COLUMBUS, Ga. | Columbus State University student-athletes spent Saturday, Aug. 22, serving organizations throughout the Chattahoochee Valley as part of the university's annual Day of Service.
Members of the CSU Women's Basketball team and several men's basketball student-athletes volunteered at Turn Around Columbus, a community organization dedicated to empowering local youth through education, work-based learning, and community development.
The Cougars assisted with the upkeep and maintenance of the organization's outdoor spaces while also helping care for animals on the property. Their efforts supported the Dr. George Washington Carver Victory Garden and Farm, which serves as an agricultural learning campus and community resource center for Muscogee County.
Turn Around Columbus uses initiatives such as the Victory Garden and Farm to provide young people with valuable experience, confidence, and skills for the workplace and their communities.
CSU softball partnered with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a volunteer-run nonprofit that provides beds to children ages 3 to 17 who do not have a bed of their own. The Cougars participated in a community build day, helping construct bed frames that will later be delivered and assembled inside local children's homes.
Each bed provided by Sleep in Heavenly Peace includes a new mattress, pillows, sheets, and blankets. The organization's mission is centered around ensuring that no child in the community has to sleep on the floor.
Members of the CSU cross country and track and field programs divided into groups to serve at Paws Humane Society and the Humane Society of Harris County. Student-athletes provided food and water, walked dogs, cared for kittens, collected trash from parking areas, and assisted with general facility upkeep.
Both organizations work to promote animal wellness and strengthen the bond between people and animals. Paws Humane Society focuses on keeping pets out of the shelter system and in loving homes, while the Humane Society of Harris County champions animal health and happiness through compassion, wellness, and community partnerships.
Members of the Columbus State Men's Basketball program also volunteered at Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center. The Cougars gained hands-on experience in animal care while assisting with facility improvement, maintenance, and other projects that support the center's daily operations.
Oxbow Meadows is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring people to engage with the natural world. The center also serves as an academic enrichment resource for Columbus State University through interactive exhibits, live animals, outdoor learning opportunities, and programs focused on environmental and sustainability issues.
Through their work at each location, CSU student-athletes supported local youth, animals, families, and community organizations while putting the university's commitment to service into action.
