UB students are about to get dirty this weekend.
The annual UB Gettin' Dirty clean-up event that helps beautify the University Heights area will kick off this Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Allen Hall by the Main Street bus loop.
"UB Gettin' Dirty is that one big event that we [the Student Association] have where we can show the strength that UB has within the community," said Dan Ovadia, the Student Association Community Service Coordinator. "At this point, it's an SA tradition."
This year's Gettin' Dirty event falls on the same weekend as Family Weekend, so families are encouraged to participate as well as students. Ovadia also stated that many faculty and professional staff have been invited to this year's event.
The event is free for all and signup sheets are available at 350 Student Union. A free T-shirt and pizza will be given to every volunteer.
"Typically, people have thought of [UB Gettin' Dirty] as an SA club event," Ovadia said. "But this year we've made a conscious effort to involve all UB undergrads."
Groups of volunteers will be assigned a specific route to follow once they arrive. Each group will have their own responsibilities, whether it is litter removal or gardening.
"We have it organized in such a fashion that there are a numerous amount of tasks for everyone," Ovadia said.
Over 600 volunteers have signed up for UB Gettin' Dirt, with more expected to join by Saturday.
"Historically, that is a pretty high number for UB Gettin' Dirty," Ovadia said.
Besides students and family, University Heights block clubs will be participating. These clubs consist of homeowners who care about the beauty of their community. Ovadia specifically referred to the Minnesota Block Club as being one of the most active block clubs with Gettin' Dirty.
"We're working with the community in order to be most effective," Ovadia said. "The goal is to make sure everybody is effective as possible, while having fun."
Ovadia emphasizes that this year's SA staff is trying to make the student voice heard more than ever before. Students with ideas for events like UB Gettin' Dirty are encouraged to speak with SA.
"If people have creative ideas that they're passionate about, [SA] wants to be the megaphone to get those ideas out into a larger population," Ovadia said.
E-mail: features@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
