Barton Kicks Off Day of Service Bright and Early Oct. 22

WILSON, N.C. – With bright blue shirts scattered around the city on Wednesday, Oct. 22, one might wonder what’s going on, but no need to guess. You will have just spotted some busy “bulldogs” from Barton College. With over 620 participants signed up, students and professors at Barton College will set aside books and campus staff members will step away from desks for Barton’s inaugural “Day of Service” on campus and in the Wilson community.  (A slideshow of the Day of Service is available by clicking here or on the photo above.)

This new campus initiative supports Barton’s vision for its graduates to be “well-prepared for life and for success in their chosen careers because they will possess a lifelong commitment to learning, service, and achievement.”

Through participation in these one-day projects, Barton hopes to provide its students with a foundation for developing a deeper appreciation for service learning and a stronger sense of civic responsibility, as well as meeting needs within the broader Wilson community.

“Developing a lifelong commitment to service is part of the ‘Barton Experience,’ and Barton College’s Strategic Planning Team has initiated a ‘Day of Service’ for the Barton campus community to provide an intentional opportunity to give back to our hometown community of Wilson,” said Richard Marshall, vice president for administration and finance, and chair of the Day of Service Committee.

“Service and civic engagement help provide living, breathing values for a college or university, and Barton’s ‘Day of Service’ allows us an opportunity to put our vision into practice in very real and, hopefully, significant ways for our neighborhood and broader community.”

The Day of Service will begin with a kick-off breakfast for participants at 8:30 a.m. followed by brief remarks by Dr. Norval C. Kneten, president of Barton College. The campus community will then disperse to assigned locations for service and return to campus later that afternoon to share reports of work and refreshments.

Local service projects include working with Habitat for Humanity, the Wesley Shelter, Youth of Wilson, the American Red Cross, the City of Wilson at Gillette Park, the Arts Council of Wilson, St. Therese Catholic Church and School, St. John AME Zion Church, the ARC, Boys and Girls Club/Salvation Army, the Clothes Line, First Christian Church, Imagination Station, Jackson Chapel First Missionary Baptist Church, Mental Health Association, New Hope Elementary School, United Way, Wilson Crisis Center, and Wilson Pregnancy Center. Campus-related service projects will include Spanish interpretation services for the Hispanic community, as well as a number of building and grounds maintenance projects.

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Questions? Please contact Kathy Daughety, director of public relations, at 252-236-7202 or 252-289-7846, or email: kdaughety@barton.edu.