2018 Day of Service in photos and video

This year’s Day of Service was a big win for our community and our university family.  With more than 1,200 volunteers spread out across the CSRA, we were able to complete much-needed service projects with 40+ local community organizations.

Here are a few highlights:

• Our Day of Service Blood Drive with Shepeard Community Blood Center produced 35 presenting donors giving 27 units of life-saving blood that will benefit our patients right here at AU Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.
• Our talented faculty and students from the Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Living, Learning Community (LLC) teamed up with Sue Reynolds Elementary to design and paint a mural in the school to brighten the day for hundreds of local elementary school students.
• AU volunteers including our ladies basketball team partnered with ReStart Augusta to construct and deliver 20+ new beds for families across the CSRA who weren’t able to acquire the bedding needed for a good night’s rest.
• AU Volunteers served with Augusta Urban Ministries repairing children’s bicycles that will be given to families in our community who wouldn’t be able to afford a bicycle otherwise.
• A large group of volunteers, including many children, worked hard at Icebox Urban Farm and the Golden Harvest Food Bank Master’s Table Soup Kitchen preparing the winter gardens and getting them cleaned up and ready to plant.  Volunteers harvested vegetables and herbs that will be used to feed our neighbors in the community who don’t always get a warm meal during the cold winter months.
• Volunteers with a big heart for our veterans served at the American Red Cross and Forces United writing holiday cards to our veterans thanking them for their sacrifice. We also had a fun group of volunteers who partnered with the team at the Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home who entertained veterans with a very competitive game of bingo!
• During this event, 112 volunteers packaged 10,162 meals for Rise Against Hunger, a non-profit that distributes nourishing food for people in need around the world. During the last few minutes of the event, freshman and sophomore relay teams raced for the title of “Volunteer Class of the Year.” This year, the sophomores won the battle.
• Our AU animal-loving volunteers showed up in force in Augusta and Aiken socializing, feeding and caring for dogs and cats at local shelters.
• AU volunteers rolled up their sleeves and flexed their muscles to beautify our community with landscaping and painting projects with several organizations including Mistletoe State Park, Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, Savannah Riverkeeper, Southside Elementary and The Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia.
• Volunteers helped care for our patients’ families at the Ronald McDonald, where they worked to prepare the house for the holidays, and at the Comfort House, where volunteers completed much needed maintenance, keeping it nice for the families who stay there while their loved ones are in our hospital.
• AU Volunteers donned their gloves and coats and cheered on participants of the Augusta Walk to End Alzheimer’s. They also handed out refreshments at water stops and encouraged families to keep going.
• Our AU Men’s Basketball team along with several other volunteers served with The RECing Crew adaptive basketball program. Our volunteers buddied up with the players and coached them to become more confident basketball players.

Thanks to everyone who helped to make 2018 Day of Service something to be proud of! Browse the gallery below for more images of volunteers around the CSRA. For more information about Day of Service, email volunteers@augusta.edu.