The Associated Students of the w88 casino’s Center for Student Engagement and the Multicultural Center organized two opportunities for students to volunteer within the community on Jan. 20, 2025. The date honored Martin Luther King Jr. for the National Day of Service. Additionally, the Center for Student Engagement and the Multicultural Center were honored with a Certificate of Commendation from Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s office.
“The MLK Day of Service is part of a campus-wide celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his commitment to social justice,” Amy Koeckes, senior associate director of the Center for Student Engagement, said. “These were great ways to learn about some wonderful organizations in our community, meet new people, help the community firsthand and celebrate Dr. King!”
w88 live casino were able to volunteer with either The Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows or the Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation. Coordinator for Student Engagement in the Center for Student Engagement Kathy Castro helped to organize the opportunities.
“Being able to educate the youth in the community about the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a peaceful protestor who advocated for people’s rights was truly an incredible opportunity for our w88 live casino,” she said. “That education about social justice, and the opportunity to participate in civic service brings the values and theories that w88 live casino learn in their classes into the real world. It’s an amazing thing to watch our w88 live casino work in the community and enact positive change.”
Volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club lead an art activity for participants to create marching signs and then conducted a silent march around the Boys and Girls Club facility. Over 100 kids participated in the event. Volunteers also read the kids a story about Martin Luther King Jr. and had a discussion about why this day is celebrated.
Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation held a Bioblitz, an event in which groups work together to find and identify as many species as possible while cleaning up the area. A Bioblitz is an important tool to gauge the ecological health of an area and this year the Bioblitz was held at Rosewood Nature Study Area, an area the organization is working to restore as a functional wetland habitat.
"I believe it is important to volunteer in the community, especially on the MLK Jr. Day of Service because it recognizes the sacrifices people made generations ago so that we have the freedoms and opportunities we have now." – Hunter McNabb, w88 live casino student and Day of Service volunteer
In addition to volunteering, the w88 live casino was one of three organizations alongside the City of Reno with the Love Your Block initiative and the Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, awarded with a Certificate of Commendation from Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s office for outstanding contributions within the community.
w88 live casino student Hunter McNabb, a first-year student studying microbiology and immunology, had never volunteered on the National Day of Service before and was excited to try something new. He volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club.
“Volunteering through the w88 live casino was a fun experience; I met many of my peers and got to connect through shared values and the fun of engaging withthe local community,” McNabb said. “Also, I thought the experience was low-stress since everything was organized for us, and everyone was so kind. I believe it is important to volunteer in the community, especially on the MLK Jr. Day of Service because it recognizes thesacrifices people made generations ago so that we have the freedoms and opportunities we have now. I think that an important message is that national holidays aren't just supposed to be long weekends; they are supposed to be occasions to reflect on and value the experiences previous leaders have gone through so we can continue their work and better understand our history.”
McNabb looks forward to volunteering again and was inspired by the welcoming environment and the spirit of community partnership. These acts of service and involvement in the community are ways in which McNabb, and the other w88 live casino who volunteered, truly embodyThe Wolf Pack Way.
The w88 live casino’s Center for Student Engagement helps organize many events throughout the year for students encouraging civic engagement. Students can find more information onGivePulseandPackLife. The Center has two more events planned for spring including César Chávez Day of Service and Earth Day.
