Boston University community members lent a helping hand in the annual Global Day of Service on Saturday.
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences junior and event coordinator Shilpa Reddy explained that BU alumni set up sites around the world where students, faculty, staff, family and friends could engage in service opportunities for one day.
The BU Alumni Association set up sites in locations as far as Shanghai, Brussels and Sydney and as close as Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago, according to the Global Day of Service website.
“Day of Service is an opportunity for students who can’t commit to community service on a weekly basis to do community service for one day,” Reddy said.
The day’s slogan: “One day. One BU community. A million ways to make a difference.”
Global Day of Service sought to unify the BU community by fostering a spirit of service on a global scale, its website states.
Reddy works as an event manager at the Community Service Center and was in charge of service opportunities in the Boston area for Global Day of Service.
“We had a big variety [of events],” she said. “On a couple of sites, students went to a farm to plant for the summer. There were also sites where students played games with cancer patients, others where they cooked meals for the homeless and others where they packaged clothing and supplies for expecting mothers who can’t afford the supplies they need.”
There were 17 service sites in the Boston area, she said.
“Technically it’s not global,” she said, referring to the Boston chapter she led. “But we worked with alumni from all around the world and undergrads studying abroad.”
Reddy said about 260 students signed up for the day, and that a majority of them turned out despite the inclement weather.
School of Management junior Dana Couch said that working at Hope Lodge, a place for cancer patients who are getting treatment in Boston hospitals, was an enriching experience.
“A lot of [cancer patients] come from all over the country because Boston has better facilities,” she said. “It’s an awesome experience to meet all these different people. We did some spring cleaning for them. We cleaned up the kitchen, their laundry rooms . . . everything.”
College of Arts and Sciences junior Missy Golberg took part in Day of Service for the second time this year.
Both this year and last year, Golberg went to the food project in Boston.
“We worked on the farm, turned soil and planted seeds,” she said. “It’s a really great experience. You get to out into Boston and meet people. It’s a really cool program and I was excited to do it again this year.”
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