Simpson’s annual service day, Campus Day, will take place Wednesday, April 4. The day will kick-off with breakfast at Pfeiffer at 9 a.m., and service projects will begin at 10 a.m.

This year marks the 118th Campus Day, the first having taken place in the spring of 1889.

Senior Evan Schaefer, undergraduate assistant for Campus Day, is thrilled about the day of service and says that more than 40 campus teams and will participate this year.

“We will be assisting the grounds and maintenance of the internal campus,” Schaefer said. “We will also be externally helping the community with different civic groups and giving them the help when needed.”

Some organizations volunteering this year are the Simpson Track and Field team, the Multicultural Student Alliance, and all Greek sororities and fraternities. There are also many other teams that have formed including a group of first-year students calling themselves the “Kresge Kittens.” Schaefer also mentioned members from the alumni board were invited to participate as well.

“We have four alumni participating, and I have been working with the admissions office to get them motivated, and we are really thankful for that.” said Schaefer.

Besides picking up sticks, mulching, raking and picking up garbage and litter around campus, junior Heather Gaffey, co-chair of Campus Day, said students will also be working with housing and maintenance.

“We have about 15 activities so far,” Gaffey said. “We are talking with housing, and they are possibly going to come up with something for students to do.”

Some teams will also be doing service projects around the Indianola community, working with businesses such as Keocota, The Indianola Humane Society, The Village, Good Samaritan, Somerset Park and a host of others.

As for the itinerary, lunch will begin at 11 a.m. and in the afternoon Intramurals will be sponsoring a kickball tournament for teams to compete for prizes.

The main concern about Campus Day is not necessarily that day itself, but the night before. Since there are not classes held on Campus Day, students are prone to partying and drinking the night before, which has caused some problems in past years.

Director of Security Chris Frerichs said the night of April 3, the eve of Campus Day, will be treated as a weekend night, and all security staffing and operations will act accordingly.

“Any incidents that occur will be handled through the same judicial process as if they occurred at any other time of the year.” Frerichs said, who also mentioned the same process was implemented last year.

Frerichs feels in some ways that some students have lost sight to the meaning of Campus Day and feels the night before is a night of unnecessary partying and alcohol consumption.

“Campus Day is a tradition that dates back to circa 1889,” Frerichs said. “Students need to realize that Campus Day is about giving back to the community and not just about partying the night before.”

Overall, Schaefer feels the perception of Campus Day has a positive light.

“I would hope that faculty, staff and administration and the student body view Campus Day as a service day for us as a campus to go out and work with each other as a team and get to know each other.” Schaefer said.