up 2010 proves to be different than past community service days because it was planned and organized by the students involved in Serving and Learning Together (SALT).

Junior Carli Ellwein, SALT co-president, said that the goal of Spring Clean Up day is not only to give Augustana students a meaningful volunteer experience, but also to promote SALT as an organization.

''Our hope is that after this event, people will know that the salt shaker on all of our posters isn't a random sodium endorsement, but that the acronym stands for Serving and Learning Together,'' Ellwein said. ''And that's exactly what we're looking to achieve with this year's clean up. A community that's connected by a mission to serve.''

Spring Clean Up began in 2007 and has since become an annual event. SALT began planning this year's event in March at its Tuesday-night meetings.

Students across campus have done community service in a variety of ways at Augustana. Most student organizations, including New Student Seminar, Residence Life and Union Board of Governors, incorporate service into their yearly calendars.

Last year, junior Jalynn Joy participated in Spring Clean Up day with Residence Life.

''We went to the Glory House as a floor activity to do yard work,'' Joy said. ''It was a meaningful experience because my floor was able to hang out one last time before finals, and at the same time, we were helping others out. The director's face said it all. We were wanted and appreciated, and that was payment enough.''

As the college moves into next year focusing on the five core values, the hope is that community service will be given a greater push.

''College should be service-based,'' Thomas said. ''It's the perfect time to volunteer. Think of where students' commitments are right now. They're to education, and service is an educational process.''

Thomas also said that this generation of college students is more active than ever. Junior Brady Holm, SALT member, agreed. He said that half the battle of volunteering is finding the time and motivation to do so.

''There's a perception that college students are apathetic, which is not the case,'' Holm said. ''We're not just here in our academic snow globe, we really do care about the community.''

Tomorrow, in addition to simply getting jobs done, Thomas ensured that student volunteers will gain understanding about the place they are at. He said that community service is just as much about context and being aware of the organization's mission as it is about the work.

''There's always learning,'' Thomas said. ''It's not just serving. It's about who you're serving, and what they're all about. That's what makes it meaningful.''

As students are greeted at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning with a basket of fruit, granola bars and work gloves, Thomas said he will be sending out ''excited students, not just volunteers.''

''I look at service as a way you can make a positive impact on people,'' Holm said. ''We have the potential to do so much good. Service doesn't have to be big, but if it makes the life of one person easier, it has value.''