What: The Big Event -- The University of North Texas' largest single day of community service. More than 2,500 students, staff members and alumni will give up a Saturday morning to do 40 service projects at 70 locations in Denton County, including the UNT campus. Many of the students will represent student organizations.
When: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. March 29 (Saturday).
Where: The volunteers will begin the day by meeting in the mall area outside UNT's Willis Library, 1506 W. Highland St.
Volunteer locations not on the UNT campus include:
- Aunt Sue's Barn, an organic community farm; 13700 County Line Road, Ponder
- Cumberland Presbyterian Children's Home, 909 Greenlee St., Denton
- Denton State Supported Living Center, 3980 State School Road, Denton
- Goodwill Lewisville, 919 W. Main St., Lewisville
- Health Services of North Texas, 4210 Mesa Dr., Denton
- Selwyn College Preparatory School, 3333 W. University Dr., Denton
The volunteers will return to UNT for a post-service celebration in the mall area outside the Willis Library.
Contact: Amy Simon, director of UNT's Center for Leadership and Service, 940-565-3694
DENTON (UNT), Texas – More than 2,500 University of North Texas students, staff members and alumni will join forces for The Big Event, a nationally recognized community service project, on March 29 (Saturday).
Held annually since 2011, The Big Event provides an opportunity for volunteers from UNT's 400 registered student organizations to provide a morning of service to charitable organizations in Denton and surrounding cities. The 40 service projects include everything from gardening, sorting clothing donations, painting and picking up highway trash to working with senior citizens, children, and persons with disabilities. The projects will take place at 70 different locations, including on the UNT campus.
Coordinated by UNT's Center for Leadership and Service, the Big Event is also open to UNT students who are not connected to a student organization, and staff members and alumni may also participate.
The Big Event started at Texas A&M University in 1982 and is now held during the spring semester at 110 other U.S. colleges and universities and to international schools in Australia, Germany, Italy, Pakistan and Spain.
Volunteers for UNT's Big Event will meet at 8 a.m. in the mall area outside UNT's Willis Library, 1506 W. Highland St. UNT President Neal Smatesk will address the volunteers before they leave for their assignments. The volunteers will return to the mall area at noon for a post-service celebration.
Junior anthropology major Emma Carnes packed dry, non-perishable food for a local food bank during last year's Big Event with other members of the Anthropology Student Association. She also helped with Be the Match bone marrow testing kits for the National Marrow Donor Program.
This year, Carnes, vice president of public relations for the Anthropology Student Association, and other members of the association will do gardening at Aunt Sue's Barn, an organic community farm in Ponder.
"Many anthropology majors are enthusiastic about volunteering already, so it's not hard to get them to participate in The Big Event," Carnes said. "It's really incredible to be a part of it and see so many students helping the community."
For more information, contact Amy Simon, director of the Center for Leadership and Service, at 940-565-3994.