Baylor Students 'Step Out' into Community April 5

by Rebekah Hardage, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

Steppin' Out, Baylor University's biannual day of service, will take place Saturday, April 5, from noon to 6 p.m. at various locations throughout the Waco community.

This year almost 2,500 students are expected to participate. Volunteers will paint houses, do yard work, visit retirement homes and help with fundraisers where they will paint faces and serve food.

"There is a culture among Baylor students that rests on a foundation of a collective attitude of taking time to give something back to the communities in which they live," said Karin Klinger, associate director of student activities. "We can see this attitude at work when students join local churches, become regular volunteers at local service agencies, even when they hold the doors open for others on campus," she said.

"Steppin' Out allows the volunteers to see an enormous impact made in the community through only one day of work," said Amanda Allen, Steppin' Out public relations co-chair. "We hope to provide our participants the opportunity to learn civic leadership and social responsibility through this experience," she said.

Sponsored by the department of student activities, Steppin' Out is a nationally recognized program that demonstrates the Baylor community's commitment to service.

One day is set aside each semester for Baylor students and volunteers from within Waco to go into the community and volunteer in various projects.

A student steering committee works on this program year-round locating, inspecting and securing work sites throughout the greater Waco community and recruiting volunteers to serve. They also facilitate and organize the day of service each semester which provides the Waco area with nearly 10,000 volunteer hours.

For more information, contact Klinger in the department of student activities at (254) 710-6936, or visit the student activities web site at www.baylor.edu/student_activities.