Last Saturday, Oct. 23, students and the community came together for Make a Difference Day. More than a thousand people registered with the Volunteer Center and went out into Marquette to help community members rake leaves, move outdoor furniture and do other physical tasks. The numbers were impressive: 111 groups volunteered at 183 sites, totaling 1,264 people who volunteered.

Opportunities such as this shouldn’t be overlooked simply because this year’s Make A Difference Day has passed. Rather, students should know that resources are readily available to help them volunteer throughout the community at any time during the year.

The Volunteer Center helps students and student organizations “find out about volunteer opportunities and local contact information for non-profit organizations looking for volunteers,” according to their website.

Benefits of volunteering whether as an individual or an organization are numerous. It brings NMU students closer to the greater community and gives them a chance to really help other people who  are in need and aren’t able to do these sort of physical tasks.

It also helps build skills that can be used elsewhere, it looks great on a resume and it can also make a person feel great to help other people. Students who wish to be a part of Superior Edge can also apply the hours gained volunteering towards their hours for the leadership program.

The website offers a variety of opportunities to volunteer, with subjects for volunteer opportunities ranging from animals to youth to nature. Students are also encouraged to log their hours on the Volunteer Center website so that the center can track the amount of students who volunteer and how long they do.

Students can find all of this information and more at the Center for Student Enrichment’s website, nmu.edu/cse, or by visiting the office at 1205 University Center. The center can also be reached at 227-2466.