Centenary gears up for college-wide day of service at Big Event 12
SHREVEPORT, LA — Big Event, a national student-led day of service, has been a Centenary College spring tradition for 12 years. Centenary students, faculty, staff, and community members will gather this year on Saturday, March 23 for service in the College’s Highland neighborhood.
“The Big Event 12 gives Centenary students an opportunity to volunteer in their own way,” says Kaylan Walker, director of community engagement at Centenary. “Through a variety of service projects, students gain a sense of citizenship and social responsibility, all while promoting the generous spirit of the College.”
The Big Event concept originated at Texas A&M University in 1982 and spread to several other college campuses, including Centenary. Students form an Executive Board and plan the day themselves, focusing first on identifying projects that can strengthen connections between Centenary and its neighbors in Shreveport’s Highland area. Centenary volunteers assist Highland residents at their homes with basic home improvement and landscaping services such as planting, removing trash and other debris, raking leaves, and removing vines.
Volunteers will also complete larger projects at several other sites in the neighborhood, including Creswell Elementary School, the Centenary Community Garden, the Highland Community Garden, Woody’s Veterans Home, and Columbia Park.
“The Big Event is simply about giving our time and energy to the Highland neighborhood as a token of appreciation for being such a gracious host to Centenary College,” says sophomore Taha Hayat, student director of Big Event 12.
Big Event 12 begins at 8:15 a.m. on March 23 in Centenary's Kilpatrick Auditorium with breakfast and a kickoff message.
Participation in Big Event is open to the entire community. Groups and individuals interested in volunteering can register online at centenary.edu/bigevent. Registered volunteers should report to Centenary’s Kilpatrick Auditorium beginning at 7:30 a.m. to check in and receive a volunteer assignment. Transportation is available to work sites for all participants.
For more information about Big Event 12, contact Kaylan Walker at kwalker@centenary.edu.