Everything Nac

The Stephen F. Austin State University offices of Student Affairs Programs and Multicultural Affairs will hold the fourth annual MLK Day of Service beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 21, in the second-floor movie theater in the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

The theme of the event is “Legacy Begins At Home.” SFA will partner with Habitat for Humanity, Love INC and Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful for service projects at public parks, private homes and a variety of other sites. About 250 student volunteers are expected to take part in projects such as painting and landscaping. Participants will receive a free lunch and event T-shirt.

For the fourth year, SFA has received grant funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service to support the MLK Day programs. Numerous other colleges across the nation participate in the annual event.

“It’s exciting that SFA students can be part of such a widespread movement to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through giving back to their community,” said Jamie Bouldin, SFA’s assistant director for leadership and service. “By focusing on homes and parks this year, we hope that students will help residents take pride in their neighborhoods.”

Bouldin said she hopes students also will pause to think about their own personal legacies, including the impact they will have at SFA and what they will leave behind after graduation.

Dr. Robbie Steward, professor and chair of the SFA Department of Human Services, will serve as the keynote speaker during the event’s opening ceremonies. She received both her doctorate in counseling psychology and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Oklahoma-Norman. Steward also has a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Central Oklahoma.

Congress passed legislation in 1983 to commemorate the life of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. In 1994, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which falls on the third Monday of January, was named a national day of service and is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

The first MLK Day of Service at SFA in 2010 focused on helping Nacogdoches schools prepare for the new semester. This included painting benches, creating leadership-themed art projects and revitalizing landscaping. The 2011 event focused on projects at nursing homes and senior centers. The 2012 event featured trash pickup and painting at every public park in Nacogdoches.

“We are so excited that students once again have the chance to make a difference in the community through the MLK Day of Service,” Bouldin said. “We hope this event continues to grow and benefit the community in many ways.”

For more information, contact Bouldin at (936) 468-1088 or jfbouldin@sfasu.edu.

Have you been looking for help with household projects? What about a few extra hands to paint a shed or clean up the garden? Stephen F. Austin State University is looking for Nacogdoches-area service projects to complete during The BIG Event.

The fourth annual day of service will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 23. Residents, businesses and non-profit organizations are encouraged to participate by submitting job request forms to The BIG Event planning committee. Examples of past jobs include yard work, interior and exterior painting, and window washing. Projects should take approximately three to four hours to complete.

Job request forms can be found online at www.sfasu.edu/thebigevent or picked up at the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce, 2516 North St. Residents also may call (936) 468-1088 to request that a form be mailed to them. Forms are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, and no job requests will be taken over the phone. All potential job sites will be visited by members of The BIG Event planning committee for assessment.

“The BIG Event is a great way for students to interact with the community,” said Jamie Bouldin, SFA’s assistant director for leadership and service. “It is a unique way for students to participate in community service here at SFA.”

Job requests are not based on socio-economic need.

“We invite project requests from anyone who could use a couple of extra hands for an afternoon, no matter what their income level or status,” Bouldin said. Job requestors also will be asked about available supplies, as SFA is limited on the amount of supplies it can provide.

Applicants will be notified of whether their jobs have been accepted by March 8.

“Unfortunately, due to budget constraints and safety considerations for our students, we cannot accept all jobs,” Bouldin said.

For more information on The BIG Event, visit www.sfasu.edu/thebigevent or contact Jamie Bouldin at (936) 468-1088 or jfbouldin@sfasu.edu.