The fourth annual CONCORDIAserves took place Tues., Sept. 27. This designated day of service brought students and faculty together to serve the community both on and off campus. 

Students put down the books, stepped away from the desks for the day and seized the opportunity to serve the local community. Some students loaded up into buses and headed to their off-campus service location, while others got to serve on campus. Members of the Concordia community were spread out all over Orange County. With over 20 different service partners, there was something for everyone to do. 

Devin Sivertson, junior and member of the women’s volleyball team, volunteered on campus with Lutheran Braille Workers. “My team and I made numerous chapters of the Bible in braille and found out they would be sent to Indonesia,” said Sivertson. The Lutheran Braille Workers’ mission is to provide Christian materials and Bibles in braille for free.

This experience left a lasting impression on Sivertson. She said, “One thing I took away from CONCORDIAserves is that God's love is universal and infinite. No matter your language, disabilities, etc., God continues to provide for us in one way or another.”

The Jessie Rees Foundation (NEGU) was another one of the service partners hosted on campus. The mission of NEGU is to provide consistent encouragement to children fighting cancer. Students gathered in Denault Auditorium to create cards and bookmarks to give to the children. Logan Nelson, junior and track and field athlete, said that this opportunity showed her “how much a small sentimental gesture can mean to people.” She continued, “It was heartwarming because we knew it would bring a smile to children's faces.”

Another great opportunity on campus was working in Heritage Garden. Junior, Connor Gleason, was assigned the task of “removing the mulch along the pathway to prevent weed growth where people walk.” Gleason worked alongside the rest of the men’s basketball team to create a new addition to the garden. “We also put together a swing and leveled off the ground in order to make the base stable,” said Gleason. “It is always fun being with friends or a team and working together on projects,” he continued, “there were a lot of memories being tossed around while cleaning up the school!” 

These on-campus opportunities proved that a little goes a long way when it comes to community service. With another successful CONCORDIAserves day in the books, the community looks forward to serving again next year. 

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