By Gabrielle Russon
Special to The State News
Twelve-year-old Kim Emens eagerly waited for a knock at her front door Saturday morning.
A few days earlier, she had learned a group of MSU students would be volunteering to help fix up her family's home in Lansing. By Saturday afternoon, the group arrived with paint brushes and ladders and began painting the old, peeling wooden panels with bright white paint.
"It's pretty cool because I'm going to go to MSU," said the seventh-grade student from C.W. Otto Middle School in Lansing.
The project was organized by members of the Coalition of Indian Undergraduate Students, or CIUS, who volunteered as part of "Be the Change Day." The day is a national student effort to remember Mahatma Gandhi and his teachings of compassion.
Nearly 60 students worked at different projects across Lansing. Some mentored at the Boys & Girls Club of Lansing, 4315 Pleasant Grove Road, and cleaned Potter Park Zoo, 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave. Others gave science tours at the Impression 5 Science Center, 200 Museum Drive, or painted two different homes near Old Town.
Last year 7,000 students in 200 universities participated, said Iris Horner, a retired MSU professor who runs community volunteering for international programs, to a group of volunteers at Wells Hall before the event began.
"This day of service is a better memorial to Gandhi than any statue," Horner said. "You not only honor Gandhi's life, but you honor his deeds."
Gandhi's quote, "You must become the change you wish to see in the world," served as inspiration for "Be The Change Day".
The Indian American Student Association organized the first day of community service at the University of Michigan in 1997. Two years later, it spread to other universities and became a national event to remember the deeds of the Indian rights activist. "Be The Change Day," which used to be called Gandhi Day, took place across the rest of the country on Oct. 1, but because of last week's football game between MSU and U-M, CIUS organized the event a week later.
On Saturday, students also painted Lansing resident Monique Redmond's house. Redmond lives on Grand River Avenue and runs a daycare from her home.
"Be the Change Day" was an opportunity for students and permanent residents to have a conversation together.
"Hopefully a lot of people will get to know their neighbors," she said.
The day also allowed students to make direct impact on the community, said Roopak Kandasamy, the president of CIUS.
"Donating money is not viable for college students," Kandasamy said.
Although it was only one day of community service, "Be The Change Day" brought awareness for Gandhi's vision, Kandasamy said.
More importantly, the group was able to improve a few people's lives with community service, he said.
Kinesiology junior Nandini Lohithaswa has volunteered at the event for the last three years.
"It might not be a big difference in the world," Lohithaswa said. "But little things do count."
Lansing was a good place for the students to volunteer, said zoology junior Bhavisha Bhalsod, co-president of the Asian Pacific American Student Organization. People in the community need help but do not have the manpower to do the work, she said.
"You don't have to go to a third world country to make a difference," Bhalsod said.
