Peayple in Action: APSU Volunteers Contribute 3,600 Hours to Local Community Service Projects

Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) traded textbooks for teamwork on its first day of classes, as 1,575 students, faculty, and staff dedicated over 3,600 volunteer hours to local organizations during the second annual Peayple in the Community – Day of Service on August 26th, 2024.

Alexandra Wills, APSU’s director for Community Engagement & Sustainability, coordinated volunteers and ensured each site had plenty of support. From cleaning the Cumberland River to packaging meals, the Govs demonstrated their commitment to giving back.

“We believe in our mission of being a community-minded institution, and we stepped up our efforts big time this year,” said Dannelle Whiteside, APSU’s vice president of Legal Affairs and Organizational Strategy. “By serving on the first day of the academic year, we sent a message to ourselves and the community that service is a part of our culture that we take great pride in.”

In addition to benefitting local nonprofits, the event left a lasting impact on its volunteers.

“I think it’s great that Austin Peay State University is making it accessible for students to volunteer by not having classes today,” said junior nursing major Marissa Lott. “I haven’t seen anything like that before, and doing that on the first day of school really stands out. I like the idea of helping out my community and meeting some of my peers.”

Lott volunteered with junior nursing major Joyce Faulkenberg at the Old Firehouse Day Shelter, a center with resources for people without housing. They spent their time cleaning the kitchen, and other volunteers took on jobs like painting and garden maintenance.

“They had a lot of tasks ready for the group of students here, and I definitely feel like we’re making a difference,” said senior accounting major Taylor Cabanillas. “It was also helpful that Austin Peay provided transportation since many students, especially those on campus, may not have a vehicle or know where this location is.”

Buses shuttled volunteers from campus to areas like Rotary Park, where participants worked to maintain the Wade Bourne Nature Center’s community garden. The site provides herbs, mints, cucumbers, and more.

“We’re doing maintenance on the flower beds and adding hinges and handles for easier access,” said Brit Dewey, an administrative assistant II for the Division of Student Affairs. “I have students come into my office and ask questions every once in a while, but what I really enjoy about this day is getting to interact with students even more.”

Members of APSU’s cross-country team, like junior business management major Lucas Bales, also helped at Rotary Park by fanning out across its wooded areas to remove harmful plant species.

“It’s been a great experience, and I’ve even climbed a few trees to pull out some invasive plants,” Bales said. “I like being in this kind of space because it’s similar to what I’ve done back home, and it’s always good to work together as a team.”

Student-athletes played a major role in the volunteer effort, logging service hours while strengthening their bonds. The women’s basketball team spent the morning preparing and serving meals at Loaves & Fishes, followed by afternoon volunteers who focused on cleanup.

“We have a staff of six, and it really takes the help of the community to be able to do what we do,” said John Durnell, executive director of Loaves & Fishes. “Having APSU here gives us an opportunity to expand our reach, and at the same time, it gives people a perspective of a need that’s real and present in Clarksville.”

Durnell said about 8,000 people in Clarksville are food insecure, so Loaves & Fishes serves hundreds of meals weekly. Many volunteers engaged in hands-on service projects, and these kinds of sites also helped them build personal connections with community members.

Jane Semler, a professor of allied health sciences, visited the Tennessee State Veterans Home, where she and a nursing student spent two hours with a Vietnam veteran.

“Mr. Marvin traveled extensively both for pleasure and in his career with the U.S. Army Special Forces,” Semler said. “I also enjoy travel, so we easily found common ground and spent the afternoon laughing about Marvin’s younger, ‘adventurous’ years. We looked at his family photos and talked about food and our favorite places to visit. I volunteered with the hope of keeping a veteran company for a couple of hours, but left enriched by meeting two new friends.”
 
Experiences like these not only sparked positive change but inspired the Austin Peay community to take on future service opportunities.
 
“I frequently volunteer at my church, but this was an opportunity to come out and help the community,” said sophomore computer science major Ronald Ewing, who volunteered at Loaves & Fishes. “Today was amazing, and I think Austin Peay should do this more often. It definitely helps out the community and makes a difference.”