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Northern Illinois University student volunteers participated in a wide range of service projects
for non-for-profit organizations throughout the DeKalb community during the 2012 NIU Cares
Day. Today we're sorting clothes for Feeding Soup clothing closet to give to the less fortunate
and those who just generally need more clothes. You know, it makes me feel great, I feel like
I'm really doing something for my community and it's really making an impact and that's
something I feel like you have to leave on this earth before you go. Everyone needs help
from time to time and it's always nice when you can have someone from outside go above
and beyond for you. Today we're putting on a 5K, all proceeds from the registration fees
go directly to the Wounded Warrior Project. The Wounded Warrior Project is something that's
near and dear to my heart, as a veteran of 17 years, I've trained many many soldiers,
and I'm still in, it's absolutely something I believe in, and was really awesome to see.
It says a lot about our students at NIU; that they're conscious of the sacrifice our soldiers.
This is a pioneer cemetery, it was established in 1856. It was gone through many years without
much care being put into it. We have many headstones covered by underbrush, a lot of
trees that are knocking tombstones over, so the students are here helping us clear away
some plant life that buries headstones, they're taking down trees that are in places that
they shouldn't be. They're cleaning up in some places, up to 8 inches where dead leaves
have fallen; it's kind of a neat thing. Not only are we cleaning up, but it's a little
bit of an explorer mission to find out where people are buried and headstones dating all
the way back to the mid-1800s. Basically, we're walking around the cemetery and kind
of clearing it up, there's been a lot of dead underbrush, we got a lot of thorns, you can
see our guys cutting out these branches over here. It's kind of hard, but it's fun, it
feels good to give back, so we're really happy to be here today. Really it's a rewarding
feeling, 1.) You're giving back to the community, but also for a selfish kind of standpoint,
it is a good feeling; I already feel like I've accomplished a lot today. You're here
early putting in some work, and it builds character as well which is always great. This
is a great thing, the DeKalb township, the University falls right within it, as a former
student myself, I love working with the students and being able to get them out to be able
to participate. I think it's a good opportunity for students to connect with the local history,
as well as the local township to work with the university and get students involved in
a unique project.