Not all students who complete community service participate optionally.
Those volunteering in the Athens region after violating Ohio University's community standards have the ability to help others and gain experience and life lesson while also working off hours due to a violation of.
If a student violates the student conduct policy, that student is often required to complete a certain amount of community service hours. However, not all students are volunteering due to violations. Some studentsparticipate in community service because of class or scholarship requirements.
“If people are here for a certain class, or have a goal in mind, we can help them with that,” Daniel West, a client rights advocate at The Gathering Place, said.
Athens has multiple nonprofit organizations, such as The Gathering Place, for students to fulfill requirements for volunteer hours.
The Gathering Place, located 7 N. Congress St., is a drop-in mental health center started back in 1976 by people discharged from Athens Mental Health Center, West said. The adult-only facility works in a home-like atmosphere and is also known as a community support program, he added.
“We have different types of volunteers,” West said. “There’s some that come in for a class requirement, like family studies, and we also take some volunteers that have to do community service.”
West said volunteers sent by The Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility are positively impacted by their experience, and added that volunteering can be personal experience — both for those volunteering and those in the facility.
“In general, volunteers help our people socialize," West said.
Volunteers also lead group activities, help out in the garden and prepare meals.
The Gathering Place is open to working with anyone, and is open every day of the year, West said.
Other organizations offering volunteer opportunities are United Campus MinistriesandReUse Industries.
United Campus Ministries offers free meals to those in need twice a week, and people looking to volunteer on Thursdays and Saturdays can assist with the program. According to its website, volunteers work to prepare, serve and clean up after the meal.
Mackenzie Longo, a sophomore studying psychology, volunteered at UCM last year and helped prepare and serve a supper.
“You provide a free dinner for people in the community, and you get to meet a lot of people,” she said.
Longo volunteered for a violation of community standards, but believed her experience was a positive one.
“It was just helping to make people dinner, and you got a free meal,” Longo said. “I felt good after I did it.”
Another option is ReUse Industries, a nonprofit organization that saves materials from landfills and then puts them back out into the community, according to its website. ReUse also accepts donations and has a Community Tool Library, a placewhere members can borrow tools that they might not be able to afford, Travis Allman, a manager at ReUe Industries, said.
“It’s great when we do have a chance for (volunteers) to come help,” Allman said.
Volunteers at ReUse will sort clothing and donations as well as help around the store. Volunteers also put priced items out on shelves and keep the store neat, Allman said.
“All the help that we can get is great," Allman said. "it’s a very busy place."
Allman said ReUse also sells furniture, kitchen appliances, household items and clothing for a fraction of what the items are worth.
“We need all the help we can get down here,” Allman said.
