TAMIU Volunteers Paint Trails, Beautify Slaughter Park During Make A Difference Day
On Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, some 525+ volunteers made up of Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) students, faculty, staff and alumni headed to the trails at Slaughter Park for Make A Difference Day.
Together, volunteers generated some 21,460 hours of community service with an approximate monetary impact of $682,428.
Volunteers worked on two major projects that day, including painting trails at the park to identify which trails park visitors use. The paint was supplied through the City of Laredo’s Environmental Department’s Reusable Paint Program.
A second focus was on placing recycled, crushed glass on the ground near the park’s entrance. The recycled glass acts as colorful décor and protects the soil from the heat. Students collected glass that was sent to the City of Laredo’s Environmental Department for compression into small, dull shards.
Additional activities included park beautification efforts like trimming branches, painting trash cans, debris pickup, and painting a new hopscotch area.
Organized through TAMIU’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement, the event involved the collaborative efforts of the University’s Student Government Association (SGA) L.O.V.E. Committee, the City of Laredo Solid Waste Department through its Environmental Services, Keep Laredo Beautiful, and ARCA Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages. Additional stewardship support came from Parks and Recreation Services and City Council Representative District 8, Alyssa Cigarroa.
Leading student efforts were SGA L.O.V.E. Committee Chairs Ana Alvarado, Emrys García, and Angelica Gavilanes.
The University’s Make a Difference Day has established itself as a long-standing tradition aimed at harnessing the collective efforts of the campus community to spearhead a community-wide improvement initiative.
Since 2010, University volunteers have worked on various community-wide projects benefiting groups such as Habitat for Humanity, Volunteers Serving the Need, the Laredo Animal Care Facility, the Azteca Neighborhood, the Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center, and many more.
For additional information, contact the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement at 956.326.2265, or visit offices in the Student Center, room 226.
To learn more about past Make a Difference Day projects, visit https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/madandtbe.shtml.
Additional University information is online at tamiu.edu and via TAMIU social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, X-Twitter and YouTube.
