Beautifying the community on Make A Difference Day

April 15, 2013

Students, faculty and community members are invited to participate in the eighth annual Make A Difference Day on Friday, April 19, from noon to 4 p.m.

This national event celebrates neighbors helping neighbors, providing a landscape for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the community work together on improvement projects.

"We're focusing on the idea of looking past our needs and onto others," said Kim Clarksen, student services coordinator for Career & Leadership Development. "Make A Difference Day centers around the idea that we are responsible for others and the environment, so making this commitment to the community is one all participants should be proud of."

With the help of numerous athletic teams, Greek organizations, student organizations, and individual students, along with community members, the 46 planned projects will be completed within the day. Some of the projects include raking, collecting seeds, picking up trash on campus and along highways, painting, mulching and much more.

"It is a collaborative effort between UW-Whitewater, the city of Whitewater and the Whitewater Unified School District," said Clarksen. "Without the participants being engaged and putting themselves out there, Make A Difference Day would not be possible. I am very excited about the projects and the impact they will have on the community."

UW-Whitewater has been involved with Make A Difference Day since 2005, executing seven days of service with 4,200 volunteers and 12,800 service hours.

For more information on Make A Difference Day, visit http://www.uww.edu/involve/madd/index.php.