BUENAFICATION DAY PROVIDES 7,000 HOURS OF SERVICE

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STORM LAKE, IA (05/10/2018) (readMedia)-- An estimated 2,076 faculty, staff, and students from Buena Vista University (BVU), Storm Lake St. Mary's School, Alta-Aurelia Community Schools, and the Storm Lake Community School District (SLCSD) participated in BVU's 105th annual Buenafication Day service activities, contributing approximately 7,000 hours of community service throughout the week.

On this day – which began in 1913 as "Hobo Day" – classes are not scheduled to allow students, faculty and staff the opportunity to volunteer their time to spruce up campus, help people in need, and complete projects on properties of local public and non-profit organizations.

"Buenafication Day is a wonderful partnership with the City of Storm Lake and Pre K-college education systems in the county and local business owners and non-profit agencies," said Dr. Ashley Farmer-Hanson, assistant dean for student life and director of civic engagement at BVU. "While the service wasn't all able to be completed in one day, we were still able to get volunteers out within a week and make Storm Lake shine, all while creating community."

According to Farmer-Hanson, each volunteer hour is projected to be worth $24.14 by the Independent Sector, so it is estimated that the day's community service was an investment of $168,980 in the Storm Lake community.

Service activities throughout the day included spring clean-up projects, interacting with residents at Otsego Place and children in classrooms, caring for dogs at TLC Animal Shelter, planting a garden at The Bridge of Storm Lake, and sprucing up local parks. There was a total of 80 service sites across the Storm Lake, Alta, and Aurelia communities.

In the afternoon, BVU students assembled 5,525 meal kits that will be provided to families in the Storm Lake area. Many others contributed to the Sole Hope project where patterns were cut out from jeans and milk cartons and shipped abroad to create shoes for those in need.

"It's always great to see the impact we can make and how we can give back to a community that has given us so much," added Farmer-Hanson.

About Buena Vista University

Since 1891, Buena Vista University has prepared students for lifelong success and blends liberal arts with real-world applications. Our traditional campus on the shores of Storm Lake hosts students in a variety of majors and pre-professional programs, including elementary, secondary, and special education; business and accounting; and biological and chemical sciences. Our 16 degree-completion locations, online, and graduate programs expand student potential with a pace and academic rigor designed for working adults and a variety of class formats that make scheduling even more convenient. With an average scholarship of more than 50 percent off of tuition, BVU is an affordable option for all students. Visit www.bvu.edu.

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