The Big Event Rocks Across the Chadron Community

More than 400 Chadron State College students volunteered their time Saturday to serve the community during The Big Event.

The Big Event Team set up its station on the west side of Elliot Field during the spring football game. Lunch was provided for the volunteers, donated by Subway and funded in part by CSC Athletics.

At the conclusion of the game, students gathered on the football field to join their groups and travel to their job sites.

Students worked at 14 project sites. Three sites cancelled due to weather and other circumstances. They were the tree planting at Bordeaux Creek, landscaping at the Northwest Community Action Partnership building located on Pine Street and home upkeep for an elderly couple.

Even with these cancellations, students took part in a wide range of community service projects. The CSC football team cleaned Wilson Park, mulching and doing other landscape tasks.

The wrestling team helped with some heavy lifting and building at the Trunk Butte Christian School, as well as painting lines on the basketball court of the school’s playground.

At two Northwest Community Action Partnership locations, Chadron Avenue and Spruce Street, volunteers assisted with cleaning, sorting, heavy lifting, and painting.

Students planted several trees on “C” Hill, other landscaping duties, and picked up trash on campus.

The CSC men’s basketball team cleaned and hauled materials at Outlaw Printers. Keep Chadron Beautiful planned to recycle some of the materials removed from Outlaw Printers.

At the Ridgeview Bible Church, participants in The Big Event shoveled gravel in the parking lot and helped with cleaning and heavy lifting inside.

Volunteers spent some time painting at the Birthright center.

Students who were a part of the Keep Chadron Beautiful team traveled around town picking up trash.

Chadron Community Church received help cleaning and painting.

The CSC women’s basketball team traveled to the Museum of the Fur Trade to do some sorting and cleaning.

Members of the Health Professions Club and the CSC volleyball team participated in the canned food drive and delivered the goods to the Closer to Home Soup Kitchen.

Volunteers also spent time visiting with the residents at Prairie Pines Lodge and the Crestview Care Center. Volunteers played bingo with the Prairie Pines Lodge community and the International Club entertained the Crestview Care Center with a talent and fashion show.

“I think it is good for young adults to get out into the community,” said Isaac Egenberger, junior of Brady. “It teaches hard work and it’s just good all the way around.”

The Big Event first began at Texas A&M in 1982. At CSC, the event began in the Fall 2012 with the CA 350 Applied Public Relations class, Shaunda French, assistant professor of Social and Communication Arts, said Wednesday. This group of students began the foundation work for this student-led community service project.

French, traveled with CSC students Justy Bullington, sophomore of Mullen; Sam Parker, junior of Harrison; Tiffany Valandra, junior of Hardin, Mont.; and Luke Wright, graduate student of Hamlet, to attend a conference Feb. 1–3 at Texas A&M to learn more about The Big Event.

The students who played an integral part in organizing this event are hoping to be invited back to the conference at Texas A&M to demonstrate how a small campus organized this event. CSC students will be a part of a panel sharing their experience and serve as an example for other smaller schools that would like to incorporate The Big Event on their college campus. Parker, along with CSC students Samuel Schmitt, senior of Lakin, Kan. and Stephanie Eggleston, senior of North Platte, organized this event as a part of their internship studies.

The team’s original goal was to get 300 students to sign up for The Big Event.

The Big Event Team surpassed their goal with more than 400 students signing up to participate in the community service projects.

“I heard about this event at CAB,” said Reba Jackson, senior of Hay Springs. “I was instantly attracted to the idea and wanted to participate.”

“I thought it would be a great way to give back to the community,” said Betty Mays, sophomore of Ainsworth, “and a great opportunity as a RA to be a role model for other students.”

French hopes that this event will lead to an event planning communications course that will be available for all students, not just interns and graduate assistants.

“It was amazing to see all the students get involved on Saturday,” said Parker. “The Big Event this year is just the first of a tradition of service at CSC.” Many students throughout the day expressed their hope that The Big Event would become a regular event at Chadron State College.

“I think this event is important because it shows that college kids aren’t just here for an education, we care about the community too,” Karisa Lamle, junior of Cody, said. “Hopefully next year we can outreach to other places in the community that need help.”

Several businesses gave donations for this event. Bomgaars and Otte Feed of Gordon donated gloves for the volunteers, Safeway donated bottled water for each of the job sites, and Subway and All Seasons Sports and Screen Printing of Hot Springs co-partnered to provide food for the volunteers and a discount on t-shirts.

Student organizations that donated funds or volunteers for this event include: Student Senate, CAB, Ag Club, Allies Club, Blue Key, Cardinal Key, Cheer, NAFME, Omega Phi Rho, Family Consumers Science Club, Health Professions Club, International Club, Legal Studies Club, Outdoors Adventure Club, Public Relations Club, Residence Life Association, Revive, ROTC, Social Work Club, Student Alumni Council, and The Student Center Pit.