Big Event aims to show community gratitude

By SARA GIBONEY
UNK CommunicationsKEARNEY – Over 500 University of Nebraska at Kearney students, faculty and staff will participate in the effort to say “thanks” to the Kearney community during the ninth annual Big Event Saturday.UNK volunteers will complete service projects such as window washing, yard work and painting at 25 sites across the community. The service projects benefit organizations, churches and individuals in the Kearney area.

“For both the campus and the community, it’s a great unifying event,” said Tim Danube, associate director of the Nebraskan Student Union. “The community can see students’ willingness to participate in the community. Hopefully the community knows that the students are really thankful for Kearney.”

The Big Event begins with a kickoff at Foster Field at 9 a.m. Saturday. Groups will then leave for their worksites at 9:30 a.m.

The Big Event is one of the largest student-run community efforts in the nation and is an annual event at more than 70 universities.

“It’s great that you can get 500 college students to come out early on a Saturday morning to do something like this,” Danube said.

Big Event Sites
Overland Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America
St. James Catholic Church
Windy Hills Elementary School
KidZone – Kearney Area Children’s Museum
Kearney Women’s Club
The S.A.F.E. Center
Arrowhead Condominium
The Archway Monument
City of Kearney
Early Head Start
Kearney Elks Lodge
Family Advocacy Network
Homestead Assisted Living
Buffalo Hills Elementary School
UNK Campus Kitchen
The World Theatre
Nebraska Firefighters Museum
Kearney Housing Agency
The Salvation Army
St. John’s Center
Kearney Area Community Foundation
Four private residences