It's a Big Deal By: Mike Kelly

Spring time is right around the corner which means BIG things for Ole Miss, its students, and the community of Oxford.

The University of Mississippi has always been closely connected with the community of Oxford. With more than 20,000 students currently enrolled at the school, leaders of the Associated Student Body (ASB) wanted to come up with a community service project where students could volunteer to help give back to the community.  
"Just to say thank you to the community,"said Sam Harris Assistant Director of Operations for the UM Big Event.

Ole Miss has been involved in the community since the schools opening in 1848. In 2003 Ole Miss organized an event called UMSFusion, a community service project that would take place over a period of time, not just one day. Since it began, UMSFusion has grown larger year after year gaining more and more volunteers, but leaders of the ASB and the office of the dean of students wanted to organize a much larger project.

ASB leaders traveled to College Station, Texas and Texas A&M University to learn how they put on their own community service project, which they called "The Big Event". On March 30, 2011 the first ever "UM BIG EVENT" was held at Ole Miss; although weather conditions permitted to cancel the event that day, 1,200 volunteer students came out in support for their school and community.

Although this is his first year working for the Big Event, Sam Harris has been involved with community service projects since he was in high school. When he arrived at Ole Miss he immediately got involved with his church and volunteered through a program called Manna that organizes community service projects around Oxford. Harris says he believes the team this year has what it takes to make this UM Big event bigger than years past.

"We have a great team of people all working hard to make it happen," said Harris "I think we have more than 1,200 volunteers signed up, which is more than last year."

Student volunteers will participate in different projects around the community including, house clean up, trash pick up, painting, assisting the elderly, and yard work. Any student can get involved sign up at http://dos.orgsync.com/org/bigevent/home. It is our chance as students to say thank you to the community of Oxford. Sign up "Its a Big Deal"-UM BIG EVENT promo video.

Check out the promo video- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ktu8lurmqdw

Photo Courtesy of Google and The Oxford Eagle news paper