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For too many students community service is a dreaded affair. Some classes require a certain amount of community service hours, it is mandatory for all campus organizations to perform community service and athletic teams are also encouraged to perform some kind of community service. The chance that a Dana student will be required to perform community service is high. So why not take the opportunity to have fun while making a difference.

There are many opportunities in Blair and the surrounding communities to provide service. To get the most out of community service the individual needs to find something they care about and enjoy doing. Danielle Jackson, a senior from Omaha, enjoys working with children. She often volunteers at the Children’s Museum in Omaha. This allows her to interact with kids, while teaching crafts and doing puzzles.

Another way to enjoy community service is to surround yourself with people you enjoy being with. Jackson has also done community service at the local recycling redemption facility. Here she sorted mail and advertisements. It’s not the most glamorous and fun task, but she said working with the other people made it fun.

Many people might be turned away from volunteering at an assisted living facility because they would be required to interact with the elderly. Josie Borrow, a junior from Woodward, Iowa, discovered the opposite. She and her roommates volunteered an hour a week for four weeks at Carter House this semester. They helped pass out treats to the residents and then played games, such as Domino’s, Chinese Checkers and Rummikube with them. Her favorite part of the community service was meeting the residents and hearing how they lived their lives. She said she always felt appreciated for putting the time and effort into visiting with them.

Jackson and her roommates recently volunteered at the Siena/Francis House, a homeless shelter in Omaha. They set tables and prepared and served food at the shelter. Jackson enjoyed interacting with the people and listening to their stories. Overall, the experience was a reality check. She said she gained, “perspective on how your life can change in an instant for the worse.” She would recommend this community service project to others because so many people are ignorant to poverty.

With the holiday season upon us there are more ways to serve than ever. Jen Bakker, a senior from Lincoln, said one community service project she enjoyed the most while at Dana was making Thanksgiving baskets. The Social Awareness Organization (SAO) took large baskets and filled them with as much food as they could afford and then handed them out to local families in need. The problem with the project became the lack of funding but the feeling of helping others will last her a lifetime. Other ways to give this holiday season include donating nonperishable food items to food banks or pantries, such as Joseph’s Coast in Blair, donating diapers to the KQCH Channel 94.1 diaper drive to benefit the Lydia House, a domestic violence shelter for women and children, or donating to the Marine’s Toys for Tots Foundation at the Toys R Us on Oakview Drive or Nebraska Furniture Mart on south 72^nd street.

Community service can be anything that is done on a volunteer basis. It can be as simple as ringing bells for the Salvation Army or more involved such as spending time with the elderly at an assisted living facility. Either way, students will benefit from their experience. Dr. Susan Udey, an accounting professor, requires her classes to do two hours of community service per semester. She said, “It is important for students to understand that they are members of a community and need to give back to the community.” Community service is a great resume booster, a learning opportunity and an intangible reward, all while serving others and the community.

Hopefully community service will lose its negative connotation. Next time you have to do community service find something you enjoy and you might just realize the true meaning of community service.