The volunteer competition 7 Days of Service, hosted by the Volunteer and Community Service Center, is in full swing as the weeklong competition began on Saturday, April 19 and will continue until this Saturday, April 26.
The event offers a $25 Appleton Downtown gift card to the individual who completes the most hours of service throughout the week. A $50 Toppers gift card is rewarded to the student organization with the most hours.
The kick-off event was a scavenger hunt held across campus. Students completed an informative trek where they learned about five of the many volunteer groups across campus, Building for Kids, Boys and Girls Club, The Literacy Center, Habitat for Humanity, Glamour Girls and Brewster Village.
Each of the groups briefly informed hunt participants about their partner organization and about how the two collaborate. Following the information session, each of the groups had a quick activity to do with the participants. These activities included tongue twisters, quizzes, and crafts.
The rest of the week consists of volunteer events held on and off campus. The Volunteer and Community Service Center is providing transportation to The Boys and Girls Club, Riverview, Brewster Village, and more.
While the volunteer center has provided a variety of volunteer opportunities for the week, any volunteering completed by students over the course of the week counts towards their group and individual volunteer hour total.
The competition is an opportunity for students and organizations alike to generate interest in their cause, as well as to get a lot of good work done with the help of volunteers. Organizations with high numbers of volunteer hours have an opportunity to showcase their dedication to service and will receive recognition for the work they are doing to help in our community.
7 Days of Service is also helping to bring groups together. As each group competes against each other, individual members are united by their ultimate goal of beating the other organizations on campus. The Volunteer and Community Service center fuels the rivalry by updating the campus of the leading teams and individuals each day.
Students also learn about regular volunteer opportunities through the volunteer events held throughout the week. Each of the groups holding events would benefit from having regular volunteers to help with their organization.
The Casino Day at Brewster Village is a one-time event; however, Brewster Village is looking for regular volunteers to spend time with its residents. Through volunteering at the Casino Day on Saturday, April 26, students get a taste of being a regular volunteer at the center.
There are many benefits of the 7 Days of Service, but the greatest of these is the effect on the community. Throughout the course of this week, the student body is reaching out and helping in the community we have all come to call home. Hopefully, the week will inspire its competitors to become more active volunteers outside of the weeklong competition.
For more information on how to get involved in the community contact the Volunteer and Community Service Center. They would love to hear from you.