Usually, Lipscomb students attend classes on Wednesday afternoons, but next week, they have the opportunity to make a difference throughout Nashville.
On April 6, students will head out for the 10th annual Service Day.
Lucas Allen, Service Day coordinator, said he thinks the day opens doors for both students and the many non-profit organizations across Nashville.
“We believe that it is the perfect opportunity to reach out to members in our community that need help,” Allen said. “There are so many amazing non-profit organizations around Nashville that are making a huge difference every day, and we want to be a small part of that.”
While many students choose to serve at an organization on service day alone, others participate in on-going volunteer work throughout the city. Lipscomb sends student-workers year-round to the American Red Cross, Radnor Lake, Exile International, the Nashville Public Library, Churches of Christ Disaster Relief and Glencliff High School.
“By volunteering together as the Lipscomb community, we strive to serve in ways that will best provide the organizations with the help that they need,” Allen said. “We also hope that this opportunity will be an introduction to various non-profit organizations that Lipscomb students can serve at in the future, and not just on Service Day.”
Sophomore Kacey Kemper said she believes that Service Day helps remind students to find joy in serving others.
“I think it’s cool that we can make a reputation for Lipscomb in the community,” she said. “It’s something that should be a normal part of life as a Christian.”
Beyond the day, service is integral to Lipscomb’s environment. Each student must complete a minimum of two service credits, known as SALT—serving and learning together—to graduate. Service Day volunteer work, under some circumstances, can count toward students’ SALT Tier I requirement.
Students who serve for the entire afternoon can earn three chapel credits of the 30 necessary per semester.
Sign-ups for Service Day began March 29 after chapel, but students can still sign up for a variety of service opportunities in the student center each afternoon until April 5.
For more information or to sign-up to be a group leader, contact Lucas Allen at lrallen@mail.lipscomb.edu or visit the table in the student center this week.
Photo courtesy of Lipscomb University