STLCC-Meramec clubs get involved with community service in Kirkwood
Kurt Oberreither
-News Editor-
Hundreds of people, including Meramec students and faculty, took to the streets of Kirkwood Saturday, Oct. 22 for the fifth annual Hands on Kirkwood day of service.
More than 550 people from local churches, hockey teams and students from Meramec’s Service Learning Department participated in projects ranging from Service Learning has participated in Make a Difference Day, a national day of community service held in October, for more than 10 years.
Yellow t-shirts sporting the words “A missionALL community project. Making a difference,” could be seen behind steering wheels, on the sidewalks and outside Kirkwood’s churches and businesses throughout the morning and early afternoon.
“It was always the goal to make it a city-wide day,” Hands on Kirkwood co-chair Jason Norton said.
This year was Service Learning’s first time working with Kirkwood’s day of service. Service Learning Office Manager Debbie Corson said Service Learning joined Hands on Kirkwood to broaden the “scope of projects” and allow students to get involved by giving back to the community.
Meramec Service Learning met at the Kirkwood Baptist Church at 8:30 a.m. to disperse work on projects like honey suckle removal in Kirkwood Park and installing storm water warning labels on storm drains.
“It’s fun and it’s active and it’s getting out there,” Corson said. “It makes you feel good.”
Kids were invited to Kiddo-Palooza, another event held at the Kirkwood YMCA, where kids could do things like grab a snack and watch an entertainer juggle blades on top of a ball.
Adam Otzenberger, Service Learning student intern, filled popcorn bags outside of the YMCA.
“I talk to many people I go to school with that I’ve never talked to,” Otzenberger said.
Otzenberger said he is getting involved through groups like the Math Club and the Outdoors Club.
“[Meramec] joined early and strong; they were at every meeting,” Norton said.
The Meramec Math Club worked in the Dog Park held outside the Kirkwood Baptist Church.
The club also recently joined Habitat for Humanity in constructing housing in north St. Louis.
“Students like community service; they like to be involved,” Lisa Harden, mathematics instructor, said. “They can publish it on their resumes and promote unity and comradery.”
Service Learning Coordinator Donna Halsband was the project lead for two projects: honeysuckle removal and storm drain labeling.
Also, Meramec hosted electronics recycling, where people could drop off old computer equipment, batteries and small appliances.
Norton said two semi-tractor trailers hauled off the collection of electronics. He said he thinks next year will bring even more organizations out to give back to the community.
The project receved support from 40 different organizations, according to Norton. A donor challenged The Hands On Kirkwood Facebook page to reach 1,000 likes, and the page reached its goal before Oct. 22.
“A lot of new partners will now know what it’s like and talk to others,” Norton said.
