In mid-October 2025, Walla Walla University’s Center for Humanitarian Engagement (CHE) hosted the 32nd annual Fall Service Day. Over 500 students came together in service to tackle 38 different projects across the Walla Walla Valley.
“Fall Service Day provides an enormous community impact and an unforgettable experience for the students who volunteer. One of WWU's core values is Generosity in Service, and this event is the perfect example of how that mission can be carried out in the real world,” said Courtney Easterbrook, junior English major and CHE volunteer manager.
Some volunteers traveled as far as the Walla Walla Regional Airport and Wallula Junction, while others stayed closer to campus, serving in neighborhood homes or local nonprofits like the Children’s Museum of Walla Walla. An annual project led by the English department took students to the Walla Walla Public Library to help clean, decorate, craft, and more. The Student Missions Club led another project, at Rancho Villa RV & Self Storage, and offered free car washes to the community.
More projects were led by CHE personnel, athletic teams, and various other clubs and departments. This day would not be possible without the collaborative help and support of the different academic departments and the university’s numerous strong student leaders.
Though she has been a part of the Fall Service Day preparation and execution process for the last couple years, this was the first time Easterbrook led the event. This experience taught her a lot about large-scale coordination and multi-faceted communication.
While she gained valuable professional skills, Easterbrook realized how easy it can be to see each volunteer and project as just a number on a spreadsheet. It was a phone call from an appreciative neighbor that reminded her: “Although it might not feel like much to just go and rake someone's yard for a few hours, the work we are doing makes a real difference in other people's lives.”
For more volunteer and mission opportunities and to learn about what the Center for Humanitarian Engagement stands to offer the community and students, visit wallawalla.edu/che.
Posted Nov. 12, 2025.
