SRSGA and Green and White Society hosting ‘The Big Event,’ April 14
Slippery Rock Student Government Association and the Green and White Society are partnering to host The Big Event, April 14, a new campus-wide initiative to conduct service projects and trash clean-up at various sites around campus and in the surrounding community.
April 1, 2019
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — Student organizations at Slippery Rock University have planned for big events before, but until this year they had never planned The Big Event. That's about to change. The Slippery Rock Student Government Association and the Green and White Society are co-hosting The Big Event, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 14. The event will bring members of SRU together to conduct volunteer service projects around campus and in the community.
"The idea is to make Slippery Rock a better place," said Dallas Kline, a senior communication major from Hanover and SGA president. "We already love this place so much, why not try and make it even better?"
SGA staff learned about the concept and the name, The Big Event, at the Conference on Student Government Associations where schools like Texas A&M and Virginia Tech shared how they successful implemented The Big Event on their campuses. SGA members were so inspired, they set out to host a similar event at SRU.
"We're collaborating with the Green and White Society, which typically does their annual campus clean-up day around Earth Day. Instead of having individual events on back-to-back weekends, we decided to band together and make it a really 'big' thing," Kline said. "The mission is to clean up campus and the community and make the area as beautiful as possible. The Big Event is also a gesture and way to say 'thank you' to the community for being our home and helping them with whatever it may need."
Kline helped rally support for the event by attending Slippery Rock Borough and Township meetings and speaking to board members in order to identify community projects for the event.
The Big Event will start with registered participants meeting in The Quad at 10 a.m. for a free breakfast and Zumba exercise. At 11 a.m., small groups will be dispersed to work sites that include a variety of service activities including: collecting trash, raking leaves and debris, and mulching and painting. Service locations include various areas on campus, along Main Street in Slippery Rock and at the Slippery Rock Township Building on Branchton Road. Following two hours of service, participants will return to The Quad for lunch, prizes, music and dance performances. Music will be provided by WSRU 88.1 FM, the University's student-run radio station.
The first 500 registrants will receive a T-shirt and participants can enter to win gift cards by sharing photos through a social media contest. Specific instructions for the contest will be shared at the morning breakfast.
In case of rain, the pre- and post-receptions will take place in the Advanced Technology and Science Hall lobby.
Participants can register as individuals or as groups through The Big Event page on CORE by clicking here. If transportation is necessary to reach the work sites, group leaders or volunteers who have indicated on their registration from that they are willing to drive will provide it.
Registered participants will learn about their assignments via email prior to The Big Event.
For more information, contact the SGA office at: sga@sru.edu or 724.738.2755.
MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854 | justin.zackal@sru.edu