Don’t feel like you’re making a difference? There’s a day for that.
By Alex Kern
The Vision Magazine Editor-in-Chief
Just one day of a student’s time can make all the difference in someone else’s life.
On Aug. 23, North Greenville University freshmen and other volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in Make a Difference Day. NGU has teamed up with the Three Rivers Baptist Association to make this day possible.
Students will divide into groups and disperse to churches all around the Greenville and Spartanburg counties. These churches will have projects for the students, whether that be cleaning, building or simply recruiting people to visit a church service.
Last year, Tony Beam, vice president of student life, said his group visited Victor Baptist Church in Greer, where he and other volunteers cleaned and prepared a house so the church’s youth group could have a place to meet.
Courtney Mills, sophomore, participated in the service day last year as well. She and her group hosted a block party for a church with the purpose of inviting the people in the community to come to a church service there.
Mills said, “It was a cool growing experience. We were promoting the gospel over our preferences of churches.” She said it was a neat way to bond with fellow believers. These are just some ways students new to campus can serve surrounding churches. This day, however, can benefit not only those receiving the service, but also those giving it. Mills said, “It helps students get involved with the community, especially if they are from far away.”
She recommends freshmen partake in this event. It’s a fast way to make friends with others who are new to campus, too, she said.
This is the second year Make a Difference Day will occur. Beam said last year was a great success, and he received a lot of positive feedback from the community. Linwood Hagin, FYE director, said, “There were over 300 students involved last August. Many faculty helped too. I helped as well, and it was a great blessing to be able to serve ministries in the community.”
