Mason students give back through BIG event

The BIG event, run by Student Government, will give students a chance to serve the Fairfax community (photo courtesy of Mason Student Government).

The BIG event, first started at Texas A&M University, is spreading to college campuses all over the United States, including George Mason University. Nearly 200 Mason students, faculty and administrators are registered for the upcoming event.

“The BIG Event is a community service and outreach day by the Mason community with the Fairfax community,” said event coordinator Joseph Quarcoo in an email. “In an effort to pour out love and support to our surrounding community Mason students, faculty, staff and administrators will be engaging in service and outreach projects targeted primarily towards three populations.”

The three populations include children, the elderly and the homeless.

According to the Mason Gives Back website, the event benefits “school-aged children by aiding with green projects at a Fairfax-area school such as Daniel’s Run Elementary as well as by performing beautification projects of the city’s parks.”

The BIG event will also serve the elderly and homeless populations in the Fairfax community. Elders will be able to take part in a Vegas-themed game day at assisted living homes like Sunrise at Fair Oaks, located along George Mason Boulevard. Students and faculty will help the homeless by providing donations through the Lamb Center.

Lisa Stidham-Snyder, associate director of the LEAD Office, and Jenn Robinson, associate director of Special Events, teamed up with Quarcoo to find the best locations for this event. The event was also organized by a committee of students, and Melissa Masone, assistant director of student government.

“I think this will strengthen the growing relationship this university and its students have with the Fairfax community,” Quarcoo said. “It will allow for those who serve to be changed along with those they serve.”

If all goes well, the BIG event will become an annual event.

“We hope the BIG Event will become an established tradition at Mason, which goes well past this year, at it has become at numerous universities across the nation,” Quarcoo said.

The event will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2013. 

Correction: Original story incorrectly named the assisted living center as Sunrise Senior Living.