Fresno State students will be spending a November Saturday participating in the One-Day Service Event on Nov. 15, led by students from the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. 

This is just one of the events taking place at Fresno State’s Emerging Leaders Retreat hosted by Student Involvement. The event offers Fresno State students an opportunity to build relationships, strengthen leadership skills and make a positive impact through community service, networking and engaging activities. Students can sign up online to participate in the retreat and One-Day Service Event.

Volunteers for the One-Day Service Event can choose between three sites – Hearts and Hands at Ronald McDonald House, Dakota Eco Village and San Joaquin River Conservancy. Richter Center student leaders have been at the center of planning these events, from choosing a community partner to securing food donations. 

For the past 16 years, Fresno State’s campus has dedicated over 1 million hours of community service to the Central Valley each year.

At the Hearts and Hands at Ronald McDonald House, volunteers will be led by Alisa Gonzalez and Rubi Rivera. Their team will be facilitating arts and crafts activities centered around autumn and assist with storage room organization. 

Another team will be led by Khushleen Khak, Prabhjot Gill and Elizabeth Melendez at Dakota Eco Village. The Eco Village provides safe and dignified living spaces in an environmentally sustainable manner, giving each resident the educational, emotional and physical tools, caring support and training to escape the cycle of homelessness. Volunteers will be tasked with gardening (weeding, watering plants and adding woodchips) and setting up Thanksgiving decorations.

The third team will be led by Yuna Ha and Aisley Chavez at San Joaquin River Conservancy Lanes Property. The San Joaquin River Conservancy is a California state agency responsible for creating and managing the San Joaquin River Parkway, conserving natural and cultural resources, and providing compatible recreational and educational opportunities. These volunteers will help support environmental projects, which will vary based on the site’s ongoing needs.

At the end of every volunteer event with the Richter Center, participants engage in a reflection activity led by the Richter Center student leaders. This is a signature practice of the Richter Center, where participants connect their service experiences to personal growth and professional development.

For more information about future service events, follow the Richter Center on Instagram, @RichterCenter.

For more information, contact Kayla Ferreira, special projects coordinator at the Richter Center, at kferreira@mail.fresnostate.edu or 559.278.2339.