By Branden Ferguson

Creating public good through civic engagement, more than 500 members of the Bowling Green State University learning community recently volunteered their time to pack 70,000 meals for those living with food insecurity, both regionally and abroad.

Benefitting Kids Coalition Against Hunger, the food packing event held at Charles E. Perry Field House on July 26 was part of a collaboration between BGSU, Bowling Green Rotary Club and other community organizations.

"Community service and civic engagement is something we encourage all of our students to take part in," said Kendra Lutes, associate director of the C. Raymond Marvin Center for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement. "With an event like this, students get the opportunity to serve alongside community members and are able to see what lifelong service looks like, emphasizing the importance of creating public good and giving back."

Lutes helped to coordinate the effort between the University and the Bowling Green Rotary Club and pulled together hundreds of volunteers from BGSU Athletics, the Sidney A. Ribeau Presiden't's Leadership Academy (PLA) and members of the University's cheerleading and dance teams.

As part of the service project, students and community members packed food bags with rice, vegetables, soy and 21 vitamins and minerals. Bowling Green Rotary raised around $20,000, allowing the Kids Coalition Against Hunger to supply equipment and materials for volunteers to assemble bags of food. One pack of food will provide six adult-sized meals at $0.35 per meal.

As a freshman PLA scholar, Skylar Dixon is just getting started with civic engagement at the University but said the opportunities for community involvement at BGSU was a major reason she chose to attend.

"For me, knowing that I was joining a university and a community that cares about one another was a huge selling point," Dixon said. "Being able to make an impact on and off campus by working with local community members who care about the greater good makes me really proud to be a BGSU student."

Also eager to help was senior Lindsey LaPinta, who volunteered with nearly a dozen of her Falcon volleyball teammates.

"I think BGSU is special because of the small town feel. It becomes a second home to students," she said. "I love that there's a sense of community among students and residents. Being an athlete the community gave me so much. I have enjoyed my time alongside my teammates and community members helping to make a difference."

Meals packed during the event on the Bowling Green campus will be provided to people in Bowling Green, Toledo, Cleveland and across the world, allowing recipients to make soup and rice-based meals.

While this was the first time BGSU collaborated with the Bowling Green Rotary Club, Lutes said it is unlikely to be the last.

"It was a pleasure to work with the BG Rotary on this event, and we look forward to ways we can further collaborate in the future to drive student engagement in the community and beyond," Lutes said.