Central College held its annual Service Day on Oct. 29 with more than 600 volunteers taking part in nearly 50 projects. Service Day has been a cornerstone of the Central experience since 2006.
Students, faculty and staff volunteered for projects in Pella, Knoxville, Newton, Oskaloosa and the Des Moines metro area from West Des Moines to Pleasant Hill. Service Day is organized by Central’s Office of Community-Based Learning.
The milestone event is part of Central’s commitment to service learning throughout the year. More than 45 academic courses across 15 departments include semester-long components in service-learning.
“Service Day is just one component of our holistic approach to service-learning and community engagement,” says Cheri Doane, director of community-based learning. “Service Day really complements what we do year-around. It’s an activity that advances our ability as students, faculty and staff, along with the college and community partners, to strive to reach potential.”
One of the highlights annually of Service Day is planting bulbs for the Pella History Society and Museum in preparation for Tulip Time. Other highlights this year, Doane says, were projects for the Children and Family Urban Movement and the Centre for Arts and Artists in Newton.
The CFMU has submitted projects each Service Day, with students, faculty and staff helping children with homework and organizing its historical building — Trinity United Methodist Church in Des Moines. In Newton, a large team of volunteers worked on a mural, as well as housekeeping duties, for the Centre for Arts and Artists, which provides community arts education and studio space for emerging and experience artists.
PICTURED ABOVE: Central College students plant tulip bulbs in Pella as part of Service Day on Oct. 29.