Showing appreciation on campus

Service Board adds new addition to service programs

• Becky Leach / Scroll Staff
• posted: 13 Mar 2007
• scrollcampus@byui.edu

Always known as having two big service programs, Community and Humanitarian, the Service Board has added a new addition — Campus — that starts this semester.

Brian Schmidt, the service coordinator, said it was very important that the Service Board adds a Campus section.

Serving at home (meaning on campus) is the best and also the hardest service that students can be a part of, so it is efficacious when students participate in service at home because they learn and grow, Schmidt said.

Right now the Campus service section includes two service programs that were proposed and made by the students of BYU‑Idaho. The first is called Appreciation Anonymous where BYU‑I students get to show their appreciation for their fellow students and faculty alike.

The goal of this program is to touch as many lives as possible, said Ryan Shurtz, a senior from Salem, Ore., and program manager of Appreciation Anonymous. If students want to show more appreciation to other students and teachers, this is the avenue to do it.

Students can show appreciation to others however they want in the program. The students get to decide, plan, organize and conduct activities that show love and appreciation to students and faculty, Shurtz said.

Those in charge of the program want to encourage all students and faculty to show gratitude for one another and to bring the love and the true meaning of the Spirit of Ricks to campus.

Students should be encouraged to get involved and to get involved early. This is a wonderful opportunity to become more like Christ — more loving and more charitable. Just doing a little more each day brings joy to so many people, Shurtz said.

Appreciation Anonymous is sponsoring Gratitude-grams from March 12-14, where students can write notes to people they appreciate on campus.

It is important to gain Christ-like values and attributes and service is an opportunity where we can. As King Benjamin said, And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God, Schmidt said.

The second new program is called Serving the I. This new program is where students can volunteer for any special event that is occurring on campus.

Those in charge of the program plan on helping out at four to six events each semester.

This is a great opportunity for students to serve the faculty in the special events that are held. It’s a wonderful way to give back to the campus, said Meredith Lewis, a sophomore from Gresham, Ore., and program manager for Serving the I.

Lewis encourages the students to serve whenever they are able to.

Service is a great way for students to unite with one another. There are so many opportunities to serve here on campus and by doing so students will have fun, interact with each other, and make new friends, Lewis said.

The next event that Serving the I is planning is set for later in March, which no official date yet. Students will be able to paint the fences in the Livestock Center. The service committee encourages all to attend that are available.

Three more programs for the Campus service section have been proposed and are being looked at currently.