By Julia Lawrenz | Broadcast Reporter
Building its foundation on leadership, faith and service, Baylor students aimed to start the year off right with the First Day of Service. This community event welcomed students from all classifications, ranging from freshman to graduate students. In the Bill Daniel Student Center, more than 500 volunteers gathered to help the local community.
Participants woke up bright and early to better the surrounding community. Breaking the Baylor bubble, the First Day of Service was designed to assist Waco locals. Volunteers split up and ventured out to four different locations to put their helping hands to work. Work varied from trash pick-up, to cleaning the Brazos River in kayaks, to working on gardens to finally making care packages for the homeless.
“We want all Baylor Bears to be welcomed and given the opportunity to experience our tradition of serving on campus,” said Doriann Beverly, senior coordinator for community service.
Beverly said the work ethic seen on the service day showed that students and faculty truly care about working toward a better community.
Packaging up care kits for the homeless in Waco, Dallas freshman Pavithra Kannan said she embraced the day of serving and helping others.
“Knowing that Baylor puts such a high emphasis on service really influenced my decision to come here,” Kannan said.
Kannan said Baylor’s long-standing tradition of service is something that resonates within the Baylor Bubble, as well as in the surrounding Waco community.
