Despite the gray clouds and torrential downpours that are stereotypically associated with spring weather, over 200 students rolled up their sleeves and helped clean up the UB campus on Tuesday in coordination with UB Pride & Service Day.
The Student Life-affiliated event consisted of UB students going around both the North and South Campuses cleaning up garbage in an effort to help beautify the university environment.
According to Terri Frysh, community engagement coordinator for the Center for Student Leadership & Community Engagement, students did many things to help the campus including cleaning debris in wooded areas between parking lots, picking up trash that had blown near the edge of Letchworth Woods, cleaning out bus shelters and spray painting composite heap bins, despite the inclement weather.
"We always do this rain or shine," Frysh said. "Today we had a bit more rain than shine but the whole idea is to show your UB pride and it's really good for the campus."
Frysh noted that spray painting the bins was something unique to this year's event.
"Next year we'll have some different projects," Frysh said. "We have different things every year. Last year, we planted birdhouses. Every year we decide on new projects."
Even with the rain and wind, Frysh was still very pleased with the turnout for the cleanup.
"It was the first year we had to close registration for the event and considering the weather, that's real good," Frysh said.
Members of numerous service organizations that attended the cleanup, such as sororities, fraternities and honor societies, earned credit for community service hours.
Junior economics majors Carl Raimond and Nicole Hunter, both members of UB's chapter of Mortar Board, a national honor society for college seniors for their achievements in scholarship, leadership and service, helped rake and bag leaves as well as pick up garbage on South Campus.
"It was a real enjoyable time to do something beneficial for UB," Raimond said.
Hunter also saw UB Pride & Service Day as a way for her to participate more in campus activities while also doing something good for the university.
"We want the school to look well so this is the first step," Hunter said. "I want to get more involved and this was good."
UB Pride & Service Day also featured a ceremony for a tree planting near Hochstetter Hall in honor of he graduating senior class. The tree and the commemorative plaque were paid for by money raised by seniors.
The event concluded with a lunch for the participants in the Student Union lobby and the awarding of the UB Pride & Service Award to a student who has contributed heavily to Student Life throughout the school year.
This year's award went to senior sociology major Heather Saba. The Director of Student Life Andrea Costantino highlighted Saba's involvement with Relay For Life, Late Night UB and in the front office of Student Life when presenting the award.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
