You are all doing phenomenal work—look at how much you’ve done in just an hour!
Erin Sarafin, academic grounds crew chief for Purdue Grounds, could be heard repeating this phrase over and over again at Horticulture Park during the fall 2024 Purdue Day of Service on Friday, October 25.
Sarafin was cheering on the 45 volunteers who took part in the latest installment of this signature event, which was hosted by the Purdue for Life Foundation. On the surface, it was yet another opportunity to give back to the university by performing campus beautification work, but its benefits extend beyond that.
Purdue Day of Service is also a chance for Boilermakers to branch out and connect with each other, the university, and nature.
Kathleen Rose (HHS’76), a retired middle-school math teacher, has volunteered for the event four times. She keeps coming back because the work feels worthwhile. She has planted trees and done beautification work at various locations on campus.
“We aren’t redoing what we did last year,” Rose says, “Doing actual hands-on work makes me feel more tied to the university. I feel like I’m doing something for the next generation of students. I have the ability, and I love giving back.”
With the temperature barely above 50 degrees, many volunteers arrived at Horticulture Park early Friday morning and nervously glanced up at the gray, overcast sky. Fortunately, the rain held back, allowing for perfect tree-planting and mulching weather.
A small group of volunteers broke away from the crowd to plant 33 trees and mulch around John T. McCutcheon Residence Hall. The rest of the volunteers stayed at Horticulture Park to mulch around the trees. The park officially opened in 1967—though the plant collection began in the 1940s—and includes more than 300 types of trees and plants.
“Purdue Day of Service is important because this work helps preserve and protect all the trees that have been planted,” Sarafin says. “Horticulture Park is a natural park without irrigation, so we are helping to keep the plants healthy. We could not do this amount of labor on our own. This is a huge help for us.”
Purdue Day of Service began in 2021. Since then, there have been five events, including a special event on Arbor Day last spring. So far, 894 trees have been planted.
Jonathon Swathwood (T’02), an electrical engineer at Caterpillar, is a Lafayette native who volunteered at Purdue Day of Service for the first time in the spring and decided to do it again this fall.
“I get a volunteer day at work, so I was looking forward to spending it at Horticulture Park,” Swathwood says. “I’m stuck in an office all week, so it’s good to get out and be with nature. This is a great opportunity for me to give back to a place that has benefited my life so much.”
Like Swathwood, Purdue student Briana Chen, a senior studying aerospace engineering, appreciated having a good reason to get outside. She enjoys volunteer opportunities related to nature, and this was her first time volunteering at Purdue Day of Service.
“It’s important for the campus to be maintained, and I think we should play our part in maintaining it,” Chen says. “I spend a lot of time studying, so it’s nice to get out in nature and see other parts of campus.”
Purdue University and the Purdue for Life Foundation created Purdue Day of Service to encourage alumni and friends of the university to embrace volunteerism. This event aligns with Purdue’s Sustainability Master Plan. The event previously contributed to the 1869 Tree Planting Master Plan, an initiative to plant 3,738 new trees on campus, which has since been achieved. The total number of trees to be planted was determined by doubling 1,869, which is the year Purdue was founded.
“It was so inspiring to see dedicated Boilermakers come together and work toward the common goal of beautifying our campus,” says Joel Hartman (LA’07), senior director of volunteerism and college engagement at the Purdue for Life Foundation. “It’s remarkable how much work we were able to accomplish in one morning. I look forward to the future success of Purdue Day of Service.”
For more highlights from the fall 2024 Purdue Day of Service, check out our photo gallery. And stay tuned—Purdue Day of Service will be back in spring 2025. To be sure you don’t miss out, keep an eye on our website and social channels for updates.
If you couldn’t make it to the event but would still like to contribute, you can donate to the Purdue Arboretum. For other volunteer opportunities, visit our volunteerism webpage.
—Calandra Weaver
