University of Notre Dame students will engage in a variety of service projects Saturday (April 27) as part of the 10th annual Back the Bend, a service event led by Notre Dame Student Government.
From raking leaves and planting trees to gardening and spreading mulch, students from Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College, Holy Cross College and Indiana University South Bend will collectively contribute to building and maintaining the area, with the goal of fostering long-lasting relationships between students and the South Bend community.
“We are so excited to work with our fellow students on a variety of service projects throughout the area,” said Fritz Schemel, director of community engagement and outreach for Notre Dame Student Government. “It is our hope that the day will provide students an opportunity to follow Notre Dame’s mission as a ‘force for good’ while engaging meaningfully with the South Bend community.”
Students will assist with 17 projects this year in collaboration with 12 partners:
The city of South Bend, South Bend Venues Parks & Arts, Rebuilding Together St. Joseph County, Real Services, Downtown South Bend Inc., the Notre Dame Robinson Community Learning Center, the Notre Dame Office of Sustainability, the Near West Side Neighborhood, Unity Gardens, AmeriCorps Indiana, the Near Northwest Neighborhood and the Bowman Creek Educational Ecosystem.
Among other tasks, students will assist with wetlands beautification on the east side, in the area of Logan Street and Jefferson Boulevard; trash pickup on the near west side; gardening on the far west side; and planting and cleanup on the south side, in the area of Bowman Creek.
The event will kick off with an opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on the Irish Green at Notre Dame, followed by a half-day of work and a closing picnic at 2 p.m. at the Robinson Community Learning Center.
For more information, including a full list of projects, visit backthebend.nd.edu.
Contact: Erin Blasko, assistant director of media relations, 574-631-4127, eblasko@nd.edu