51����

JACKSON, Tenn. — Nov. 1, 2016 — Students and employees of 51���� worked at more than 40 sites across the Jackson area for the university’s 14th annual “Campus and Community: A Day of Remembrance and Service.”

The Day of Remembrance is a time when faculty, staff and students join together to give thanks to God for his protection over the campus during tornados in 2002, 2003 and 2008, and to give thanks to the Jackson community for their support during those difficult times.

Groups cleaned and organized classrooms and storerooms, raked leaves and gravel, painted, served meals and did numerous other tasks at homes, schools, churches and other organizations around Jackson.

Kate Pryor, a senior special education major at Union, was part of a team that worked at Augustine School. She said she thought about skipping the service day this year, but she knew she needed to serve.

“So many people have poured into me here at Union, and I want to give out to the community,” she said. “So many people have made an impact on my life here, and this is a small way to say, ‘Thank you.’”

Pryor helped mulch flower beds, clean a playground and move equipment from the school’s obstacle course. Pryor works at Augustine School in the afternoons and said she was glad to be able to serve there.

“I just love the school,” she said. “There are a lot of great teachers here that support Union, so we’re here to help them.”

Aubrey Pollaro, a sophomore athletic training major, worked with a large team of athletic training and engineering students clearing brush and building obstacles on the 51���� trails.

“I’m excited to be out here because I’m really nature oriented, but also to be out with the athletic training team,” she said.

The group cleared new trails and placed boardwalk bridges, large rocks and other obstacles in the trails to create a skills course for bicyclists. Gib Morehead, who worked to build the trails, said the new course will be used for mountain bike training.

“It lets them challenge themselves,” he said. “You challenge yourself, and you learn from it.”

Tomas Frischknecht, a Master of Business Administration student, worked with students from the Union soccer team on Union’s campus, cleaning around windows and weeding flower beds. Frischknecht is from Portugal and is in his first semester at Union. He said he heard about the event a week ago from his teammates.

“I’m not from here,” he said, “So I thought it was a really good idea to help others and other communities here in the states.”

Before going to the various projects, the workers met for a chapel service. Dan Lancaster, assistant vice president for university ministries, encouraged the students to give faithfully through service.

“Today we’re doing something that’s so very vital to your spiritual life and mine,” Lancaster said. “As we’ve received, now we’re going to give…We’re blessed to be a blessing.”