Eastern’s Student Government is asking for help in cleaning and painting areas of the Charleston community during its third annual Panther Service Day Project later this month.

Students, staff, faculty and Charleston residents may contribute to the event, which will be held April 16, by volunteering, nominating property or donating.

Volunteers will work on painting houses and cleaning up yards and city parks. Citizens may help the City of Charleston by nominating owner-occupied properties to be painted or cleaned. Student Government asks that consideration be given to properties owned by those who are unable preform these changes because of physical or financial need. Supplies or monetary donations will also be accepted for the project from businesses, organizations or individuals.

Over 200 members of the Eastern and Charleston community painted seven homes during last year’s event, which was held on April 24, 2004.

Panther Service Day is centered around the idea that anything worth doing takes a group effort, said Chris Getty, student body president.

The Panther Service Day program was created following the example of the Bucket Brigade service program, which was started in Alton in 1988 by Dale Neudecker, a retired insurance agent. Since its conception, the Bucket Brigade program has spread to include more than 50 groups. To date, more than 8,000 homes have been painted by volunteers associated with the project.

Participating in the project will not only help make Charleston a more “aesthetically pleasing” city, Getty said, but will also provide opportunities to make new relationships and increase a sense of unity within the community.

Volunteer, nomination and donation forms are available in the Student Activities Center in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union and must be returned to the Student Activities Center by Friday.

Questions should be directed to Chris Getty at 581-7670 or gettychris@yahoo.com.