More than 350 students, faculty, and staff participated in Walla Walla University’s annual fall Service Day on Oct. 14. Participants signed up to help with one of 35 projects throughout the Walla Walla Valley that included work at Fort Walla Walla Museum, the Children’s Home Society of Walla Walla, Davis Elementary School, residences of elderly community members, and many others. Jobs ranged from breakfast preparation for Service Day participants to working with Tri-County Partners Habitat for Humanity to help build a house for a single mother with three children. Other participants helped with hearing and eye screenings, landscaping, home repairs, construction projects, writing projects, and many other jobs.

“Many of the organizations we help save up large projects each year that require lots of manpower because they know we are coming and they are unable to do it themselves,” said Kelia Cook, junior biology/pre-med major, who planned Service Day.

“Service day is an opportunity for the students and staff to take some time to give back to the community. It is an opportunity for the people of this school to get to know each other in a different capacity than normal,” said Cook.

Students worked side-by-side to finish their projects. Kelsey Duran, a freshman social work major, worked on a project for the YWCA of Walla Walla writing chalk memorials on the sidewalks of downtown Walla Walla for victims of domestic violence, raising awareness about the issue.

Duran said, “Everyone we talked to was amazed and super supportive of the project. They also really appreciated the fact that the university and students were making an effort to give back and to help out in the community. I am glad that we were able to help get conversations started and be a part of something that has an impact on our community and beyond.”

Service Day projects for 2015:

Children’s home Society of Walla Walla—landscaping, debris cleanup

Walla Walla YMCA—yard clean-up

Davis Elementary—working with students and project preparation

Walla Walla Valley Camps—cleaning, painting, bike repair, organization tasks for camp activities and facilities

College Place School District: Davis Elementary—hearing and vision screening for students

Mount Hope Cemetery—cleaning stones, leaf cleanup

Walla Walla Walla University: Film—service projects documentation

Walla Walla university: Food Prep—food prep for Service Day lunch

Walla Walla Walla University: Project 100—Chaplain’s office staff set up, ASWWU photographers, sound crew, and community credit workers

Aging and Long Term Care: Private Residence—landscaping

Kirkman House Museum—yard and garden cleanup, cleaning projects

Tri-County Partners Habitat for Humanity—Construction tasks on a home for a single mom with 3 girls in order to finish before Thanksgiving

Christian Aid Center—yard work, grounds clean up

Walla Walla County Conservation District—Establish a riparian buffer zone along the side channel of Titus Creek; planting trees along stream bank.

Street cleanup (theology club)—trash pickup

City of Walla Walla Parks & Recreation—Flower cleanup at Pioneer Park

Country Estates—landscaping and indoor cleaning

YWCA of Walla Walla—Sidewalk art in downtown Walla Walla to remember 30 victims of domestic violence for domestic violence awareness month.

Stone Creek Natural Area restoration—blackberry removal

Fort Walla Walla Museum—cleanup of Exhibit 4

Fort Walla Walla Museum—grounds cleanup

Fort Walla Walla Museum—quilt transcription

Fort Walla Walla Museum—light cleaning of Pioneer Village cabins

Blue Ridge Head Start/ECEAP—help in preschool

Bill and Virginia Napier—debris cleanup

Private Residence #1—various tasks

Private Residence #2—various tasks

Private Residence #3—various tasks

Private Residence #4—pick up grass clippings from backyard

Children’s Museum of Walla Walla: EWB—clean, paint, organize, carnival-content creation with indoor and outdoor options

Public Library: Pegasus—shelve books, general duties

Roger’s Elementary—planting flowers, yard work

SonBridge—yardwork

Private Residence #5—wash windows

Private Residence #6—cleaning house after a move

Posted October 21, 2015.