Mavs to say thanks through projects

Community service is topic of April 20 “Big Event” day.

2013-03-21
Amanda Dyslin, Mankato Free Press, 3-21-2013

MANKATO — Sometimes “college students” and “shenanigans” go hand in hand.

So as a big thank you to the community for so gra­ciously hosting Minnesota State University students throughout the year, almost 1,000 of them will be fan­ning out next month and giving back.

The Community Engagement Office at the university is putting on the community service project “ The Big Event” on April 20, which they plan to repeat every spring.

An estimated 900 stu­dents and faculty will dedi­cate the entire day to mak­ing improvements to the Mankato community. Andwhat they do is entirely up to you, said Ashley Strom, assistant director of recog­nized student organiza­tions.

“It’s a way for the stu­dents to say thanks to the community for their hos­pitality,” Strom said.

Businesses, organiza­tions and individuals can submit job- request forms for tasks they need com­pleting. The goal is to get as many projects done in one day that they can.

The labor projects can be a range of tasks, including spring cleanup, window- washing, paint­ing and even light con­struction, such as helping to put up a fence. For the Mankato MoonDogs, the group will hang outfield signs, for example. At a church in town, the group will be painting a nurs­ery.

The group can’t tackle more dangerous tasks, such as shingling, Strom said. But most other proj­ects will be accepted until the hours run out.

Strom said projects can be submitted within a 15-­mile radius of Mankato.

The entire version of this story can be read in a print copy of the Mankato Free Press. Call the Mankato Free Press at 625-4451 or (800) 657-4662 to find out how to purchase a print copy. The Free Press also prints select stories online at www.mankatofreepress.com.

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