Friday, April 19, 2013

Tarleton Round Up & Backpack Buddies: Multicultural Ambassadors volunteering!


This semester, we decided to attempt a semester of service. On April 6, we participated in Tarleton’s annual Round Up. During this event, students/organizations volunteer their Saturday to help out members of the community who asked for assistance—usually in the form of yard work, garage/workshop organizing, and other household tasks. This is my second year participating (I did Round Up last year with another organization), so I was really excited to get to work.

The first house we went to was quick; we raked some leaves and removed old, rotting wood from the backyard. However, the second house we went to took a lot more work to complete. We started by clearing and planting two flowerbeds at the front gate. After that, we cleaned all of the storm windows, screens, and hung them back up. Then we replaced some old wooden boards and painted the porch. It looked fantastic when we finished. The homeowner graciously provided us lemonade and sandwiches. They were delicious! So good, in fact, that I would venture to say they were better than when my mom makes me a sandwich (don’t tell her I said that!).

The following weekend, a few of us went to the Native and Heirloom Plant Fair at the Stephenville Museum to help with Cross Timbers Backpack Buddies, which is organized by Oakdale United Methodist Church in Stephenville. Backpack Buddies is a program that sends food home with hungry kids over the weekend—these kids only eat when they’re at school, but don’t really get to eat much at home. If I remember correctly, at least 77 children are fed by Cross Timbers Backpack Buddies. That’s 77 too many.

I learned how to identify quite a few plants at the plant fair. There were so many!  Unfortunately, the cacti seemed to love me. That’s right; I didn't have to go home alone with my sunburn. I got to bring home my very own cactus spines! Yay!

Sarcasm aside, I had a lot of fun helping out. I can’t wait for our next service project!

~ Multicultural Ambassador, Tiana

We hope that you will stop by the office (TSC # 21). Also, look for us on social media. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TarletonDiversityInclusion and read along with our journeys here on the blog:  http://tarletondiversityinclusion.blogspot.com/ 
You can also see our images on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarletondiversity/ 
Or follow us on Twitter: @DiversityTSU or email us directly at Diversity@Tarleton.edu  

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