Lemuel Herbert Murlin, the third president of Boston University, once referred to BU as “in the heart of the city, in the service of the city.” Despite the passing of time, Murlin’s description, which emphasizes both the community feel and service-based aspect of the school, is still evident.
On Saturday, BU’s Community Service Center further contributed to this vision by organizing a one-day volunteering extravaganza as a part of the 2015 Global Days of Service (GDS). On this day, hundreds of BU undergraduate students and alumni got together and volunteered in various locations throughout Massachusetts. Activities ranged from building furniture for children to working with animals.
As the name implies, however, GDS was not restricted to local communities.
“This event actually happens all throughout the world,” said Alexa Brown, a junior in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Services and a program manager for GDS. “Yeah, it happened in Boston today, but throughout the whole month of April, we actually have all of our different Boston University campuses across the world participate in service events in their respective areas.”
Although it took place on a smaller scale, Brown said there was still a lot of time and effort put into the Boston day of service. Program managers began to plan in December and found around 160 sites to contact. A committee of about 21 students helped out throughout the next few months by coordinating logistics for food, transportation, sites and public relations, but a majority of the work had to be done in the few weeks leading up to the actual day.
“I think the craziest part of this whole process is that a lot of it can’t really happen until the week before the event,” Brown said. “In regards to the mass number of volunteers, food and Charlie Cards we need, it really can’t be confirmed until we close registration.”
A special emphasis was placed on Charlie Cards and transportation because GDS took place throughout the Boston area, even expanding into the suburbs.
“It’s [GDS] an opportunity for everyone to get that Community Service Center experience and maybe go to a part of the city they’ve never been to before, like Dorchester or Jamaica Plains,” said Lindsay Nicastro, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and another program manager for GDS.
This widespread reach provided students with the valuable opportunity to branch out into other parts of Massachusetts they had never been to and might not have otherwise visited. It also aided them in learning more about different people and places in the state.
“It helps a lot, I would think,” said Nora Bawaked, a junior in CAS and a site leader for the Wish Project in Lowell. “I’m not from the state, so it’s a great opportunity for me to go and see other parts of Massachusetts out there.”
In addition to the service itself, Brown said exploring different communities was a major goal of GDS. It gave students the chance to interact with different people who share the common experience of living in Boston and help them at the same time.
“Not only can you branch out and meet other people, but it just widens your perspective on the world, and broadens your sense of community,” Brown said. “Obviously, you’re here in Boston at BU and you consider that your community, but aside from BU, you’re part of a greater one as well.”
Many point to the short length of GDS as evidence that the volunteers may not have made much of a difference. However, Brown considers this a positive aspect of the service, as it is accessible to students who are constantly bombarded with school and work. With just a day of work, she said, GDS is a great way for students to begin giving back.
“It’s just a few hours out of your day to give back to your community,” she said. “We have a lot of semester-long programs that require an hourly commitment each week, and with everyone’s hectic schedules at BU, it can be hard to commit to a program like that.”
GDS participants echoed Brown’s words that, as the common saying goes, every little bit counts.
“I really think that sometimes it’s easy to forget that the little things add up to the bigger things,” said Lauren Cabrera, a freshman in SAR. “This is what it takes. It takes all these people coming together to make a difference.”
