SAGU hosts "Make a Difference" Day

Waxahachie, Texas – April 3, 2012 – On March 31, 2012, Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) students and faculty participated in “Make A Difference” Day. The event was hosted by SAGU’s Southwestern Missions Association (SMA) and the Residential Life department.

Students and other volunteers met at 9 a.m. in Sheaffer Full Life Center to carpool to four different areas in Waxahachie to volunteer around the community. Volunteers participated in a trash pick-up in the downtown Waxahachie area, sorted clothing at Big Thrift store, performed outside maintenance at Renfro Healthcare Facility, and helped with landscaping and maintenance at Common Grounds Ministries.

Three groups picked up trash on Highway 77 and 287 and Solon Road. SAGU President Kermit Bridges helped one pick-up group, while Vice President of Student Services Terry Phipps helped another. “We had a number of people give us a honk, wave and thumbs up of support as we worked our way down 287,” said Phipps.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with these students, and it is really incredible to see their willingness to support the community and truly make a difference in Waxahachie,” said Bridges.

Another group of students helped out Big Thrift, a store located in Downtown Waxahachie. SAGU students helped owners Dallas Franklin and Joanna Villarreal sort lightly used clothing. The owners never had such a large group help them before. “Most of the time it would be just us two sorting through clothes on the weekends,” said Villarreal.

SAGU students that volunteered at the Common Grounds site helped with landscaping around the playground area of the building and painting a room that will become the computer room for the after-school center. SAGU students cleaned the inside of the facility and began clearing out a storage building that will be converted into a game room for the children.

Common Grounds is an after-school program for underprivileged children in Waxahachie. SAGU students volunteer each week, investing in the lives of the children through tutoring, mentoring, relationship building and Bible studies.

“We have around 30 kids enrolled, and see around 25 on average per day,” says Common Grounds student leader Sara Ceyanes.

Another group of SAGU students visited Renfro Healthcare facility and cleaned and did yard work on the outside of the building. Afterward, the students spent time playing board games and talking with patients.

At the end of the community outreach, volunteers met at Getzendanger Park for a time of fellowship and lunch provided by Chick-fil-A and Aramark.

Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The University was established in 1927, and now offers more than 60 associate, bachelor’s or master’s degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.