Bags of leaves, trash and debris filled three industrial-sized Dumpsters Saturday as 132 ASU student volunteers pitched in at Tempe’s LoPiano Bosque Habitat as part of the 20th annual national Make a Difference Day.
Mina Ahmad, coordinator of ASU community service programs in the Office of Student Engagement, said students participate in the national day of service every year.
“It’s great to have students come out and do something positive for the community they live in,” Ahmad said. “It’s in line with what it means to be a Sun Devil.”
ASU had multiple projects on all four campuses for students to volunteer in, with some going to public parks to clean up and others donating their time at a domestic violence shelter, Ahmad said.
Ahmad chose to take Tempe students to the LoPiano Bosque Habitat after city officials suggested it.
At the habitat, located north of the Loop 202 between College and Mill Avenues, students picked up trash, trimmed trees, re-established rock paths and pulled weeds.
“We provide transportation and everything they will need so they can just come out and give their time,” Ahmad said.
Make a Difference Day was created by USA Weekend magazine and is held every fourth Saturday in October. It’s one of the biggest days of service in the country, with 3 million people participating in 2009, according to a city of Tempe press release.
Characterized on USA Weekend’s website as “a celebration of helping others,” the day is meant to encourage people across the country to help out in their communities.
Microbiology freshman Jose Luis Gomez Angulo volunteered as a pledge for Tau Psi Omega Fraternity and said it was rewarding to help out.
“There are not enough good people out in the world these days,” Angulo said. “Maybe this is the first step in achieving that goal.”
Biomedical engineering freshman Daniel Duran was also pledging for Tau Psi Omega Fraternity and spent the day trimming trees to give more clearance to the horseback riders that frequent the habitat’s trails.
“Volunteering really helps build character and influences people in certain ways,” Duran said. “It makes you more concerned about your community.”
Health sciences freshman Walter Arias said the day was both fun and beneficial.
“I felt like I was actually doing something productive,” Arias said. “Something impacting that builds character.”
Reach the reporter at ymgonzal@asu.edu
