Volume 125 Issue 103
kansan.com
Monday, April 15, 2013
HANNAH BARLING hbarling@kansan.com
Burton Gepford moved into his house a year and a half ago. After taking two days to build a new fence with a couple of family members, he knew that the fence needed to be stained.
Gepard was one of hundreds of people who received help from students, faculty and staff volunteers of the University. About 35 volunteers helped Gepard stain his wood fence. He said that is was fun hearing everyone talk and collaborate to get a project done.
"A big thank you goes out to them because I can't imagine getting it done by myself". Gepford said.
KU Memorial Unions hosted its third annual Big Event on Saturday. The Big Event is a full day of service from members of the University volunteering at various sites around the community.
Participation has increased drastically since the first year of the Big Event. In 2011, about 500 volunteers completed projects at 80 job sites in Lawrence neighborhoods. Last year, 2,000 volunteers performed tasks at 200 job sites. This year had the largest participation rate so far with 3,000 volunteers at 400 job sites.
Photo by George Mullinix
Lauren Reinhart, a senior from
Kansas City, Mo., was The Big Event's executive director this year. She said they added 30 committee members this year and pushed harder to get the word out.
"There's no other organization like this on campus that brings all students together." Reinhart said.
She said that you don't have to sign up in teams and individuals can get to know others while working with the community.
"It's unique," Reinhart said. "There's nothing else like it at this scale."
Gepford used to work fore the University and has participated in several volunteer and outreach programs in the past. He said that he's
ecstatic for The Big Event because it helps the community out with projects and it's been a great event for the University. He said that this is one of the few times he's gotten the help because he's usually the one giving it.
"People always feel better about giving than receiving," Gepford said. "You look at a project that you just did and get an overall joy from it."
Trace Bowen, a freshman from Hutchinson, helped paint a fence at one of the day's locations. Bowen volunteered after he heard about The Big Event through one of his fraternity brothers and said he wanted to do it for the good of the
cause.
"It was good seeing the person helping also and getting involved with us," Bowen said.
A group of about 15 girls from the Chi Omega sorority helped paint a fence and wooden benches, moved dirt and picked up leaves at the Haskell Catholic Campus Center. The project took about four hours to complete.
Katie Krska, a freshman from Olathe, said it was a good grounding experience because sometimes projects like this take a while and it's easy to underestimate the time. She said seeing how appreciative they were was rewarding because usually jobs like this take several
hours.
"All of us are very thankful that someone organized something like this for us to do," Krsa said.
Edited by Brian Sisk
CONSTRUCTION
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
Jayhawk Boulevard will be seeing some changes this coming summer. The KU Office of Design and Construction Management and KU Endowment will fund the project.
More shade coming to campus
REID EGGLESTON
reggleston@kansan.com
Jayhawk Boulevard may look a little different when you come back to Lawrence next August.
That's because the KU Office of Design and Construction Management and KU Endowment have teamed up to make major renovations over the next four summers to the boulevard's asphalt and concrete pavement, underground tunnel, storm drainage system and foliage surrounding the iconic avenue.
Originating three years ago, the idea was pushed through University
The first phase of the project will greet returning students next fall with development from the ChiOmega fountain to Poplar Street, east of Snow Hall. And students can expect to encounter something they haven't experienced on the boulevard since 1973 — shade from the sun.
approval recently for the construction's minimal effect on students, and its intent to update one of the University's most storied locales.
It was around this time that trees planted over a century ago on the boulevard began succumbing to Dutch Elm disease, which has, in the forty years since, decimated this
"Many students who grew up in my era remember the canopy," University architect and director of Design and Construction Management Jim Modig said. "The Chancellor has even said it's an important thing that we've lost. We need to do these projects not just for our own generations but for generations in years future."
greener facet of the boulevard. Part of the construction plan includes rebuilding this canopy that generations of the past have come to associate with the University.
The canopy plank of the master plan is headed by KU Endowment, which plans to invest $1 million
into Boulevard beautification with the addition of over 200 trees and wide distribution of new shrubbery and grasses.
"I really believe it's the beauty of the campus that makes KU a special place," said Assistant Vice President of Endowment Dale Flusser. "I'm proud to see KU taking these steps to enhance our University."
But the renovations are functional, too. Modig points out that "it's been a long time since we've done anything with Jayhawk [Bouleard]. What you can't see is the deteriora-
CAMPUS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEE BLVD PAGE 2
President Barack Obama waves as he enters the Oval Office of the White House in Washington D.C. on April 1 after attending the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn.
President Obama to visit University on Friday
Index
According to a University news release, President Barack Obama will visit campus on Friday.
CLASSIFIEDS 6
CROSSWORD 6
"We are honored to welcome President Obama to the University of Kansas," said Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said in the release. "We are delighted for the opportunity to visit with him about our mission of educating leaders, building
CRYPTOQUIPS 6
OPINION 5
It has not been announced whether or not this is a public event. More details will be released by the White House later this week.
healthy communities and making discoveries that change the world."
The last time Obama visited the state of Kansas was in December 2011 when he spoke on populism in Osawatomie.
SPORTS 12
SUDOKU 6
Don't forget
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Hannah Wise
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