UCO Big Event In Need Of Sites For Volunteers To Help

The University of Central Oklahoma is looking for residents and organizations for its Big Event community service project later this month.

Volunteers are looking for sites where they can help out by doing some handiwork.

“Outside we do a lot of raking leaves and landscaping and trimming bushes,” Rachel Hunt, the executive director of The Big Event said. “We can also do things inside, which I don’t think a lot of people know. So we can organize, or clean out closets.”

This year organizers said they’re taking extra precautions because of COVID-19.

Check-in for teams will be all virtual and volunteers will meet at the site instead of at the school. This will also help with contact tracing if they need it.

After a resident or organization applies for help, Big Event organizers will inspect the site to ensure everyone will be safe.

“This year they’re looking for how big the area is with which they’ll be working,” said Hunt. “They have training on ‘Okay, about this many square footage can occupy about this many volunteers if they stay spread out.'”

Before heading out, teams will also get a big bag of PPE for each person. Volunteers and site hosts are required to keep their masks on the entire time.

“There’s really no leeway with that. We send out team members to check while they’re volunteering to keep people accountable,” said Hunt.

If you’d like to sign up to become a site, click here.