Every year Ashland residents and Ashland University students prepare for the biggest event of the year and surprisingly enough, it has to do with community service.

Ashland University Gets Involved with Service, or AU GIVS, is known as the largest food drive in Ashland County. This year it was held Aug. 18 from 10:30 to noon.

Ashland University sends out a letter, from Fred Finks himself, and a plastic bag, donated from Buehler’s Fresh Foods, a week beforehand to residents in the neighborhoods surrounding the school. Over 1300 bags were distributed to the community this year.

The letter explains that Ashland University is have a food drive in a week and if they have any items they wish to donate, to please place them in the provided bag and have them ready for pick up. Then the following week, the Ashland University Orientation Team and numerous amounts of freshman go around to these neighborhoods and collect the food.

Once the food is brought back to campus it is then sorted into boxes by the Community Care team as well as many other volunteers. Jessica Super, the Community Care President, showed her community service spirit that day by helping sort food. She really enjoys the event and said “It is a great community building experience and it is a great way to start off each year at AU!”

At first students are unwilling to help out because of the heat and because they have to walk to all of these neighborhoods. However, once the event is over they realize how much fun it was and comment on how it was one of their favorite events of the weekend.

This year AU GIVS was able to donate 125 boxes of food and $130 dollars to the Ashland County Food Bank. Juliet Thomas, Director of Community Service and Leadership Development, felt that this event was a great success this year. AU GIVS has expanded their routes and Juliet feels that it really helps the students to get to know their surroundings at a new place. “[AU GIVS] really helps break down the stereotypes of college students,” Juliet commented.

With the proceeds AU GIVS donates to Ashland Count Food Bank, the food bank is able to handle any orders they receive well into the fall season. This event helps feed those that are unable to feed themselves and it is quite clear that Ashland University is hungry to help.