The Day of Service was an opportunity for Stockton students and faculty to engage in service projects. After intense card games and quarts of Chinese food, sleeping for five hours the night before was probably not the brightest idea. However, the morning of the event while walking to the campus center I was invited by the sweet display of free food. This was a perfect start for a 10th of September morning as I walk into a small room to learn how to perform hands-on CPR. This experience was not the exciting at all. Especially after ending the session 45 minutes early. Nonetheless, I acquired the power of CPR in my very hands and walked out ready to save the world one pump at a time. After the vigorous training, I delighted myself to another blessing, free water! Hydrate or die-drate as they say. Anyways, while waiting for our next event I encountered a friend of mine who was unaware of the service project. With careful persuasion I approached Paul and said, “Hey you should join in!”. To my surprise, he replied in agreement as a recruited member for our next event, food packing extravaganza.
We arrived at our next arena with our assembled five-person team of Paul, Jess, Elyse, Emily and Me. Our unstoppable crew banded together with a handful of other teams and fought world hunger together which was sponsored by Stop Hunger Now. This experience felt very unique. Going back to the land of the East, a gong was struck for every thousand bags we created. This, the blasting music, and mini dance party our crew created was just the right amount of incentive to fill bags chock filled with delicious minerals, vegetables, soy and rice. Saving the world from hunger was pretty cool too. Later on during the hour of packing, the sound of thunder roared twelve times. Twelve-thousand bags were made to feed someone who wouldn’t have eaten without this package. This helped me realize how much working together can impact the world, even if I was just putting a vitamin packet into a bag.
Finally, we ended our event with handmade coloring books for the kids at Saint Jude’s hospital. With our utmost efficient Ford-style assembly line, we constructed over thirty books! Never again shall Spiderman or Mike Wazowski be left uncolored. Our last service was followed by a reflection session in which we discussed the impact our day of service had on us. Although a third of our day was spent on volunteering, those hours flew by quick. The projects held were unique and interesting. Ranging from book organizing, peanut butter and jelly sandwich-making, as well as a variety of self-awareness sessions, this one-semester event opened my eyes to the change that anyone can accomplish.