Isabella Cervantes first experienced Spring Storm as a volunteer during her freshman year at UNM. Initially, not knowing what to expect, she was overwhelmed by the hundreds of students entering University Stadium, amazed at their dedication to community service.
Cervantes, a sophomore health, medicine and human values major, is now the Associated Students of UNM Community Experience Communications Director.
“The purpose of Spring Storm is to bring (UNM students together) to improve our community. Not only do organizations citywide benefit, but also students gain a sense of teamwork, purpose and friendship,” she said.
Executive Director of ASUNM Community Experience Amelia Linde said the annual event, presented by ASUNM Community Experience, will be held Saturday, with check-ins beginning at 9:15 a.m.
Linde, a senior strategic communications major, planned, created logistics and focused on Operations Management for the event.
During registration, volunteers will receive breakfast and a T-shirt (among other giveaways) at University Stadium, Linde said. Vice President for Student Affairs Eliseo “Cheo” Torres and others will be giving speeches that morning.
Volunteers will be dismissed at 10:30 a.m. to travel to their respective community service sites around the metro area until 2:00 p.m. when lunch will be served at Johnson Field. The day will end with the ASUNM Fiestas music festival to celebrate.
This year, ASUNM is expecting twelve hundred participants to attend, Linde said.
Anyone can participate, including: fraternities, sororities, student groups, ASUNM members, UNM alumni and Albuquerque community members, Linde said. Projects will include assisting at animal shelters, helping out at an organics educational farm and cleaning up the Village of Corrales with the Kiwanis Club.
Agency-sponsoring ASUNM Sen. Seneca Atwood, said Spring Storm is a “beautification process” to show Albuquerque that UNM cares about the city, which will then place a positive light on our University.
Cervantes said community service “improves the lives of others while ultimately improving our own as we gain purpose.” She believes that young people are avid volunteers, as “it is human nature to want to do or be better.”
Cervantes said she is happy to see the eagerness and positive turnout associated with this year’s Spring Storm. She hopes after the event concludes, the community will be proud of what volunteers have accomplished, and participants will leave with new friendships and the motivation to take on other community service projects of their own.
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“It is important to get the students of UNM engaged with the community and to realize the impact we can have together. [Volunteer work] teaches us about the community, and people who are different from ourselves. It is an integral part to any community. Spring Storm makes it easy for students to...make a difference by creating an accessible opportunity,” Linde said.
For more information, e-mail tce@unm.edu or visit the event’s Facebook page to learn more.
Elizabeth Sanchez is a staff reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Beth_A_Sanchez.
