Student Leadership and Community Engagement (SLCE) is hosting Self-Care and Service Days as an opportunity for students and staff to interact with each other and also make cards for the seniors at Eppson Center.
“It’s an opportunity to get together and reflect on self care by doing service and benefiting the community which has a positive mental health influence for students as well,” said Shelby Kennedy, the project coordinator at SLCE. “It’s a great opportunity for anyone in residence halls who’s isolated themselves or stressed this time of year and needs something to do to relax and not focus on work.”
Self-Care and Service Days will be held on November 5 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on November 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Wyoming Union Senate Chambers.
This event requires registering before on UW Connect or through the Corq app for smartphones.
“We encourage people to pre register so that way we won’t have to turn people away at the door. We love to have people and want to make sure there’s room for everyone,” said Kennedy.
At the event participants will be able to color cards that look like adult coloring books and share encouraging and positive messages.
SLCE also offers other activities based on volunteering in the community depending on what is available.
“I’ve volunteered with a WCC trail-building team, organized donations at the Laramie Foster Closet, helped organize artifacts at the Ivinson Mansion, and collected food drive donations,” said Hannah Rhymes, a physiology major as well as the chief of staff for Associated Students of the University of Wyoming (ASUW).
Rhymes has been involved in volunteering with SLCE for three years.
“With so much chaos going on in the world right now, it can be hard to stay engaged with community service without overextending yourself. This new variation of Service Saturdays helps students to destress while still giving back to the community,” said Rhymes.
Caitlin Crum, who majors in international studies with a minor in public relations and honors, has done Service Saturdays with SLCE for two years.
Self-Care and Service Days are similar to Service Saturdays.
“I have been involved in volunteer work for a long time. I love that this is a big part of the university and it’s one thing for us to get involved with the community and get welcomed into the community. We can all come together and do something positive,” said Crum.
Crum said she attended a similar event on October 17 where she made cards for seniors.
“I think everyone should get involved with SLCE. It’s one of my favorite parts of going to this university,” said Crum “I think everyone should volunteer and participate because it’s a difficult time for everyone regardless of political beliefs or parties.”
Masks are required at the event as well as a COVID Pass. All work stations will be set up for social distancing. Everyone gets their own package of materials to prevent contamination. All materials left over can be taken home afterwards.
In addition, after each group, the room will be sanitized before the next group comes to make cards. Each section can have up to 10 participants.
Cards will be stored in a quarantined room for 72 hours for extra safety measures, and then will be given to the Eppson Center to be distributed with meals for seniors.
“The Eppson Center distributes food to 90 seniors a day,” said Kennedy.
Next Saturday SLCE will be hosting a food drive from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Simpson’s Plaza.
Kennedy said more Self-Care and Service Days may be held outside of Saturdays.
