Apr. 11—Oklahoma State University students, faculty, staff, alumni, Extension educators and more will gather outside of the Wes Watkins Center at 8 a.m. on Saturday to celebrate State of Orange by volunteering across Oklahoma.

State of Orange is a partnership between OSU community service organization Into the Streets and President Kayse Shrum. State of Orange will last all day on Saturday, with over 350 service projects in Oklahoma, nearly 250 of the projects located in Stillwater alone and nearly 2,300 Cowboys registered for the day of service.

“The official name of this event is State of Orange: A Cowboy Day of Service,” said OSU Alumni Association Senior Director of Marketing Chase Carter. “Giving back is a very important part of the OSU experience, and this event will bring together students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends to help those in need in our communities across the state and beyond.

Carter said State of Orange is the first service event that involves every OSU campus, OSU Extension offices and OSU alumni chapters on one specific day.

The event will kick off with a speech from Dr. Shrum, student leaders and more beginning at 8:40 a.m.

Into the Streets is “one of the largest student organizations on campus,” said Rachel Puckett, current president of Into the Streets, and many are expected to show on Saturday. Once speeches have concluded, students, staff, faculty and more will hit the streets to begin volunteer work for the day.

Puckett said the majority of those who will be served are elderly populations, but volunteers also serve single parents, people fighting chronic illnesses and agencies that need extra assistance.

Volunteers’ work typically involves yard work — such as raking, weeding or cleaning flower beds — as well as help with clean-up on the outside of the house — such as cleaning windows, sweeping or fixing fences.

“Every community has its own unique needs,” Carter said. “Community members were able to submit their own jobs here in Stillwater to request volunteer assistance, and then we allowed OSU Extension and alumni chapter leaders to identify needs in their own communities for projects.”

No matter the need that must be met for specific individuals, the OSU community is ready to provide any assistance necessary.

“Many of the people we serve would not be able to stay in their homes if not for the help from Into the Streets,” Puckett said. “This organization makes a huge difference in people’s lives and helps them out in more ways than one.”

Puckett said taking the time to volunteer is important because it gives students the ability to give back to their community.

“They are humbling themselves and helping out those around them,” Puckett said. “Teaching students what it looks like to serve their communities will equip them with skills that will last a lifetime. Wherever they end up after graduation, their commitment to community service will follow.”

Other major cities expected to take part in State of Orange are Oklahoma City and Tulsa, where OSU-Tulsa and OSU-OKC will be majorly involved.

“Service is an integral part of the land-grant mission and the Cowboy Code that we all strive to live by,” Carter said.