By Mike Cook | 17 April 2017
Volunteers for The Big Event at Virginia Tech complete a record number of projects for the New River Valley community.BLACKSBURG – Volunteer Danielle Sperry hands out refreshments to her peers as they gather on Virginia Tech’s drillfield, ready and raring for the day ahead. Across the sea of people donning outfits of the college’s colors of orange and maroon, she can see the Hokie bird mascot taking the stage.
Music booms as the students dance. The bass is so loud it vibrates through the bodies of anyone too close to the amplifiers. Excitement is palpable. Hokie pride is abundant. “It’s really good energy,” said Sperry. “Once you see the smile on people’s faces, it’s amazing. It’s a big payoff.” This year, Virginia Tech undertook and completed a record-breaking number of community projects, drawing thousands of students to The Big Event and helping foster positive connections between volunteers and residents. On April 8th, 8,223 volunteers attended Virginia Tech’s The Big Event, a community-based activity where students give back to those within the New River Valley region by completing projects for residents. These projects ranged from re-vamping an elementary school’s garden to painting fences and clearing yards on residential lots. The Big Event began 28 years ago at Texas A&M University and, since its inception, has become one of the largest student-run service projects nation-wide. Over the fifteen years Virginia Tech has taken part in the Big Event, the number of projects undertaken has risen from 60 to 1,174. Students attending The Big Event were eager to be involved, with many sororities, fraternities, student organizations and friendship groups signing up to work on community projects.
The Big Event’s Co-Director for 2017 Abbey Brainard said the number of volunteers and projects was a testament to students’ desires to fulfil the college’s motto ‘Ut Prosim’ – a Latin phrase meaning ‘That I may serve’.
“It’s a tribute to the Hokie nation that, even though not as many people came out as last year, the people that did were here to do work and here to really make a difference,” she said. Brainard said The Big Event also helped students realize the community wasn’t just about Virginia Tech but also the people in surrounding areas. One of the projects completed this year was landscaping for Harding Avenue Elementary School. Principal Stephanie Sedor praised volunteers for their tireless work and willingness to serve. “It has a huge impact,” Sedor said. “It’s good for the kids to see the input from whole community.” Sedor said Virginia Tech students demonstrated the importance of giving back to others and their selflessness greatly influenced parents, teachers and students at the school. Within the two years since accepting her role at the Harding Avenue Elementary School, Sedor has witnessed the philanthropic spirit of Virginia Tech students on a weekly basis. From the paintwork on the tables and chairs, to the lunch-time buddy activities where Virginia Tech students spend time with children at the school, Hokie spirit is embedded throughout Harding Avenue Elementary. Sedor believes the positive attitude in the school community is largely due to the altruistic behavior of Virginia Tech students. “It wouldn’t be possible without the support of [Virginia Tech].” The Big Event Co-director Abbey Brainard, known by her colleagues for her organizational 'to-do post-it notes', worked alongside her executive team for a year to orchestrate the 2017 event.
Sperry, a Virginia Tech student and Student Outreach Committee member for The Big Event, was responsible for recruiting volunteers and connecting them with people in the community.
“The bonding of the community is a huge part of [The Big Event],” Sperry said. “I met lots of awesome people.” After helping facilitate the event, Sperry ventured to a project to help other volunteers, allowing her to meet with a widow of a World War II veteran. “We just sat down with her and talked for like an hour after we had completed the project,” she said. Sperry said she cherished hearing from homeowners and seeing the impact the volunteers have on their lives. “Some people can’t do these jobs themselves. The biggest reward is seeing people grateful,” she said. Sperry believes The Big Event is crucial to the college’s mission. “[Virginia Tech students] should want to live out ‘Ut Prosim’,” she said. “I think it’s important to show appreciation to our community.” |