GCSU Gives Day generates around $120,000 in donated labor

W hile most students spend their first weekend in college relaxing, around 1,600 Georgia College & State University first-year students spent their first Saturday morning improving the community they're going to live in for the next four years.

They worked at 37 sites in the Greater Milledgeville area, benefitting the community with approximately $120,000 worth of student-donated labor.

This volunteer experience will benefit the Greater Milledgeville area and Georgia College students now and for years to come.

Henry Lewis cleans kennels during GCSU Gives Day.

Some work sites included Bike Walk Baldwin, Georgia War Veterans Home, Georgia's Old Capital Heritage Center at the Depot, Inc., Life Enrichment Center, Memory Hill Cemetery, Rocking A Farm, LLC and Stepping Stone Child Advocacy and Sexual Assault Center.

Georgia College President Cathy Cox read to children during the Kids Block Party at the Urban Arts Village. She also visited Memory Hill Cemetery to pay her respects to

the American-famed author Flannery O'Connor, '45 along with some former Georgia College presidents buried there. Cox also visited Lockerly Arboretum.

Nearly two dozen students bathed and exercised dogs at the Animal Rescue Foundation of Milledgeville. They also cleaned kennels and comforted cats.

Raegan Sims bonds with a cat at the Animal Rescue Foundation.

Henry Lewis is an undeclared Bachelor of Science major with a music minor from Macon, Georgia. He felt this experience will help him learn to work better with people and meet new friends. He cleaned the dog kennels.

"We need to realize that we're all part of one big community. We should help out where we can," he said while cleaning dog kennels.

Mass communication major Raegan Sims of Dacula, Georgia, volunteered in the room where the cats were kept, giving them attention and cleaning kennels and floors.

"I love cats," she said. "I think it's important for them to have human interaction. They will also thrive in a cleaner environment."

Sims knows knows the importance of volunteering. After graduation, she sees herself volunteering in an animal shelter or a food pantry. For now, Sims plans to help wherever a need exists in Milledgeville.

"If we see what needs work around the community, then we can continue to grow by volunteering for four years," she said.

That sentiment was echoed by the ARF President Allene Veazey.

"It's great for students to volunteer early on to give them a sense of accomplishment and belonging. It helps to know what we're doing is important," Veazey said.

Abandoned and neglected animals are a serious problem in Baldwin County and the Southeast. ARF gets calls daily to accept more animals. But it's a limited intake facility.

There are many misconceptions about animals," Veazey said. "So, we educate students and the public not pick up every stray animal they see."

"Volunteering helps students, as well as the animals," she said. "There are different ways students can contribute to help us out. We can't do it all by ourselves."

More than a dozen Georgia College students ventured to Project Linus. Cookie Noel, coordinator for the Milledgeville/Oconee Region Chapter of Project Linus, has volunteered since 2000. Since then, the chapter has handmade and distributed 18,000 blankets to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, abused or in need.

Christopher Baker hand ties a blanket for Project Linus.

A few years ago, the chapter donated several handmade blankets for child victims of human trafficking. Volunteers also made blankets for siblings of a drowning victim, children whose parents were victims of homicides and children who are seriously ill or in need.

As a social service worker, Noel appreciates seeing young people making a difference.

"In today's world, I'm tired of people not getting what they need," Noel said. "There are over 300 kids who have been abused in this area."

"We're supposed to leave the community better than we found it," she added. "In a world where it's about, me, me, me, and I'll do what I want-I think volunteering to get us back to the mindset of caring about other people is good."

As Christopher Baker, a Spanish and economics double major from Augusta, Georgia hand tied blankets, he thought about how his effort and GCSU Gives Day will benefit local children.

"I'm glad I can be here to make an impact in the community," Baker said. "This fabric is really soft and has fun colors. Kids who've been through traumatic experiences will get a warm hug from these blankets when they need it."

"One day," he said, "I'll look back on my college days and know that I made an impact."

Tess Davidson makes a blanket for Project Linus.
Tess Davidson, a theatre major from Rome, Georgia, especially enjoyed meeting and volunteering alongside other theatre majors. Making blankets for a cause, while making new friends, was a great way to spend the day.

"These blankets will provide a little light in the darkness for children, who've gone through something traumatic," Davidson said. "Many of us may not be familiar with Milledgeville, so GCSU Gives Day helps connect us with each other and with this town that'll be home for the next four years."

See more photos of GCSU Gives Day.

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