For the third year, the University of Houston Office of Sustainability is partnering with the UH Metropolitan Volunteer Program for Rock the Campus.
The community service event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11, in celebration of National Citizenship Month, Veterans Day, Arbor Day and UH Homecoming Week. Two key projects for this year’s event will be planting fig trees, purchased by the Office of Sustainability in partnership with Urban Harvest, in the Campus Community Garden, and weeding and mulching Shasta’s Prairie.
"We are proud to be part of this important event by beautifying our campus and engaging our student body,” said Melissa Halstead, sustainability coordinator in the Office of Sustainability. “These new fig trees will enhance the natural environment of both the Campus Community Garden and the UH campus as a whole, and they help to reinforce our commitment to being Tree Campus USA certified."
The Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus USA program recognizes colleges and universities that effectively manage their campus trees, strive to engage students in pursuing learning opportunities centered on community forestry efforts and work with the community beyond campus to foster healthy urban forests. UH received Tree Campus USA certification in April of this year.
Other important Rock the Campus service projects will include creating care packages for veterans in honor of Veterans Day, which is also on Nov. 11, beautifying projects at the Children’s Learning Centers, and flower bed maintenance, mulching and picking up trash at several locations throughout campus.
Students, faculty and staff can sign up to volunteer through Nov. 10 by going to the Rock the Campus event page here. All volunteers who sign up will receive a free T-shirt. Check-in sites will be at Butler Plaza and Lynn Eusan Park. Volunteers can sign up for the following shift times:
- 9 to 11 a.m.
- 10 a.m. to noon
- 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Volunteers should wear comfortable clothing, close-toed shoes and bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated on the day of the event. Gloves, trash bags and tools will be provided.
From noon to 2 p.m., MVP will also host a block party in Lynn Eusan Park with free food and drinks. The event will include a moment of silence in honor of our nation’s veterans.
In addition to the Office of Sustainability, MVP has partnered with the UH Homecoming Board, the Children’s Learning Centers, the Student Veteran’s Association and the National Residence Hall Honorary.