Randolph-Macon College’s 14th annual Macon a Difference Day (MaDD) took place April 28, 2019. This RMC tradition, which celebrates Earth Day, began in 2006.

The campus-wide community-service initiative brought together the college’s clubs, organizations and academic and administrative departments to clean up and beautify the RMC and Ashland communities. Students, staff and faculty volunteered their time and energy and at the same time made connections with the Ashland community.

Sprucing Up
Volunteers could choose from 23 projects, including cleaning up Mechumps Creek; weeding and raking RMC’s Brian Wesley Moores Native Plant Garden; planting at the college’s International House garden; and helping Ashland residents with yardwork and other tasks. More than 300 students representing 18 organizations participated in MaDD.

Changing Lives
Kelsey Brinkman ’20 (sociology/anthropology and criminology major; psychology minor) is the safety management chair for MaDD. She has participated in MaDD for three years and says the event is a great way to thank Ashland residents for supporting the college.

“As a committee, we hold meetings, find a company to rent tools from, and purchase snacks for volunteers,” she says. “MaDD is gratifying because we can change lives by offering services that people may not be able to do on their own. Students love offering their time to residents because they know how important it is to help our Ashland community. We love Ashland!”

A Passion for Service
“I am especially grateful to the MaDD Committee: Nathan Thorpe ’19, Kaitlynn Herrington ’20, Ashley Harrison ’19, Derrion Bennet ’19, Kelsey Brinkman ’20, Syreen Goulmamine ’19, Eddie Saunders ’19, and Darryl Williams ’19,” says Jayme Watkins, director of Student Life. “For the third consecutive year, MaDD was entirely student-organized. It is because of our students’ passion for service that participants had a fun, productive day.”

Establishing Roots
In the spirit of town-campus collaboration, one of the yearly features of Macon a Difference Day is a tree planting. This year, RMC President Robert R. Lindgren and representatives from the Town of Ashland (Matt Reynal, Assistant Town Manager; Vice Mayor John Hodges; Council member George Spagna; Nora Amos, Director of Planning and Community Development; and Donny Werriner, Ashland Public Works) joined students and staff on April 25 in planting a tree outside of Blackwell Auditorium. Vice Mayor John Hodges gave a proclamation naming Ashland a Tree City for the 28th year.

Giving Back
In 2017-18, RMC students collectively amassed more than 23,700 volunteer hours and donated $42,800 to various causes. Students in Fraternity and Sorority Life contributed more than 14,000 hours of collective service to the community and donated nearly $27,000 to various organizations and philanthropies. In addition, $10,600 was raised and donated to the American Cancer Society from the annual Relay for Life.