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A day of caring for the community
By Erik Morrison
Whalesong Editor
University of Alaska Southeast student
Kean Nuttall got down and dirty while picking up litter Saturday
during the second annual Day of Caring, learning firsthand how much
trash is dumped along Juneau’s roadsides.
“It was a humbling experience to go out and do
something that no one wants to do,” said Nuttall. “These
kind of community service projects expose people to the issues at
hand and introduce them to ways to get involved in issues that are
important to them.”
Cleaning at the Glory Hole, maintenance of the Boy Scout
Trail, playground equipment construction at AWARE and picking up
litter were just a few of the services UAS students provided during
the second annual community service event. More than 100 university
students, faculty and staff spread out across Juneau on Saturday
to conduct a variety of service projects to help show the university’s
commitment to the community.
Nuttall said the experience helped him realize the
significance of Juneau’s litter problem and inspired him to
get more involved with the issue.
“Come out and pick up litter for two hours and
really get a sense of how much litter is out there, and maybe you’ll
think twice before littering or even tossing that cigarette butt
out the window,” he said. “I want to make sure Juneau
gets more trash cans, because every time I take a walk I’m
forced to look at all the litter and everything else that’s
been tossed along the roadside.”
UAS Student Body President Mark Graves said the Day
of Caring was “a chance for the students and the university
to bridge the gap between the university and the community.”
Graves spent the majority of Saturday at the AWARE shelter, helping
construct playground equipment.
“All the projects we did helped organizations accomplish
goals that they might not have been able to accomplish,” he
said. “We had a good day. Personally, it makes me feel a little
more like a piece of the community.”
The American Red Cross, Perseverance Theatre, Juneau
Youth Theatre, Southeast Alaska Food Bank and the Salvation Army
also benefited from the day of service projects.
“I think the university benefited because we got
out there and we let the community know that we’re out here
for more than just learning, and we’re willing to help out
the community in any way we can,” said Dave Langilotti, who
volunteered at AWARE. “I definitely have a sense of gratification
from it.”
During two hours of litter patrol, about 20 UAS students
gathered 380 pounds of garbage and recyclable material from the
roadsides. Nuttall said the Day of Caring is important for the students
and the community.
“I think it’s important to establish a sense
of community for those folks who are going to be living here for
the next four years,” he said. “It’s the university’s
responsibility to make students feel at home and also so they can
make a difference in the community with the issues that they feel
are important.”
Langilotti said he hopes that the Day of Caring will
be a long-lasting partnership between the community and the university.
Email Erik Morrison at kindkingmind@hotmail.com
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