Volunteers Needed for Cotton Bowl Service Project

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Headed to the Cotton Bowl? Want to make your trip more than just a fun time at a bowl game? The University of Arkansas is hosting a volunteer service project on Jan. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon at Mission Arlington in Texas. Students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to participate. Fans of Kansas State will also be taking part in this volunteer project.

This will be the second bowl service project that the University of Arkansas has been part of, and the first one that is being coordinated by university staff and students. Much of the planning has been done by the Volunteer Action Center, a group of students that coordinates community service projects at the University of Arkansas.

This year’s project is being held in co-operation with Mission Arlington, a nonprofit agency serving more than 1,000 clients every day. Volunteers will be sorting food, clothing and furniture. There are also special volunteer opportunities for anyone with medical and dental training in Mission Arlington's clinics.

“This service project is an opportunity to say thank you to our host city for hosting the bowl game,” said Danny Pugh, vice provost for student affairs and dean of students. “It also allows us to build camaraderie within our group and with those fans of Kansas State. It is just a great atmosphere of helping others.”

Members of the Arkansas community participated in a pre-Sugar Bowl clean-up project last year in New Orleans with their counterparts from Ohio State. The cleanup was organized in coordination with the New Orleans Beacon of Hope Resource Center, a nonprofit agency serving as a model for sustainable neighborhood revitalization and community empowerment.

Please visit http://volunteer.uark.edu to register for this important service project.

The schedule for the event is listed here:

• 8:30 to 9 a.m. — Volunteer registration and check in. There is plenty of parking around Mission Arlington located at 210 W. South St., Arlington

• 9 to 9:20 a.m. — Volunteer Kick off with a welcome from Mission Arlington leaders and volunteer instructions

• 9:20 a.m. to noon — Volunteer project