Springfield, Ohio – Wittenberg University students, faculty and staff members are teaming up with Springfield community members for the 15th straight year for an innovative event called Celebrate Service. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, April 16, at sites throughout Springfield.
With support of staff members from the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement, Celebrate Service is organized by students Ben Brown, class of 2016 from Indianapolis, Ind., Lauren Instenes, class of 2017 from Racine, Wis., and Andre Lorenz, class of 2017 from Apple Creek, Ohio.
The theme of this year’s event is “Champion City” as project coordinators “wanted to focus on how we can be champions of service by better understanding and learning more about the assets of this community,” said Kristen Collier, director of community service and Wittenberg class of 1992.
“There are a lot of hidden treasures in downtown Springfield, and participants will be exposed to those treasures, while doing a bit of service for our community partners,” she added.
Throughout the day, students will visit various locations around the Champion City including the Warder Literacy Center, the Heritage Center, the Juvenile Detention Center and Think Tank to learn about each site.
“I hope this event showcases the opportunities, accessibility and incredible history of this city and downtown, and more than anything, I hope students take what they learn back to campus and their peers to continue to challenge negative stereotypes of this vibrant city,” Brown said. “I love Springfield, and I am proud to live and go to school here. I am really excited to show and share with students some of what I love about this city.”
Space is limited at each site. Students, faculty and staff members can register at https://wittenbergcommunityservice.wufoo.com/forms/celebrate-service-2016-champions-of-service/.
