The Saturday events are designed to give the campus community a ready opportunity to serve the Athens area, said Kevin Smith, interim assistant director of leadership and community service. The idea, he added, is to increase awareness of the region’s many community service needs and to help meet them. Each week's project last about 2 to 4 hours.

"Most of the students who come into our office want to engage in service activities right at that moment, and we were not always able to offer them that," Smith noted. "The Project of the Week is a way to do the work in advance so that we are able to help facilitate these opportunities for students."

So far, Project of the Week volunteers have assisted ReUse Industries, the Athens County Humane Society, Passion Works Studio and the Love Luggage project that aids area children in foster care. Each week's service project lasts about two to four hours.

Although most of the volunteers are students, Smith would like to see faculty and staff participate in the community service projects. He’s already spoken with faculty members who are looking at ways to incorporate the projects into class activities.

"We would love to see our faculty using this service as an outlet for plugging their students into service work assigned in their syllabi," Smith said. "We're trying to build a culture of service on campus."

This Saturday, volunteers will assist Last Chance Corral, a local organization dedicated to rehabilitating injured and abandoned horses. Volunteers will clean the barn, bathe the horses and help young horses learn to drink milk from bottles. Remaining winter quarter outings are scheduled for Feb. 16 at the Athens County Public Library, Feb. 23 at the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Pancake Breakfast, March 1 at the United Campus Ministries Saturday Lunch and March 15 at the Athens County Food Pantry.

Smith said responsibility for the Project of the Week soon will be assumed by the student-run Community Service Leadership Council. Under the council’s oversight, Smith said there may be two to three service projects every weekend. The council is expected to take over the project during spring quarter.

"We're excited to see students taking ownership of their service involvement," Smith said, noting the benefit of students helping other students access volunteer opportunities and coordinate with organizations in the area.

The university has a great service mentality, Smith said, and he hopes these weekly projects help tell that story.

"Ohio University has a distinct advantage when it comes to service," he said. "We are located in an area that has such great need, and we have a responsibility both as a community and as an institution of higher education to help teach our students about the duty we share in serving others."

For more information on how to become involved in the Project of the Week, visit www.ohio.edu/communityservice/projectoftheweek.cfm