Nearly 1,000 members of the Quinnipiac University community will take part in the 13th annual Big Event from 9:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 9.
The Big Event is a day of community service that connects Quinnipiac students, faculty, staff and alumni with community partners in the Greater New Haven area and beyond.
“The Big Event is our way of saying, ‘thank you’ to our home away from home,” said student co-chair Rose Lawrence. “It is such a special, unique, and personal way to interact with local nonprofits and create stronger relationships within Connecticut. We have cultivated 13 yearlong relationships with nonprofits in our area, and many plan their big projects around our event. It is a great way to reconnect with the area and remind ourselves of the world outside of our campus.”
During this year’s Big Event, Quinnipiac students, faculty, staff and alumni will form teams and spruce up sites in Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Durham, Hamden, Meriden, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Southington, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge.
Participants will volunteer at specific locations, including Camp Cedarcrest in Orange, Edgerton Park in New Haven, the Keefe Community Garden in Hamden, the Russell Homestead in Bethany, YMCA Camp Sloper in Southington and the West Haven Community House.
“The Big Event gives us the chance to show our appreciation and give back to the Hamden and Greater New Haven area,” said student co-chair Kristen Collins. “It provides us with incredible opportunities to really make a difference in the lives of others and within our local community. I’m so glad that I discovered The Big Event my first year of college and for all the memories and friendships I have gained from this organization along the way.”
The Big Event is a nationwide day of service when colleges and universities send teams to volunteer in the surrounding community. The Big Event originated at Texas A&M University in 1982.