Make a Difference Day, promoted by USA Today, is entering its 15th year. The event, held on the fourth Saturday of October, focuses on the simple idea of putting individual cares on hold for one day to care for others.
Participants are scheduled to arrive at Grand Valley's Pew Grand Rapids Campus at 9 a.m., where they will listen to a motivational speech by Mayor George Heartwell of Grand Rapids. Volunteers will then be bussed to various sites throughout the greater Grand Rapids area to work on different community service projects from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. After the community service is completed, contributors will regroup downtown. Participants will use this time to reflect on their experiences from the day.
Make A Difference Day not only provides students with a great volunteering opportunity, but also leadership experience as well. Participants, who signed up, also had the option to become site leaders.
"Make A Difference Day is an opportunity for students to become civically engaged in their community, while gaining an understanding of the needs within their local communities,"said Nadine Sunderland, a graduate assistant from Grand Valley coordinating the event.
