A group of 12 students met on the first floor of Baker University Center at 9 a.m. Saturday. Few things can draw students out of bed early on the weekends, and for this group of people, the drive to help others got them there.
Project of the Week is an assemblage of Ohio University students that meet once or twice a week to go out into the region in order to volunteer, including this past weekend at the Southeastern Food Bank.
The Community Service Leadership Council coordinates the projects. The group's 40 members take turns planning and leading the Project of the Week events. The group also works on other undertakings, but the Project of the Week is their heaviest focus.
It's difficult for students to get involved through the school
said Nate Dicken, a junior and the Leadership Assistant for Community Service. When they ask how to be involved they're sent our way.
The Project of the Week initiative started two years ago and has had solid attendance ever since. Projects vary from working with area organizations to helping out with relief efforts after the tornado that swept through Athens County Sept. 16.
We have some crowd pleasers and favorites we go back to Dicken said. He listed among them Passion Works, Good Works, the Second Harvest Food Bank in Logan and United Campus Ministries.
Many of the projects are planned based off student interest and local needs, said Lisa Nelson, community service graduate assistant and Ph.D student in higher education administration.
There's a number of organizations that we have an ongoing relationship with
Nelson said. But if there really is a community need it will take priority.
Both Nelson and Dicken cited tornado relief efforts as a primary example of a priority local need.
They were able to contact Mike Arnold from the Nelsonville Community Center to help coordinate their volunteer efforts, Dicken said. Many of the projects since the tornado have launched from the small center on Nelsonville's main thoroughfare.
Some of the people we helped out were literally in tears with gratitude
Dicken said.
Ed Gaither, an OU junior studying political science, participated in every Project of the Week this year. He spent years prior to attending OU as a professional firefighter and paramedic.
When the storm hit
I knew that there were a lot of bad things around me - within 30 minutes people's lives were destroyed
Gaither said.
Gaither originally intended to sign up for the first project, figuring he could help out a little bit, but with schoolwork, it would be too large of a commitment. But after that first outing, he felt like he had to go back, he said.
I just wanted to use my OK to help out their not-OK
he said.
This past weekend, the group helped out the Southeast Ohio Regional Food Center as part of Make a Difference Day and will continue to help out with enduring needs after the tornado cleanup is complete.
This is the coolest thing in the world to me
Dicken said. I feel like we've been given a voice for the students to tell the community how much we care. And the students who help out each week dictate the vocal quality we have.
More information on the project of the week can be found at ohio.edu/communityservice.
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