More than 1,000 students along with faculty and staff from The University of Toledo will be giving back to the community by participating in the Big Event on Saturday, March 25.

The annual Big Event is the largest, one-day, student-run service project at the University when students come together to say “thank you” to the residents of Toledo for their continual support throughout the years.

Volunteers will work around the University’s campus as well as locations throughout the city, where they will pick up garbage, rake leaves, paint and pull weeds.

“For some of our community participants, the Big Event represents a chance to get work done that might be beyond the resident’s abilities,” said Dr. Page Armstrong, associate lecturer in the Jesup Scott Honors College and faculty adviser for the event. “It has become an annual part of their lives and they can count on UT students to be there to help. The Big Event is a great way to let the Toledo community interact with our students and to see what a wonderful resource our students and UT are to the community.”

Participants will meet at the Student Recreation Center before going out into the community for their volunteer projects.

Big Event clean-up projects begin at 12:30 p.m. at locations throughout the city, including:

• Oakleaf Village Assisted Living Center, 4220 N. Holland Sylvania Road;

• UT Stranahan Arboretum, 4131 Tantara Road;

• Manos Community Garden, corner of Jackson and 14^th streets;
• Nightingales Harvest Organic Garden, which serves cancer patients and their families, 2820 W. Alexis Road; and

• Toledo Botanical Garden, 5403 Elmer Drive. As part of Love Squared, students will be picking out crocheted squares to put together to make a blanket that will be donated.

The Big Event is a national organization that was started at Texas A&M in 1982.