Published Sunday, February 07, 2010 12:25 AM

Big Event has big ambitions this year

By MATTHEW WATKINS
matthew.watkins@theeagle.com

Last year was a good one for The Big Event, Texas A&M's student-run community service project.

They had 12,000 students complete more than 1,200 jobs for the residents of Bryan and College Station in March, a record in the one-day event's 28-year history.

In October, the organization and its director, Mallory Myers, were recognized by President Barack Obama when he visited Aggieland.

Now, as preparations gear up for this year's event, organizers say they hope to go even bigger.

Though a presidential shout-out will be hard to top, Myers said, the organization plans to break last year's record for number of people who participate and number of jobs performed.

"We are hoping for 14,000 Aggies and the goal is to complete 1,400 jobs," she said.

To do so, they are trying to get word out to the community they are trying to help. Individual houses, nonprofit agencies, churches, parks and "anything in need that identifies with our mission" are eligible for assistance, Myers said.

A group of 165 student leaders have spent the past year organizing the event, which costs about $60,000 to pull off.

Job request forms can be found online at bigevent.tamu.edu or in The Eagle. Big Event volunteers also have distributed about 10,000 forms door-to-door in the past month.

If a request is approved, Big Event committee members will dispatch a group of students -- often from a student organization -- to rake leaves, move dirt, clean windows or perform other forms of manual labor, as long as it doesn't involve the use of power tools or climbing onto roofs.

To increase the numbers, organizers stress that jobs aren't only for the less fortunate in the community; rather, anyone is encouraged to request a job. Helping the underprivileged is something the organization is proud of, but organizers said they also want to thank all members of the community for their support of Texas A&M.

"The idea is just about building relationships between A&M students and the community," Myers said.

Job request forms are due Feb. 19. They can be mailed to 127 John J. Koldus Building, College Station, Texas 77843-1236 or faxed to 862-8908.

A&M students, faculty and staff are encouraged to volunteer.

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