Alex Abler
The Omaha News
Many students enjoy taking every single day off over their break. Whether that is taking a vacation to Florida or Colorado or just planting themselves in front of their gaming system. Some students decided they were going to make a difference instead this time a round.
Ryan Pugh, ABIDE’s event coordinator, says that his organizations works with UNO and their students to help make Omaha a better place.
“So, we go in a redo a home and make it a lot better for a couple. It’s kind of like a community out reach for the neighborhood,” says Pugh.
UNO ECHO an organization founded by Shay Valentine and Andrew Martinez focuses on the outside of the home, its mainly for engineering and construction majors who really want the experience while helping someone in need says Valentine.
“Its been a really good opportunity to see what construction in the field looks like, and having to solve real like problems,” says Valentine.
One thing that is unique about the service event is that UNO allows young people who really want to make an impact make their own non-profit organization and the UNO works along side them. Lacey Krager, Signature Service Day Coordinator says that students can get involved in any way possible and its nice to see people show up even though they are on break.
“A lot of students are gone but a lot of students don’t just want to sit around. It gives you an opportunity, since there are no classes, to get out and really make a difference,” says Krager.
UNO seven days of service had well over 40 non-profits funding and joining UNO over the week. The service days got to show that big or small, students can always make a difference.
