BY ELIZABETH WEISS

Students can serve the Abilene community on weekends throughout the semester by participating in ACU’s Service Saturdays, starting Saturday.

The Service Action Leadership Team organizes Service Saturdays as well as other volunteer opportunities around Abilene, giving students the chance to work with local nonprofits.

Kate Huggins, special events coordinator for SALT, said the events provide an opportunity for students to get involved.

“The purpose of Service Saturdays is to provide opportunities for the students and faculty of ACU to get involved and make a difference in the Abilene community,” Huggins said. “Everyone can join a Service Saturday team.”

Huggins, senior biochemistry major from Abilene, said Saturday projects range from manual labor, including painting houses and mowing lawns, to events like visiting nursing home residents.

“This Saturday, there will be many different options for students to volunteer,” Huggins said.

Some of the service locations for this weekend include the Alzheimer’s Association, Coronado Nursing Center, Habitat for Humanity and the Food Bank of West Central Texas.

Publicity officer for SALT Scott Stewart,  senior physics major from San Antonio, said Service Saturdays are an opportunity students should not pass up.

“I enjoy Service Saturdays because I get the chance to help people that otherwise would not be able to interact with students,” Stewart said. “It’s great to be able to help residents in the community with different projects that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to get done.”