UNIVERSITY STUDENT TAKES THE PLUNGE INTO COMMUNITY SERVICE

Margaret Barker took the plunge into community service at Southeast Missouri State University. And she encouraged hundreds of other students to follow her lead.

Barker headed up the university's second annual Plunge Day in early May. About 140 students participated on a single day to volunteer at 18 different community agencies. The tasks were varied: from working with elderly at a local care center, to cleaning up at Trail of Tears State Park, to walking dogs at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri to helping disabled children with artwork.

Chris Robertson, coordinator of student involvement at Southeast, said "Gret's" dedication to helping others has been amazing.

"I work with hundreds of different students, and her work has really stood out," he said. "She's exemplary. Her very nature is to contribute more to the university and to our community than she receives."

But her volunteerism isn't limited to a single event.

She has been very active in Gamma Sigma Sigma, a service sorority on campus.

Through that effort, she has worked with such projects as "Cards for Kids," a project to provide support and encouragement for more than 100 terminally ill children. She's also assisted the ABC (At-risk Baby Crib) Quilts project along with helping the Red Cross, Muscular Dystrophy Association, American Cancer Society, Friends of the Park and much more.

Most weeks, she could also be found reading to youngsters at Hakuna Matata Day Care, 833 N. Spanish, as part of the Rolling Reads USA program.

Mary Crafton, owner, said Barker initially came to the day care to read.

"But gradually, she became part of the day care. She passes out snacks, serves as the playground person, reads to them, and makes sure the kids are all right. She's just great and the kids love her," said Crafton.

Barker, a native of Woodlawn, Ill., will graduate Saturday. The criminal justice major said she really enjoys her service to others.

"I enjoy helping others," she said. "It's kind of addicting. A lot of people think community service is boring, but it's a lot of fun."

She hopes through Plunge Day that more university students will be "turned on" to community service.

"I'd recommend it to others," she said.

Most students are busy with homework, classes, jobs and extracurricular activities.

"Volunteering is a matter of time management," she said. "You also have to make it a priority. I tell other students it's worth the effort."