Big Event: Students at NSU help organize community work day

Jan. 17—Northeastern State University students participate in a community work day every year, to help individuals and businesses with jobs around homes and businesses.

The Big Event is a way for students to earn community service points. The next event is scheduled for April 13.

Hayley Bell, director of the group at NSU, got involved because it gave her an opportunity to hold a leadership position, and she liked the community involvement aspect.

"The people who were involved made it so much fun, and I fell in love with it, so now I'm the director and I'm really passionate about it and getting people involved," Bell said.

Makenzie Mashburn joined up in her freshman year, and said her sorority, Delta Zeta, also participates, as do many fraternities and sororities.

"I really loved it because I'm from Tahlequah, so it's cool to give back to my community," Mashburn said. "I love this side of it — being able to plan it and know you are making a difference, and make it fun for other people."

2024 marks Bell's fourth year to participate, and in the past, she has worked hands-on with projects. For the past two years, she has planned the reflection event.

"After Big Event is over — after we do our community service — we usually go to the Wesley Foundation and have games and food. The people who volunteer go there as a time to relax and think about what we did, and fellowship together," Bell said.

Last year, Mashburn participated with two projects during the day: She worked at Go Ye Village and at an individual's home.

"Individuals can sign up, too; it doesn't just have to be a business. Which is really cool, because if someone isn't able to do their yard work or whatever that to be done, we are able to help them," Mashburn said.

One project the group tackled last year was to clean up the NSU disc golf course. Jerrid Freeman, vice president of Student Affairs Enrollment Management, spoke to the group's efforts at the course.

"They did major clean up along the creek — mostly holes 4 and 6, so those playing and walking the trail can have a better viewing experience of the beauty of the NSU campus," Freeman said.

Most students haven't seen that part of the campus until they play the course, and they are happy about enhancing the campus, Freeman said.

"It is the interaction with the residents and the resulting unity in the community that makes The Big Event so big," states the site.

One annual cleanup is at the Thompson House, with volunteers doing general chores around the house, such as working in the flowerbeds.

"We did Tahlequah Trails, too, and [the volunteers] really enjoyed working on the trails," Bell said.

There are typically more volunteers than there are jobs, so the group is pushing to sign up more sites to work that day. The only jobs the group can't do involve power tools, Bell said.

The group will be putting out a donation packet soon for businesses to help fund TBE.

"The money goes toward putting on the day or service, getting new tools, and food for the Reflection," Mashburn said.

Mashburn said TBE sheds a good light on NSU and college students.

"Looking at college students as an outlet for any help an elderly person or business person may need, sheds a good light on [students] and people love to get young people involved to help out. I think that's a really good part of [TBE]," Mashburn said.

Katie Cochran, associate director of Student Engagement, provided background on The Big Event.

"It's a great community-based program where students are able to go out into the community and perform service for organizations, individuals, and groups in town. It is a way for the students to say 'thank you' for all that Tahlequah does for them when they are here studying," Cochran said. "It's our largest day of service, and definitely our most broad day of service as well. We usually have around 100-200 volunteers and upwards of 50 volunteer job sites ranging from small sites to big ones."

Cochran said The Big Event started at Texas A&M in 1982, and since then has expanded across the country at colleges and universities. NSU prides itself on being one of those colleges that has a Big Event program, and being able to host the day, Cochran said.

"We always have fantastic student leaders who step up to lead the program, and we're thankful for their assistance," Cochran said.

Learn more

To sign up to have house or business served on this day, a form is available at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmdRfQI-h87s7RNXfh7uesR-cOSIdfoi3vLHUB3Lrwy5zWRA/viewform.

To volunteer as a student in the work day: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfofCSrluIj8zCTx3l7A88MHQqVfnn5R9ugolgQuHIce5f_Ng/viewform.