Day of Service Brings Students, Faculty and Staff Together

Published: 10/11/2019

The weather was less than ideal, but that didn’t stop an eager group of volunteers at the St. Charles Community College Day of Service. More than 50 students, faculty and staff took part in the semiannual event.

“I am gratified by the way the event has been able to grow since its inception,” said Bryonie Carter, associate professor of English and chair of the service learning and civic engagement program at SCC. “We have been able to develop deeper relationships with our community partners, and we have so many return volunteers who participate nearly every year.”

Sophomore Devin Matteoni (pictured above) is one of those volunteers. This is his second time at the event. He spent the day at the SCC Center for Healthy Living filling IV bags for student use – a task that is often time consuming and burdensome for faculty. 

“I am hoping to eventually become a doctor,” he explained. “I thought this would be a great opportunity to see what the CHL had to offer. At the same time, it’s nice to know I’m helping make other people’s lives a little easier by volunteering my time.”  

Freshmen Chase Rybak and Kaylee Mayes (pictured above) had a slightly different task at the location. They helped service and clean mannequins used by students.

“It was definitely not was I was expecting when I signed up to volunteer,” Chase joked, “but it was really interesting to see how they worked.”

“I’ve never really seen something like this before,” Kaylee said. “It was a great experience. I’ve always enjoyed giving back. I love the feeling of putting a smile on someone’s face – being there for them when other people can’t.”

According to Lindy McGuire, director of operations for CHL, it can take an average of 20-25 hours a month for one person to complete mannequin maintenance. A little extra help goes a long way.  

“As my grandma always says, ‘many hands make light work!’” she explained. “I’ve been participating in Day of Service for several years now. It’s always such an amazing opportunity for different people to bond over a positive shared experience.”

Volunteers also spent time at Calvary Church, SCC Theater, Crisis Nursery and the city of St. Peters lending a hand on various projects. The event usually occurs in spring and fall semesters. 

“I am always fascinated by how much the students really get out of the day,” said Lindsay Brand. The English instructor helped spearhead the event in 2019. “I think the act of serving in itself is often just as rewarding for the volunteer as it is for the agency benefiting.”

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