VIENNA - Ohio Valley University students will be out in force today serving the community.
Today's service is the college's first Flash Serve Helping Hands Across the Valley event. The concept is similar to the Flash Mob videos that are prevalent on YouTube, where a group of people gathers to perform a song or some sort of task. Ohio Valley students are going out into the community in groups to perform service tasks. Some of the tasks include painting fire hydrants in Vienna, sorting clothes at the Salvation Army, painting the community building at Jackson Park, visiting nursing homes, performing repairs and painting at the new Latrobe Street Mission.
Officials expect from 75 to 100 students to participate. Participation is considered part of new student orientation. The majority of the participants are new students to Ohio Valley with returning students serving as team leaders.
The students will begin the day with a convocation at the campus chapel with a charge to serve given by Ohio Valley Executive Vice President Jeffrey Dimick. They will then be sent to their service projects for a couple of hours. Upon their return, they will have dinner and then participate in small groups to process their experiences.
Officials also hope the event will generate more interest in the college and awareness of it's mission to teach students to serve their communities.
"Community service has always been a big part of who we are. We intend to make it a bigger part," said Kathy Muller, dean of student success for Ohio Valley and coordinator of the Flash Serve event. "We believe it's a way to transform lives. We want to equip students to serve others and be a positive change in a difficult world."
Officials are hoping to make the Flash Serve day an annual event.
