First-year students introduced to Milledgeville and service on GCSU Gives Day

Instead of sleeping in the weekend before classes start, all first-year students will get a lesson in volunteering at a university known for its community service.

Georgia College & State University’s annual GCSU Gives Day is 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. It’s a day when a flood of freshly moved-in freshmen disperse throughout their new community, Milledgeville, to learn the importance of giving back.

The expected economic impact of this year’s donated labor is $120,000.

“GCSU Gives Day is a fundamental piece of the liberal arts education we provide students at Georgia College,” said Ashley Copeland, director of Community Engagement & Service.

“We want to create informed citizens who care about people and the community they’re moving into,” Copeland said. “Right from the start, GCSU Gives Day shows our new students what it means to be a part of Georgia College. We give back.”

GCSU Gives Day is a bit like a huge chessboard with a myriad of moving pieces.

Two shifts of students, clad in blue T-shirts, will be given instructions and a bagged breakfast. Then, they’ll be bussed to more than 30 locations throughout the city. They’ll dig, plant, clean, organize and interact with the public at various civic nonprofits, businesses, schools, churches and nursing homes.

The biggest volunteer site this year is the Life Enrichment Center’s second annual back-to-school “Kids Block Party” in the Urban Arts Village at 224 E. Walton St., Milledgeville. Georgia College students will help set up booths and run games and learning activities for children. Between 10 and 11 a.m. the university’s Bobcat mascot, Thunder, will greet the public, along with Spike the GMC bulldog, Chik-fil-A’s cow and Milly the owl.

Other GCSU Gives Day sites include:

• Oconee River Greenway, 420 E. Greene St. Students will clean debris, remove trash and cut brush along trails.
• Bike Walk Baldwin, 59 GA-22. Students will clear and build new biking trails.
• Animal Rescue Foundation, 711 S. Wilkinson St. Students will do deep cleaning and bathe dogs.
• Comfort Farms, 347 Horace Veal Rd. Students will plant gardens, work with animals and set up animal pens.
• Lakeview Primary School, 273 Blandy Rd. Students will garden, plant and beautify the grounds.
• Central State Hospital, 252 Swint Ave SE. Students will paint and clean the Chapel of All Faiths.
• Linus Project, 220 S. Wayne St. Students will make ‘no-sew’ blankets to celebrate the project’s Milledgeville chapter.
• Georgia War Veteran’s Home, 2249 Vision HWY. Students will help with fall  festival, run activity stations and assist with mealtime.
• Lockerly Arboretum, 1534 Irwinton Rd. Students will wrap lights for Christmas decorations.
• Andalusia the Home of Flannery O'Connor, 2628 N Columbia St. Students will do outside work.
• Memory Hill Cemetery, 301 West Franklin St. Students will clear and clean Flannery O’Connor family gravestones.
• Green Acres Health and Rehab, 313 Allen Memorial Dr. Students will play bingo with senior citizens and polish fingernails.