Making Magnolia Blossom’s upcoming Fall Big Splash Saturday is on September 23, and registrants online can choose from six projects, including a concentrated effort to makeover Magnolia’s West Side Playground.
“It’s exciting to have opportunities for SAU and the community to work together on city and campus locations that benefit everyone,” said Deana Taylor, campus and community welfare coordinator. “I hope students, faculty, staff and the community will consider volunteering on Sept. 23.”
Interested volunteers and groups should pre-register atwww.MagnoliaBlossom.org/big-splash. Volunteers will begin working at 9 a.m., and will check in at the project location chosen on the registration form. If transportation is needed to project locations, a shuttle will be running from SAU’s Reynolds Center parking lot starting at 8:30 a.m. The Big Splash runs through noon. For more information or to register by phone, call Deana Taylor at 870-235-4922.
The primary project set for the Big Splash will be at West Side Park at the corner of Boundary and West Monroe Streets. Volunteers will put fresh and colorful paint on the playground equipment, basketball court, and parking railing. There will also be lawn debris pickup and other cleanup tasks.
Around 20 (“skilled labor”) volunteers will also be needed to help assemble the equipment for the SAU Community Playground, which has been funded by generous donors, Making Magnolia Blossom, and other SAU departments. The playground will be near the duck pond and tennis courts at SAU.
Other projects are located at area non-profits, including the Southern Christian Mission, Boys & Girls Club of Magnolia, CCAPS Animal Shelter, and the Compassion Foundation.
Volunteers are asked to wear pants and closed-toe shoes. MMB will be providing supplies and equipment.
Previous Making Magnolia Blossom “Big Splash” events have organized hundreds to make improvements along primary city streets, local business facades, and public areas around the downtown square. MMB is a community-involvement organization at Southern Arkansas University. A group of staff, faculty, and students started MMB in 2014, and more than 500 volunteers from SAU and the community contributed time and effort at the initial Big Splash Saturday event. Since then, MMB has hosted several Big Splash events, as well as several Second Saturday events which partner with area organizations to complete needed projects. MMB has completed dozens of city improvement projects in its first year, and was awarded by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission the Volunteer of the Year Award in August of 2015. To find out more or to get involved in MMB, visitwww.MagnoliaBlossom.org or like MMB on Facebook.
