Many students volunteer in high school in order to stand out in a big pool of college applicants, but many fail to continue volunteering once they reach college. 

This upcoming Saturday, October 19, 2019, the Canton community and St. Lawrence will come together for Make a Difference Day, a tradition that has continued for the past 20 years, the first one having been in 1999. 

Make a Difference Day provides a great way for students to volunteer while at SLU. 

For two hours they have the opportunity to go out into Canton to help with a variety of projects to help improve the community. 

In the past some of these projects have included raking leaves for community members and painting fences for a local business or park.

The event is open for individuals as well as groups on campus. 

There are two times you can volunteer on Saturday, one slot is from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the other is from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. 

Everyone planning on volunteering must meet in the Lee Lounge beforehand. Both snacks and equipment will be provided. 

Dress accordingly, as Saturday’s forecast is predicting a partly cloudy day with temperatures in the low 50s. 

Make a Difference Day is greatly important to the local community. As students we often get caught in our busy lives on campus and we may forget how much the Canton community supports St. Lawrence. 

Not to mention the ruckus they may have to endure on weekend nights surrounding the SLU campus and downtown hotspots. 

As well as the various cups and cans that community members are left to pick up in the morning. 

“As a member of Commons College, I volunteer bi-weekly at the Little River School. We hang out and do activities with the students and plan campus-wide SLU events to raise money to help support their alternative educational system. 

I have loved my time spent so far with the staff and students of the LRS. This Saturday; however, Commons is switching gears and focusing on the wider community by being a part of Make a Difference Day. 

This is important for myself and my fellow theme house members to recognize the SLU bubble we live in and be active and aware of our surrounding community” says Anna Soderberg ‘20.

Make a Difference Day is not the only time that students will have a chance to volunteer during the time they spend at St. Lawrence. 

There are volunteer groups on campus such as SLU Buddies, Habitat for Humanity, Campus Kitchens, and Circle K. 

There are many ways you can get involved by visiting the volunteer page on the university’s website. Or by checking out SLU Presence for upcoming campus events.