HUNTINGTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Marshall University’s fourth annual Community Cares Week: Giving Back to the Herd proved to be another strong success, with nearly 1,000 volunteers contributing their time and energy to beautify the university’s campuses and serve their communities.
The four-day event brought together faculty, staff, students, alumni, local businesses, and community members, all working to tackle the university’s “To Do List” through hands-on service.
Volunteers completed 2,970 service hours, with about 300 individuals participating through Marshall’s alumni chapters—either on campus or in their hometowns.
Throughout the week, more than 100 staff members took leadership roles across seven shifts, and a dozen staff or cabinet members pitched in by serving lunches and giving out raffle prizes each day.
Campus Improvements by the Numbers:
• 21,250 lbs. of unwanted items cleared (8.5 dumpsters)
• 28 tons of gravel, stone, and pavers used
• 3,500 bags of mulch spread
• 2,020 flowers planted
• 100 gallons of paint applied
One standout effort was a paver and landscape wall installation outside Morrow Library, completed entirely by volunteers.
By skipping a contractor, the project saved the university an estimated $33,695. The work involved 5,000 pounds of concrete, 11,000 pounds of gravel, and 20,000 pounds of stone.
Local organizations and companies such as State Electric Supply Company, Otis Elevator, Amazon, Huntington High School, and the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce contributed team efforts.
Kid-friendly activities included weeding and mulching vegetable beds in the student garden, and planting summer flowers around the Memorial Student Center, supported by Marshall’s Sustainability Department.
The week’s success was supported by major sponsors including AVI Foodsystems, Sherwin Williams, Camp Landing Entertainment District, Calvin Broyles Jewelers, Paris Signs, Pepsico, and Rumpke, among others.
