More than 1,400 volunteers spent their Saturday morning participating in the 24th annual Step Forward Day. Students, faculty, staff and alumni volunteered at 70 locations throughout Los Angeles County and Ventura County, representing 65 different organizations. Volunteers from Pepperdine’s five campuses completed between 5,750 and 6,000 hours of service Saturday.
Divided into groups, everyone began their campus-wide day of service by checking in at the Smothers parking lot from 7 to 8:30 a.m. The university provided transportation to the assigned work sites where the Pepperdine community served from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. After projects were completed, everyone was invited to a volunteer fair at Alumni Park where they received free In-N-Out. Volunteers were then encouraged to write anonymous reflections to be posted on a moveable board in Alumni Park.
“This wasn’t a life-changing event, but instead it seemed like a normal thing, a routine thing. Maybe this tells us that we should be serving as part of our regular routine,” one SFD participant wrote.
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Each of Pepperdine’s community partners focuses on a different need — children, the environment, mental health, etc. — offering volunteers a snapshot of the long-term work that happens at these organizations daily.
Prior to the event, Meredith Miller, assistant director of the Pepperdine Volunteer Center, stated their goals prior to the event. “We hope students learn about the ways one organization is trying to address a need in our community.… And, of course, we hope students enjoy spending a morning in service with their house, class, Greek group or club. We want the day to be fun.”
Although the project may not be “fun or glamorous, it is what that specific group really needed done,” Miller said. Having that in mind while serving can help make for an impactful experience, she said. SFD offers the Pepperdine community an opportunity to participate in the university’s mission: to lead lives of purpose, service and leadership.
If interested in receiving additional information about service opportunities, contact the PVC at ext. 4143 or email volunteercenter@pepperdine.edu.
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