Ag Week Community Service Event Raises Questions

Becky Sobus, Corner Post Special Contributor

Sept. 28, 2002 - Bright and early this morning, approximately 130 students from the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources came together to take part in the second event of Ag Week 2002, Community Service. In previous years, the community service project took place outside MU, but this year's event was held at the university's South Farm.

Photo by Becky Sobus  Kristyn Griffith and Tiffany Crews cleaning windows on a  shed at the  Ag Week community service project.

Students performed a variety of jobs, including building and tearing down fences, cleaning windows, picking up trash and filling in cracks in the driveway.

Some students voiced concern about why they [Ag Week participants] were not out volunteering in the community instead of working on a university farm.

Errie Rasch, who spent his morning filling cracks in the South Farm driveway, said, "This is not quite doing it." He said he was glad to be helping but felt that a group of so many could have been more beneficial somewhere else in the community.

"A big part of Ag Week is to get out and help the community," Rasch said.

Melissa Schneider and Jennifer Lauer shared similar thoughts.

"This was a good experience, but not good community service," Schneider said. She said that [Ag Week participants] should get out more in the community and work with children because they are the future of agriculture.

"It fits my definition of building a fence with grandpa on Saturday morning but not my definition of community service," Lauer said.

Michael Deering said that he feels working for the Humane Society or Habitat for Humanity would have been more beneficial for the community.

Not all students working at South Farm were concerned about today's community service project.

"This was a great time to spend time together," Jennifer Bloss, Ag Week Steering Committee member, said. She said this project allowed groups to meet and to get to know each other, while enjoying a beautiful morning.

Tiffany Crews, who worked cleaning windows, said, "It's only fair to serve the college and the department, [and] besides, this is a part of the community." Crews said this is not the only community service projects that many Ag Week participants do, but rather, it is just one of many throughout the year.

Lorin Price, Ag Week Steering Committee member, said she was not concerned about this community service project because it is helping out and giving back to the school.

"I am excited to see so many people up on a Saturday morning," Price said. "It shows pride in [ourselves and CAFNR]."

Kurt Richter, CAFNR Study Abroad coordinator and Ag Week faculty advisor, said the location was picked because of the university's tight budget and feels that this service not only helps South Farm but also saves taxpayers' money.

Richter also said it was difficult to find an organization that would allow more than 100 students work together. In the past, groups were split up and never got the chance to work together.

Murphy Farms, one of Ag Week's sponsors, provided breakfast for the crowd of students. Monty Smith, the human resources and Midwest recruiting coordinator for Murphy Farms served breakfast, as well as internship and job opportunities for students. He said it was important to get exposure and to educate the public on facts about what Murphy Farms does for the environment. If you are interested in employment opportunities at Murphy Farms, call: 800-566-7675 or e-mail the recruitment director at sbond@murphyfarms.com.

Story posted 9/30/02


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