More than 750 students enjoyed the beautiful warm weather outside Wednesday and spent their afternoon serving the community for Lipscomb’s annual Service Day. Morning classes were held as usual, but afternoon classes were cancelled to give students the chance to serve in one of 42 different capacities.
At noon, Bison Square was full of students and service leaders enjoying a boxed lunch together before the work began. After a full afternoon of work and a total of 2,400 hours of service, the students were rewarded with a Service Day T-shirt.
Mulch-laying, organizing, filing, gardening, painting and sorting were a few of the many activities students participated in. Most groups had around 15 students in them, but one project in particular needed a whole army to get the job done.
More than 100 undergraduate and pharmacy students headed to the Radnor Lake State Natural Area to mulch miles of trails.
“This project was an example of true teamwork,” said junior exercise science major Morgan Mathis from Chattanooga, Tenn. “We spread out over what felt like miles of wooded trails and had an assembly line of wheelbarrows going back and forth with mulch.”
Lipscomb partnered with many schools again this year. At Croft Middle School and David Lipscomb Elementary School, students helped with gardening and landscaping projects.
“I really enjoyed serving with people that I don’t really know,” said junior youth ministry major Jana Frankum from Nolensville, Tenn.
“It’s good to get out of your comfort zone every now and then. The kids will be learning about gardening for the next couple of weeks, so we were able to start that process for them.”
Other service sites included the American Red Cross, Belvedere Commons, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Graceworks Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Mission Lazarus and the Nashville Zoo.
“It was awesome to hear where the kids came from and then see how they’ve grown,” said freshman nursing major Becca Carden from Smyrna, Tenn. “We got to watch them interact with each other and hear about the new life experiences they have gained.”
Carden went with a group to the Nations Ministry Center preschool where children of refugees go after school. The group was told the stories of the kids and how they ended up in Nashville. Later, the kids were brought to Lipscomb’s intramural fields where students played volleyball, kickball and tag with them.
The annual Service Day started nine years ago with 50 participants. Now more than 750 students participate every year, and the number continues to grow.
“I believe the very core of who Jesus is, the most vital aspect of the gospel, is living a selfless life in service to others,” said SGA president Jackson Sprayberry about service day. “If we live selfishly we miss out on living the life Jesus calls us to.”