More than 300 volunteers are hoping for the rain to stay away for the eighth annual Panther Service Day Saturday. Students, staff and alumni will lend a helping hand to Charleston and Mattoon communities in more than 20 volunteer opportunities.

Alison Mormino, student body president at the time, created Panther Service Day in 2002. Mormino, who has since returned to Eastern as a development director, wanted to improve the relationship between Eastern students and members of the community through acts of service.

When Panther Service Day began eight years ago, it mainly involved volunteer acts of picking up trash or painting houses.

Rachel Fisher, from the offices of Student Community Service, serves as the director of Panther Service Day.

“Over eight years (the service day) continues to morph and adapt to the needs of the community,” Fisher said.

Student government has made efforts to make the service day more appealing to students.

This year, students are able to choose from several volunteer opportunities, including elderly care and support, nature conservation, community beautification, painting and cleaning, habitat for humanity

and animal care.

The Panther Service Day website provides a brief description of these volunteer opportunities to better assist students in choosing a project that strikes their interests.

“We tried to make it a matchmaking between the needs of the community and the interest of the volunteers,” Fisher said.

Panther Service Day begins with a free brunch at 10:30 a.m. provided to all volunteers by the Alumni Association. The brunch is followed by a kick-off ceremony featuring music from the Pep Band and a welcome from Mayor John Inyart and student body president Michelle Murphy at 11:15 a.m.

“(The brunch and welcoming ceremony) highlights what the day is about, which is groups coming together to help each other,” Fisher said.

All service projects start at noon and continue until 4 p.m., followed by a twilight service project involving Catholic charities from 5 to 9 p.m. The twilight service encourages volunteers to dress up in ’70s and ’80s attire.

“We want to break the stereotypes that service is just picking up trash or having to volunteer 10 hours every week,” Fisher said.

In 2004, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded Panther Service Day the Governor’s Hometown Award for its contributions to the community.

“I am overwhelmed by the amount of passion EIU students have, and if you need to be reminded of that, come out Saturday morning,” Fisher said. “Rain or shine it will happen, we will make a difference.”

Kate Kelleher can be reached

at 581-7942 or kmkelleher@eiu.edu