SAN ANTONIO \u2013 More than 500 St. Mary\u2019s University volunteers spread across San Antonio on Saturday to complete 2,000 hours of community service, kicking off the school year with a long-running tradition of giving back.<\/p>\n
The annual event, called Continuing the Heritage Day of Service, has been part of the university for 30 years. <\/p>\n
Students, staff and alums spent the day helping four local organizations: Towne Twin Village, Family Service-Presa Community Center, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and St. Stephen\u2019s CARE Center.<\/p>\n
At Towne Twin Village, volunteers worked to beautify the community\u2019s meditation garden. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt makes a big difference,\u201d said Mark Wittig, Towne Twin Village president.<\/p>\n
For many students, the event was also a chance to connect with the community and with one another. <\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like there is no other thing that you can do on a Saturday than provide for your community,\u201d said Magdalena Loza, a St. Mary\u2019s University sophomore.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt brings a lot of people together at the university, and it\u2019s just a great opportunity for people to meet each other and to maybe learn about different nonprofits that they didn\u2019t know about before,\u201d said sophomore Anthony McMorrough.<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s service day is part of a larger goal for the university. St. Mary\u2019s University President Winston Erevelles said the school is working toward 10,000 community service hours by the end of the academic year in honor of Pope Leo XIV. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou can see our shirts. They say 10,000 hours for Pope Leo XIV,\u201d Erevelles said. \u201cWe\u2019re giving of our talent, our hearts, our hands, and this is all giving to Pope Leo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erevelles said the idea came after he met Pope Leo XIV in Rome this summer. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is just when we\u2019re going to go all out,\u201d Erevelles said. \u201cSaying, let\u2019s stretch ourselves, let\u2019s do more. There\u2019s so much need in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
By the end of Saturday\u2019s volunteer effort, St. Mary\u2019s is expected to have reached 20% of its 10,000-hour goal for the school year.<\/p>\n
Read also:<\/p>\n
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