It's Big Event 2011 Time! Whoop! March 26th!

As if there wasn’t enough to love our hometown Aggies for – this one takes the cake, in my opinion!  THE BIG EVENT!

If you don’t know what it is, here’s how the official site describes it:

The Big Event is the largest, one-day, student-run service project in the nation where students of Texas A&M University come together to say “Thank You” to the residents of Bryan and College Station. For the past 28 years Aggie students have participated in this annual event to show their appreciation to the surrounding community by completing service projects such as yard work, window washing, and painting for community members. Although The Big Event has become the largest one-day, student-run service project in the nation, our message and our mission remains the same – to simply say “Thank You.”

This is the coolest thing ever!  A bunch of energetic TAMU students coming to your house to lighten the load and take care of some things you just can’t seem to get around to -  and all just to say “thank you”!  Only in Aggieland.

We’ve only done this once since we moved to the Bryan College Station area 5 years ago.  The first two years, we didn’t know about it!  How is that possible?  Then, last year, we didn’t get registered in time.  Don’t let this happen to you.

I couldn’t find a deadline for this year on their website.  I think this is because they can only take a limited number of applications, so it’s first come – first served.  They started taking applications on January 12th.  You can even register online now, so it’s super easy!  Edit: OK, a reader pointed out that the deadline is on the application (thanks Kathryn!).  Here’s what it says:

Due to limited resources, we will only be able to accept the first 1,500 jobs submitted before February 18, 2011.

When they came to our house in ’09, we had them do some wall-paper removal, painting and some yard work.  The Big Event Committee sent out about 20 students to our house.  In typical Aggie spirit, they had incredible attitudes and great work ethics.  Those guys got the job done and then some.  A couple of the guys decided that the “sink hole” we had going behind our backdoor needed to be filled in and leveled out.  I guess we had some engineering students because they did a fantastic job!

So here they were, a bunch of guys and gals in a narrow hallway peeling 1980′s wall-paper, jamming out to some tunes and having a great time.  My kids wandered through and chatted with these very kind and gracious students.  The painters (no pictures of them – boo) were in two bedrooms dealing with paint fumes and puke moss green paint (just a little bit of “painter’s remorse” here).  They did a great job with high ceilings, ladders, painter’s tape and kids running under-foot.

The students who worked the front shrubbery beds went over and above, as well!  They made our poorly landscaped house actually have some curb-appeal!

We were told that it was not necessary to feed our volunteers but we provided sandwiches and chips and drinks for them anyway because we were so thankful!  Then we got to sit around our living room with these kind, brilliant and enthusiastic young people and chat while they ate!

There’s lots of things they can help you with but they are not allowed to use any power tools. The things they can do are cleaning, painting, raking and other yard work, moving dirt and trimming trees.  This year, we will be getting some much needed help with our yard. My grandmother always used to say “many hands make light work”. We’re so thankful to these generous students for helping lighten the load around our casa!

The Bryan College Station area is very blessed, indeed!  God bless you, Aggies!

leigh