Ouachita Stories

On Saturday, April 11, nearly a thousand students, faculty and staff from Ouachita Baptist University will gather for Tiger Serve Day, a semi-annual community service event, which serves residents of the Arkadelphia community. The student-led Tiger Serve Day is sponsored by Ouachita’s Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community.

That morning, teams of volunteers will meet at the Elrod Center at 8:30 for breakfast provided by Sodexo. After breakfast, teams will begin their service projects within the community using tools and instructions provided by the Elrod Center. Service projects include various jobs such as yard work, cleaning and repair work. Teams will then meet back at the Elrod Center at noon for lunch sponsored by Sodexo.

Ellen Butler, a junior accounting major from Waco, Texas, has participated in Tiger Serve Day since her freshman year. “I love Tiger Serve Day because the whole campus gets together to make a difference,” Butler said. “It's so cool that students wake up early by their own choice on a Saturday to help someone else. Plus you get to be with your friends doing it!”

The Tiger Serve Day leadership team is currently made up of 25 OBU students who aid the Elrod Center staff with recruitment, project visits, logistics and publicity. David Willhite, a junior Christian studies major from Rowlett, Texas, is chair of the logistics team. He and the rest of the Tiger Serve Day leadership team work weeks in advance to make the day go smoothly.

“My favorite part of Tiger Serve Day prep is going to houses and talking to people in the Arkadelphia community about how we can help them,” reflected Willhite. “My favorite part of Tiger Serve Day itself, though, is the satisfaction of seeing an empty tool room and thinking about how many people are out serving in response to how Jesus has changed our hearts.”

Since the first Tiger Serve Day in 1997, held following a devastating tornado that hit Arkadelphia, Ouachita has continued to serve the community by meeting a variety of needs in practical, hands-on ways.

“That first year, people thought that we started Tiger Serve Day because of the tornado. But in reality, it was providential that we already had plans in place to have a university wide serve day,” said Ian Cosh, OBU vice president for community and international engagement. ” We had trees down and rubble everywhere. The city needed help to tidy up yards and move debris. We were able to send students out rapidly with the proper equipment to really make a difference. ”

As students and faculty gear up to serve this spring, they are reminded of their commitment to the community around them.

“One of the words on the Ouachita seal is service,” said Judy Duvall, assistant director of the Elrod Center. “When we serve it reminds us of who we are as Ouachitonians. We want to invest in our community and are always proud to have such a large group do so.”

To sign up to serve with Tiger Serve Day or for more information, visit www.obu.edu/serve or call the Elrod Center at (870) 245-5320.

 

By Lauren Scarbrough // Photos by Tyler Rosenthal