Issue date: 4/27/09 Section: News

Eric Wilber, Student Government executive vice president, hands out garbage bags to volunteers during Panther Service Day Saturday morning in front of Old Main. (Erin Matheny / The Daily Eastern News)

Students, alumni and faculty decided to give back Saturday afternoon during the seventh annual Panther Service Day.

Participants volunteered by picking up trash at Lake Charleston and around town. They also helped at the Salvation Army building in Mattoon, the YMCA in Mattoon, the H.O.P.E. center in Mattoon, the Douglas Heart Nature Center in Mattoon, the Children's Advocacy Center in Charleston, a Habitat for Humanity site and two local nursing homes.

President Bill Perry and his wife also volunteered by picking up trash in Charleston along with Mayor John Inyart.

A team of students assembled first-aid kits for the American Red Cross with help from a Red Cross representative.

Brad Saribekian, a sophomore pre-business management information systems major, said these kits included garbage bags, granola bars, duct tape and note pads for important information like emergency contacts or prescriptions.

"In the event of a disaster, such as a hurricane or tornado, we would need to make sure there is enough food and important documents," he said. "These are going to be distributed to local Charleston-Mattoon residents who can't afford these things."

Brittany Wells, a junior elementary education major, helped out at the Children's Advocacy Center.

"For people who don't know, the center provides a warmer location for children who are mentally, physically or emotionally abused," Wells said. "They can talk to counselors or police officers, and it reaches out to seven counties. We are helping them by doing a little spring cleaning and gathering materials for children in need."

Wells said it is important to volunteer since Eastern students count on the community so much.

"This is our way for us to give back," she said. "We are a part of the community, and this creates a unique bond with Charleston and the student body."

Panther Service Day was organized by Alison Mormino, an alumna who works for the office of philanthropy.

She coordinated Panther Service Day in 2002 as Eastern's student body president. "She was inspired by an event in Alton, Ill., and tried to get it started at Eastern," said Ryan Kerch, student vice president for student affairs. "It then grew into what it is today."

Kerch, along with the rest of Student Government, hosted the event.

Rachel Fisher, interim director of Student Community Service and an event organizer, said the volunteers were a great mixture of organized groups and individuals.

Fisher said there were 150 individual volunteers and was happy with the number of groups that helped.

"There were quite a number of organizations and we are excited for next year."

Fisher said 30 alumni along with their families were present.

Another organization, the Sisters Utilizing Christian Challenges to Evolve into Successful Students, helped pick up trash on and off Eastern's campus for two hours.

"We found the most trash on houses on the party streets, Fourth through Ninth street," said Rhonda Bowdry, a graduate student in family and consumer science and a member of the organization. "It's important to give back, and we all live in Charleston, whether it is on campus or in the community. I think more students should get involved. This was a wonderful opportunity for us to use our Christian values and give back."

Coreless Blue, a sophomore biology major, also volunteered with the organization.

"I appreciate Eastern putting this together," she said. "We are keeping our community clean."

Organization Volunteers
• American Marketing Association
• College Democrats
• Black Student Union
• Student Government
• Sisters Utilizing Christian Challenges to Evolve into Successful Students


Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or haholm@eiu.edu.

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