Ferris State University students went out into the Big Rapids community Saturday,
April 22, for The BIG Event, a one-day volunteer program now in its second decade.
The Student Government Association was pleased by the best volunteer response since
the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shown here are members of the Ferris State Bulldog
Volleyball Team, who assisted a citizen.
Saturday, April 22, featured good works benefiting hundreds of Big Rapids area residents as Ferris State University student organizations and other volunteers completed community service projects during The BIG Event.
Niko LeGreca, a Surveying Engineering student from Dearborn, was the Student Government Association’s chairman for The BIG Event. LeGreca said efforts to promote participation with campus groups proved successful.
“We had 352 students out handling assignments that day, representing a great majority of those who had expressed interest in, or took information on The BIG Event,” LaGreca said. “That is easily our best result since the COVID-19 pandemic, and was a very pleasant surprise to get that kind of response to volunteer and make a difference in this community.”
LaGreca said 225 Big Rapids area residents requested assistance. Nearly all had their requests met by student volunteers.
“We ran out of yard signs. That was something of a good problem to have,” LaGreca said. “The assignments for our student groups included cleaning windows and gutters, along with driveway maintenance and other preparations for the coming season.”
Student Government leaders decided to encourage more buy-in from campus student organizations and other groups by offering a sign-up picnic event Tuesday, April 11. LaGreca said a warm, pleasant evening on the Robinson Quad helped participants commit to this cause.
“We were a bit anxious at times because not every volunteer or group follows through or even acknowledges the request to join us for The BIG Event,” LeGreca said. “Our thanks go out to everyone who did make the time and effort, and we hope they got as much out of participating as those they helped.”