Panther Service Day will receive a revamping from previous years beginning 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Ryan Kerch, student vice president for student affairs, said he has collaborated with the Office of Student Community Service and Alison Mormino, former Eastern student body president, in expanding projects and effectiveness of the seventh annual Panther Service Day.

“It is probably a bigger undertaking then Panther Service Day has ever undergone,” Kerch said. “Usually, Student Government works on this alone, but this year, we have gotten more in depth projects going.

“We have changed some things around like having an opening ceremony with President Bill Perry and Mayor John Inyart scheduled to appear, and the basketball band will entertain the volunteers during brunch,” Kerch said.

Kerch said there would be a tent at the north entrance of Old Main towards Lincoln Ave. A brunch will be provided from 10:30 a.m. to noon with the opening ceremony beginning at 11:15 a.m.

So far, 60 to 70 students have pre-registered with some community members and about 20 alumni and their families.

At least 100 people will be present, but Kerch hopes 150 to 200 will sign.

“Having 200 would put us ahead from the past,” Kerch said.

Rachel Fisher, interim director of the Student Community Service, said her office has helped coordinate the service projects past beautification.

“Our particular role was to help find other service projects in the community,” Fisher said.

“Our office said, ‘we could help find other options for people to do,’ and we got 10 different sites going on that day. The cause is outstanding, and it is a wonderful legacy that in the last six years, we are really engaging in making our community better place.”

Mormino, a 2002 graduate, was the founder of Panther Service Day. She is a member of the Charleston Rotary club in Charleston and is helping with replacing Rotary trashcans in Morton Park and around town.

“(Mormino) is involved in many community groups, so she brings in a good community perspective,” Fisher said. “She also is a legacy with having been there since the beginning,” Fisher said. “How wonderful to have the creator there as we now this year starting to do a facelift with serving in all capacities.”

Fisher said there would be three buses to take volunteers to Mattoon and around Coles County. Kerch said people would help clean off-campus housing north of Lincoln Ave. and recreational areas at Lake Charleston.

He said there would be painting the Mattoon’s Salvation Army Building’s Nursery and volunteer at Mattoon’s YMCA.

Volunteers could help clean and sort storage rooms for Charleston’s Children’s Advocacy Center of East Central Illinois.

Volunteers stationed in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union will assemble Red Cross emergency prep kits that will be made and distributed throughout Coles County.

Over $1,000 of goods has been donated.

Kerch said the Alumni Association is providing food for the volunteers and contacting alumni and community members about helping out. Bottled water was donated by County Market.

Student Government and Office of Community Service spent $800 for the T-shirts. Kerch said volunteers who pre-register will receive a shirt, and those who show up Saturday will receive one of a first-came-first serve basis.

Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at [email protected].