by Carolyn Preul
Several Columbia College alumni served at the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri.
Volunteers across the nation participated in the inaugural Columbia College Alumni Service Day on Saturday, Nov. 2.
More than 100 alumni and friends signed up to spread good will in their communities through 22 projects, including parks, beaches, food banks and local organizations.
“The mission of the Columbia College Alumni Association talks directly about developing alumni as volunteers,” says Stasia Sherman, assistant director of Alumni Relations. “Creating a nationwide day of service was a natural fit.”
Sherman coordinated the volunteers and managed all service project details. Alumni were given the opportunity to sign up for existing projects or submit individual service plans.
Volunteer locations included:
- Chattanooga, Tenn. – Chattanooga Down Syndrome Society
- Columbia, Mo. – Christian Chapel Academy
- Columbia, Mo. – Columbia College Main Campus Beautification
- Columbia, Mo. – Columbia First Nazarene church
- Columbia, Mo. – Douglass Park Clean Up
- Columbia, Mo. – The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri
- Columbia, Mo. – Primaris Foundation
- Denmark, S.C. – Denmark Citizens for Safe Water
- Granite City, Ill. – ARCH House
- Kansas City, Mo. – Harvesters
- Libertyville, Ill. – Feed My Starving Children
- Lubbock, Texas – Lubbock Music Teachers Association
- McLean, Va. – Share of McLean Virginia
- Pensacola, Fla. – Beach clean up
- Rolla, Mo. – Feeding America
- Sarasota, Fla. – Beach clean up
- St. Elizabeth, Mo. – Food Pantry
- St. Louis, Mo. – Habitat for Humanity ReStore
- Surprise, Ariz. – Surprise SciTech Festival
- Syracuse, N.Y. – Pick up trash at park
- Tacoma, Wash. – Nourish Pierce County
- Webb City, Mo. – Trash clean up
Alumni volunteering at the Habitat For Humanity ReStore in St. Louis
Service Day gives alumni the opportunity to give back as well as meeting other alumni in their community. As members of the CCAA, there is already a common bond. Adrienne Hamlin ’14 & ’19 served as a lead volunteer. She worked with Sherman to create a neighborhood park clean-up crew, one of six projects that took place in Columbia, Missouri.
“When the city suggested Douglass Park, I was excited to volunteer somewhere that is often underserved and close to campus,” Hamlin says. “This event was a great way to get alumni together to network in an informal setting and help our communities.”
As a thank-you for their participation, volunteers received complimentary t-shirts and were asked to submit pictures for the photo gallery.
“I was really happy with the response we received in our first year,” Sherman says. “Knowing our alumni and how much they volunteer in general, it didn’t surprise me that this was something they were interested in.”
