Students: Service crucial in tough times

March 22, 2009 04:00 am

— SELINSGROVE -- More than 150 Susquehanna University students spent their first spring weekend helping others Saturday during the Center for Civic Engagement's Day of Service.
The event, now in its fifth year, aided 18 Valley agencies, including Selinsgrove's Kidsgrove, where brothers from the Phi Mu Delta fraternity helped to clear brush and stack lumber.
"Service is a key element in being a good citizen," said Steve Sassaman, 21, of Selinsgrove. "Especially being a college student we have to prove that we're willing to give back to the community."
Sassaman's was a sentiment echoed by freshman Haley Murphy, 19, of Westborough, Mass., who spent her afternoon at Saint Monica School, Sunbury, raking leaves, clearing brush and cleaning the inside of the school.
"Our college is in the community, and I feel like, since we're going to a college that's in the town, we should give back," she said.
Without Saturday's volunteers, work at Saint Monica would have been left up to parishioners and students, school Principal Susan Bickhart said.
"They've been working very hard," Bickhart said. "It's absolutely fabulous. This is a huge amount of work."
Other agencies that were helped Saturday were the Danville State Hospital, Danville; Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg, Far Point Animal Rescue, Port Trevorton; Geisinger House of Care, Danville; Golden Living Center, Sunbury; Grayson View Assisted Living Center, Selinsgrove; Manor at Penn Village, Selinsgrove; Mifflinburg Buggy Museum, Mifflinburg; Liberty Splashland, Northumberland; SUN Home Health Services, Northumberland; and Sunbury Community Hospital.
"One of the things Susquehanna tries to do is being involved in the community," said sophomore Amanda George, 19, a student worker at the Center for Civic Engagement. "This is a great way to get the whole campus involved. There's something for everyone."
By the time the day was over, more than 400 man-hours of community service were logged by SU students, including members of the women's soccer team, who spent the day at the Sunbury YMCA clearing brush and cleaning, and at the Dauntless Hook and Ladder Fire Company, Selinsgrove, cleaning fire engines.
The Day of Service is an event this team takes part in annually as a way to spend time together while helping others.
"It feels good to know that we're making a difference," Erinn Jenkins, 20, of Blakely, said.
"To know they were grateful we were there," teammate Alison Chavers, 19, of New Jersey, added.
Sophomore Zachary Snyder, 20, of York, raked leaves at Saint Monica on behalf of Alpha Phi Omega, and said that in today's economy, volunteering is needed now more than ever.
"It's just so important now to do service in these tough times. It brings hope to the community," he said. "And every little bit helps."

Photos

Susquehanna students Michael Jones, left, and Clinton Johnson, both members of the Phi Mu Delta fraternity, join other students to clear dead trees and shrubs at Kid-s Grove in Selinsgrove on Saturday.