WV Press Release Sharing
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.— Marshall University is preparing to welcome hundreds of volunteers to its campuses for its annual Community Cares Week: Giving Back to the Herd.
Members of the #MarshallUFamily who have signed up to volunteer, including alumni, community members, students, faculty and staff, will join together to complete dozens of projects across all of the university’s campuses.
The sweat equity event is slated for May 23-26.
Marshall University President Brad D. Smith says the event is a great way to honor and take care of the place many call home.
“Last summer, our campus and community came together to work toward a common goal,” said Smith. “We tapped into talent in our community and invested our time in worthwhile projects across our campuses. The end result was phenomenal. Bonds among coworkers, community members and alums became stronger and our beautiful campus reaped the benefits. Our first Community Cares Week was born and it was a success.”
In the event’s inaugural year, 451 volunteers contributed a total of 1,240 hours of service doing landscaping, painting, pressure washing, deep cleaning and completing other special projects.
This year, the number of volunteers, expected service hours and projects have increased. In addition, Cares week activities will extend beyond Marshall’s campuses to other areas where alumni and affinity chapters outside of the greater Huntington area are located.
Matt James, executive director of alumni relations, says he is pleased so many alums are joining in the effort to help their Marshall home—or in some cases, their own hometowns, hundreds of miles away.
“Our alumni are the lifeline of our university,” said James. “I am so pleased that even more of our Herd alumni are getting engaged and giving back this year. They are forever a part of our Marshall Family and play a very important role in helping us achieve our institutional goals.”
Volunteers will take part in morning, afternoon and some evening shifts. Projects include landscaping, groundskeeping, painting, pressure washing, storage clean-up and housekeeping.
Photo and video opportunities with President Brad D. Smith include:
· Tues., 9 a.m. – Landscaping at the Memorial Student Center Plaza
· Tues., 1 p.m. – Pressure washing at Joan C. Edwards Stadium
· Wed., 9 a.m. – Painting with Housing and Residence Life
· Wed., 1 p.m. – Inside work at Joan C. Edwards Stadium
· Thurs., 9 a.m. – Outside work at Joan C. Edwards Stadium
· Thurs., 1 p.m. – Housekeeping in the Memorial Student Center
· Fri., 9 a.m. – Organization at the Marshall Thrift Store
· Fri., 1 p.m. – Landscaping at the Memorial Student Center Plaza
Media are invited and encouraged to attend.
For more information on photo and video opportunities, an information desk will be set up in the lobby of the Memorial Student Center.
Two of the multiple organizations participating include the Boy Scouts of America Troop 12 landscaping on Thursday at approximately 9:30 a.m. by Buskirk Hall and the Marshall University Early Education (MUEE) STEAM Center is scheduled to plant flowers on Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. at the Memorial Student Center Plaza.
To view photos taken of volunteers and projects throughout the week, visit bit.ly/MUCommunityCaresWeek2023.
For more information about Community Cares Week, visit www.marshall.edu/cares
