Community volunteers gearing up for Appreciation Day

Over 420 Upper Iowa University community volunteers will be donating their time to area service projects during Fayette Appreciation Day on Wednesday, April 17.

Since being established over a decade ago, over 4,500 Upper Iowa University volunteers have completed more than 400 service projects throughout Fayette County during Fayette Appreciation Day. The annual event has been recognized locally and nationally, receiving awards from the State of Iowa Governor’s Service Awards and President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. In addition to 35-plus clubs and organizations participating in this year’s event, some UIU academic classes will complete service-learning projects as part of the annual event.

With the focus once again being on projects that affect the greater community, this year’s participants will be helping with a variety of volunteer efforts at local schools, nursing homes, athletic facilities, parks, Fayette County Food Shelf, or landscaping and general community cleanup projects in the surrounding area.

UIU Peacocks for Progress chairpersons Hannah Dotter of Bloomington, Minnesota, and Julia Szepieniec of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, are among those leading the volunteer effort.

“It has been amazing to watch the number of groups and volunteers for Fayette Appreciation Day increase every year since I started attending Upper Iowa in 2016,” Dotter said. “This year we anticipate representation from various UIU Greeks and other clubs, sports teams, and even classrooms. Peacocks for Progress has worked very hard on planning and organizing Fayette Appreciation Day and I could not be more proud of our members.  I am very thankful for all the dedicated support, time and energy the community, students, faculty, and staff have put into assuring Fayette Appreciation Day 2019 is the best one yet!”

“Fayette Appreciation Day is a wonderful tradition at Upper Iowa University,” added Szepieniec. “The Peacock family is always tremendously supportive. The variety of projects continues to expand each year and we are grateful for the opportunity to work with the community. We are always excited to celebrate this day of service.”

For additional information and inquiries about the 2019 Fayette Appreciation Day projects, contact Dotter or Szepieniec at fad@uiu.edu.