By Katy Shenk
Student Life Editor
In Saturday’s humid weather under cloudy skies, Washington College’s Student Government Association held its fourth annual iServe event at Heron Point in Chestertown.
The idea for the iServe project started with 2016-17 SGA president Audrey Utchen, in order to bring WC closer to the Chestertown community. For the last three years, the event has been a trail clean-up.
This year’s event was organized primarily by junior Brandon Gross, secretary of service and community relations, who decided to take the project in a different direction.
“This year, I really wanted to change things up and work with a different organization, and that’s where I went with Heron Point of Chestertown,” Gross said.
Gross worked closely with Robert Jackson, the director of the Heron Point retirement community, throughout the summer months to coordinate the event.
“We’re really trying to connect the campus community to the Chestertown community. We should really help out this community that supports us,” Gross said.
Free hats and t-shirts were offered to the first 60 students as an incentive to participate. From noon to 2 p.m., students worked to clean up individual residential lots and gardens, as well as community parking lots and courts.
Sophomore and Student Events Board series committee member Alana Pecchioli participated in the event to support the SGA and thank them for their involvement in SEB programs.
“During the event, my group and I cleaned up leaves, dirt, weeds, etc., from the neighborhood courts and from residents’ yards. We also did anything else that they asked (in reason) and got to talk with local residents. They were very grateful,” she said in an email.
Director of Student Engagement Elaine Grant spoke of the benefits of volunteering through projects like iServe.
“Participating in service is good for you: it reduces stress, it makes you healthier, it fosters teamwork, it promotes personal growth and self-esteem. Volunteering also encourages civic responsibility through the investment in our community and the people who live in it,” she said.
Junior Emily Dobson also reflected on the impact of the group’s efforts within the Heron Point Community.
“I enjoy helping in any way that I can, so I definitely enjoyed working with a larger group than I usually do. It’s great to see how much progress you can make in one area and in someone’s day to day life in just a few hours,” she said.
Senior and SGA President Victoria Cline considers this year’s event a success.
“The residents were very grateful that we came out, and we enjoyed getting to know some of them. We are looking forward to many more opportunities to give back to community of Chestertown,” she said.