Service and Advocacy Week at Grand Valley State University begins today, but for students interested in volunteering, the events this week are only the tip of the iceberg.

Throughout the week, various service and advocacy student organizations at GVSU will set up tables in the Kirkhof Center to inform students about issues and upcoming projects.

Eric Stevens, head of service initiatives for the GVSU Office of Student Life, said he is excited not only for what will happen during Service and Advocacy Week, but for what will ultimately be accomplished even after the week has ended.

Stevens is in charge of what the OSL calls overnight service trips, where groups of up to 25 students work with nonprofit and community organizations in the Grand Rapids area to lend whatever services they can.

An overnight service trip begins on a Friday night, where students engage in various getting-to-know-each-other exercises as well as other activities where Stevens said they learn the importance of combining community service with an education, and meet with representatives from area nonprofit organizations.

“They get a chance to meet new people and make new friends,” Stevens said. “It’s kind of cool, a real diverse experience in 24 hours.”

Following the initial Friday night activities, groups work on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on their assigned tasks.

“Their day’s work can include anything from yard work to painting barns or simply sweeping floors,” he said.

Last month, Stevens led a group of first year and transfer students to Blanford Nature Center in Grand Rapids to spruce up the park for the elementary school field trips it hosts. The work included painting and cleaning buildings and raking lots of leaves.

On the next overnight service trip, scheduled for Nov. 18 and 19, Stevens will lead students at the Grand Rapids YWCA to cook Thanksgiving meals and clean the facility. Before going to work, the volunteers will spend Friday night at the United Free Methodist church.

Stevens said the trip to the YWCA is currently full but there is a waiting list in case some of the registered volunteers cannot attend.

There are two more overnight service trips during the academic year, both during the winter semester. The first is on Feb. 2 and 3 and the second is on March 16 and 17.

Stevens said he is not yet sure what the groups will work on during those trips. He does not usually have the group work for any specific organizations, rather he has them work wherever they can be the most help.

“There are a lot of places that can’t handle as many [volunteers] as we have,” Stevens said.

All food and transportation is free, he added.

Students can register by emailing [email protected].

To learn more about Service and Advocacy or community service projects, visit www.gvsu.edu/service.

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