Beem participates in CMU Service Day

2016 Apr 20

Joseph Beem, a Sophomore political science major from Independence was one of the 700 volunteers from Central Methodist University who did their part on Thursday, April 7 to, in the words of the CMU mission statement, "make a difference in the world."

The University called off classes for its annual Service Day, when students, faculty and staff are encouraged to engage in volunteer activities to support a variety of causes. Event coordinator Matt Williams, associate director for CMU's Center for Faith and Service, estimated CMU dedicated more than 1,700 hours this year.

Beem volunteered with the Cleanup Fayette project, where over one hundred volunteers worked to pick up trash around town.

The many Service Day projects included yard work at various homes, work at the food bank in Columbia, volunteering at Fayette Head Start, sewing colorful pillow cases for children who are battling cancer, and many more.

"As President (Roger) Drake likes to say, we're helping to prepare students for 'advanced citizenship' in the world around them," Williams added. "Even though classes were canceled for Service Day, the learning continued."