One Year of Legacy of Val Days of Service

For the first time, COSAS organized a series of opportunities called the Legacy of Val Days of Service. Named for Dr. Val R. Christensen and inspired by the Legacy of Lowell events organized by our friends at the Bennion Center at the University of Utah, these days served as an introduction to COSAS, the wider community, and best practices in community engagement. All students were welcome to sign up for these opportunities in AggiePulse, USU's database of engagement opportunities. Students accepted into the Christensen Community Scholars program are required to attend at least two Days of Service each school year.

The Legacy of Val Days of Service for 2022-2023 included the following projects:

• September: partnered with the Honors program to supply volunteers at the Loaves & Fishes Community Meal. Volunteers helped serve this bimonthly free meal, bus tables, wash dishes, prep food, and sit down to eat with community members whom they might not have normally met.
• October: moved soil to fill a new planter box at Stokes Nature Center, then planting a collection of native plants.
• November: glued pounds of candy to a pre-designed styrofoam Christmas ornament with Jump the Moon Art Studio. Jump the Moon supplies a new double-sided ornament to be displayed in various shop windows in downtown Logan.
• February: tidied up and cleaned the North Logan location of Utah Families Feeding Families' porch pantry. We also sorted and tidied up donations at the Fuller Center for Housing of Cache Valley.
• March: assisted volunteers at the youth track meet held by Athletics United, a local nonprofit that brings kids from refugee backgrounds and others together through sports. We also helped the WAB Warming Center close up their operations and deep clean at the end of their inaugural season.
• April: helped prepare the Flores Family Community Garden for the upcoming growing season.

 Over the course of the year, 64 volunteers signed up to help at these events, logging almost 70 hours of service (not everyone remembers to log their hours!). COSAS staff are excited to continue the Legacy of Val Days of Service next year and to continue connecting students to community partner organizations. For information on how to get involved next year, contact giselle.bandley@usu.edu.