By Sara Howell-Floyd
Recently Louisiana Tech’s Student Government Association hosted its annual Big Event, SGA along with over 60 student organizations on Tech’s campus, went out into the Ruston community to give back.
Lindsey Thornton, SGA director of community service, said that about 1,500 students and faculty participated in this campus and community-wide community service event.
“We had about 1,500 people participate,” Thornton said. “Students are sent into the community to do various service projects for our campus, organizations and residents in Ruston.”
Volunteers set out to about 50 different locations in the Ruston area to help make a difference.
“Most of the locations were elderly people’s homes in our community,” Thornton said. “We also sent people to places like 4 Paws, Rolling Hills, the Lincoln Parish Library and even the Ruston Sports Complex.”
Max Bryant, an SGA member, said that Big Event is one of his favorite events because he loves giving back to a city that is so supportive of the university. One of his favorite memories from this year’s event was when he went to walk the property to see what work needed to be done.
“When I was walking the property with the owner, Ms. Shirley, seeing what needed to be done, she pointed at a corner of the yard and said, ‘Y’all don’t go over there, there’s a rattlesnake,’ and I was pretty surprised by that,” Bryant said. “Then she goes, ‘Oh, I’m just joking with you, there’s a baby bird and I didn’t want to disturb it.’”
Megan Povirk, a senior on the soccer team at Tech, shared that she has been a part of Big Event all four years she has been at Tech, and she said it brings her so much joy to see everyone come together and give back to the community that gives so much to the students.
“I understand the value of reaching out and engaging with Ruston because we know how much they help us as student athletes,” Povirk said. “Along with many organizations, it’s the people of this town that gives us the ability to do what we love most. So, to see over a 1,000 students take the time and help people all over Ruston is truly inspiring.”
Thornton said while this is not an easy event for SGA to put on, the joy it brings to the community, makes the months of planning 100% worth it in the end.
“Every year residents of the Ruston community are ecstatic when we call them and talk to them about being a work site for Big Event,” Thornton said. “There is no other event in which that many students from across campus unite. No one attending denies that what we are gathering to do isn’t important, and that is so refreshing in a world where unity is hard to find.”
