Volunteers helped hang and wrap garland as well as put up lights around downtown Champaign on Thursday. About 20 people, including both University students and area residents, participated in the event, which lasted approximately four hours.
According to city planner T.J. Blakeman, the “Decorate Downtown Champaign” event has been held for the past seven years, in conjunction with Champaign Park District and the Champaign Downtown Association. Blakeman has been spearheading the job in his spare time throughout all seven years.
“We decided to hold the event on Veteran’s Day because the city is closed, so we would not disrupt any businesses,” Blakeman said. “At first we didn’t have many volunteers, but after a bit things started picking up and people began to show up. I’m also pleased to see that most of our volunteers are students.”
Blakeman said the city decorates the downtown area with volunteers rather than hiring a company to save money.
“We simply don’t have the money to hire a firm to decorate,” Blakeman said. “We also think the job is simple, as well as fun, for anyone to do. The event has always been for volunteers.” Matt Mulderink, student-volunteer and junior in Engineering, said he was more than glad to help decorate.
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“I think this event is cool and relatively easy, which enables almost anyone to get out here and help out,” Mulderink said. “It’s also a great way to meet new people too.”
A majority of volunteers came from the school’s Alpha Phi Omega fraternity. Alpha Phi Omega is a renowned, national community service fraternity, derived from the Boy Scouts of America.
Siobhan Culhane, sophomore in LAS, said she thought it was great to serve both the city and her fraternity all at once.
“Our fraternity is dedicated to community service projects,” Culhane said. “We think this is the perfect event to get a lot of us volunteering and helping out by beautifying the city for the holiday season.”
Brittany O’Brien, also a member of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity and a freshman in DGS, expressed desire in participating next year.
“I had a lot of fun wrapping garland and hanging lights around the city,” O’Brien said. “I got to talk and work with my friends, and I would definitely do this again next year.”
