DAYS UNTIL THE BIG EVENT: 0
About The Big Event
In 1982, Joe Nussbaum, then vice president of the Student Government Association at Texas A&M University, began The Big Event as a way to say thank you to Bryan-College Station—a community continuously supporting the university. Twenty-seven years later, The Big Event has grown to become the largest one-day student-run service project in the United States, presently occurring at 72 universities, including UT Arlington.
On April 24, 2010, an estimated 800 students, faculty, and staff of UT Arlington will unite in an effort to make a difference in our surrounding communities. The Big Event is a prominent UT Arlington tradition and continues to grow each year.
This year, for the first time, volunteers from UT Arlington will unite with the Arlington Alliance for Youth and the Global Youth Service Day to create a big day of service. During this day, volunteers will complete dozens of community improvement projects in Arlington and the surrounding communities. The Big Event will conclude with SpringFest 2010 concert series starring The Bravery as the opening headline band on the UT Arlington campus.
The Big Event Today
The Big Event has seen tremendous growth over the past 10 years since the first event in 2000. The UTA Volunteers, a student-run group has coordinated The Big Event every spring since 2005. Participation is expected to grow this year to reach over 800 volunteers completing projects at 45-50 different agency project sites. The event continues to gain momentum by attracting more volunteers, and providing more assistance to our community. Enthusiastic volunteers participate in various service project sites such as painting, landscaping, youth development workshops, and facility cleanup all on one BIG day. Together, The Big Event and Global Youth Service Day activities have contributed to the City of Arlington recognized by America's Promise in January 2008 as a Top 100 Best Community for Young People.
Purpose of The Big Event
The mission of The Big Event is to plan and implement a day of community service and outreach involving UT Arlington students, faculty, staff, and community members in an effort to engage, educate, and mobilize volunteers throughout the community. The Big Event impacts the community by bringing the campus together with the surrounding community in an effort to show gratitude to those who help others. Numerous community-based and non-profit organizations and agencies benefit from volunteer efforts, including those that provide services to children, senior citizens and low income families, or those that promote the quality of life, such as the Science Center at River Legacy Park, Arlington ISD, and the Texas Ramps Project. Volunteers are proud to help others improve the lives of the people who rely on these important services and facilities. The Big Event's theme is, "United, Mobilized, Ready To Serve".
The Volunteer Experience
Each year, we reach out to various community agencies such as parks, churches, city gardens, animal shelters, and community ministries. Volunteers will have the opportunity to complete special projects throughout the surrounding communities that impact the area in a BIG way. UT Arlington volunteers come from all areas of campus life including international organizations, sororities, fraternities, academic clubs, sports teams, staff departments, special interest groups, and professional organizations. Hard work, dedication, and Maverick pride are demonstrated by the volunteers who realize the importance of giving back. Each volunteer experience is uniquely different from mulching, cleaning, planting, building, and organizing, but all participants are engaged in a BIG way. Volunteers may entertain children during a spring festival, pick up litter, or lead a youth development workshop. Everyone is left with a lasting impression of making a difference in their community.
Safety is an important part of The Big Event. Site leaders inspect and visit each project in order to ensure the quality and safety of the location and collect required liability waiver forms from volunteers.
Due to the large number of volunteers, transportation to project sites is not available through The Big Event, so volunteers must coordinate their own travel.
How To Participate
The Big Event volunteers will arrive at their project sites on the morning of Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. with flexible times depending on the project of choice. Once volunteers finish at their project site, they are invited to the UT Arlington Library Mall for SpringFest 2010 beginning around 5:30 p.m. Volunteers will receive a free meal and enjoy music, activities, and guest speakers. The SpringFest concerts will begin around 6:30 p.m.
To volunteer, choose any of The Big Event project sites listed under Project Sites and download a required liability release form (see links directly below) to fill out and have ready to turn in to the site leader on the day of The Big Event.
Adult (18 or older) Release Form (DOC) or Adult (18 or older) Release Form (PDF)
Minor (younger than 18) Release Form (DOC) or Minor (younger than 18) Release Form (PDF)
Site leaders are provided with training for directing volunteers and ensuring project site safety, communication skills, forming relationships with agency contacts and giving back to the community. Sign up to be a site leader at a project site by downloading the site leader application form (see links below). Email or return the form by April 5 to Bonnie Rodriguez at bonnie@uta.edu, in the Student Activities Office, lower level, E.H. Hereford University Center.
All site leaders are required to attend at least one training session either on March 30 in the Upper UC Concho Room or April 6 in Nedderman Hall room 101 from 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Site leaders will be paired with the project site of choice on a first come, first serve basis.
Sponsors and Donors: Why Support The Big Event?
The Big Event is one of many partnership opportunities for local businesses and companies. Each sponsorship offers a variety of benefits, visibility and more importantly, return on your investment. Becoming a sponsor of The Big Event would:
- Associate your business with the largest day of service at UT Arlington
- Expose your company's name and/or logo to more than 29,000 students plus, faculty and staff and countless other members of the Maverick community
- Recognize your establishment throughout the community as a sponsor of service
Sponsorships play a crucial role in developing The Big Event as we continue to grow from year to year. The Big Event allows the students, faculty, staff and administrators to express their gratitude to the entire community, which supports UT Arlington. Volunteers help the community in so many ways. Beyond the labor provided for each project, participants of The Big Event arrive with all supplies needed to complete each project, which in some cases the organizations cannot afford.
Each year our needs include:
- Breakfast for volunteers
- Supplies for each project
- Meal for volunteers
- Entertainment following the completion of The Big Event projects
- T-shirts for all participants
As a sponsor you will have access to an elite group of students, faculty and staff. For more information about The Big Event visit www.uta.edu/thebigevent. If you have questions about becoming a sponsor or donor, please call 817-272-2963.
Contact Us
The Big Event
University of Texas at Arlington
P.O. Box 19348
Arlington, TX 76019-9348
Office: 817-272-2963
Fax: 817-272-2962
Big Event Director Email: tiffany.kaminski@mavs.uta.edu
Director of Student Activities Email: pk@uta.edu
Website: www.uta.edu/thebigevent
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=666888555#!/pages/The-Big-Event-at-the-University-of-Texas-at-Arlington/338432018626?ref=ts
Thank you so much for you interest in helping to make The Big Event at UT Arlington the best it can be!
For questions or concerns or if you need special accommodations to fully participate in The Big Event/Global Youth Service Day, call 817-272-2963. For Relay calls, please call 1-800-RELAYTX. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodations.
The opinions and views expressed at these events do not represent the views of UT Arlington.
Project Sites
RAIN POLICY (for all OUTDOOR project sites)
All outdoor Big Event project sites will be canceled if the weather does not cooperate Saturday. This means that projects will be canceled if there is extreme lightning associated with thunder or pouring rain or flooding. As of now, this chance is very slim.
Light drizzle or looking like it will rain but doesn't is ok, the project will still go on.
Site Leaders, will have the responsibility of communicating with the agency representative/supervisor and volunteers as to whether the site should or will be canceled.
The Big Event has meet its volunteer goals for Saturday, April 24.
Volunteers will be assisting at project locations in Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, and Mansfield. The last day of volunteer sign ups was Friday, April 16 at 5PM. Anyone interested in being placed on a waiting list in case extra spots become available at project sites are welcome to see Bonnie Rodriguez in the Lower Level UC and/or contact her at 817-272-2963 or bonnie@uta.edu.
The Big Event is sponsored by UTA Volunteers, Student Activities, and the Division of Student Affairs.
THE BIG EVENT 2010!
On behalf of UTA Volunteers and The University of Texas at Arlington, we would like to extend our thanks to you for participating in The Big Event 2010, serving and making an impact on your community. The event was a huge success with 800 volunteers who represented approximately 140 different campus organizations and gave 3,600 hours of community service at 54 different project sites.
We have had constant positive feedback from volunteers, site leaders, agencies, and those interested in partnering with us for next year's annual The Big Event on April 16, 2011. Mark your calendars!
View photos in PDF format (PDF, 3 MB)
The Big Event at UTA Would Like to Thank the Following
2010 Project Site Providers
We appreciate the time spent to organize and coordinate your projects. Your assistance and hard work are invaluable to us.
AISD 21st Century District
REAL School Gardens
Wildscape at Veterans Park
Mission Arlington
The City of Mansfield Parks Department
Arlington Animal Shelter
UTA Environmental Health & Safety
Texas Ramp Project
Fort Worth Central Library
Dallas Area Coalition to Prevent Childhood Obesity
The City of Arlington Parks & Recreation
Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area
Boys & Girls Club of Arlington
Arlington Historical Society
Catholic Charities
American Cancer Society
Anna Pettit
Cherished Memories for a Lifetime
Arlington Public Library Branches
River Legacy Living Science Center
The City of Arlington
Safehaven of Tarrant County
The Salvation Army
Arlington Life Shelter
Dallas Zoo
Adopt-A-Highway
AISD Plant Services
World Vision Dallas
UTA Campus Facilities
