After two months, St. Edward’s University students, alumni, faculty and staff are off to a slow start on achieving the university’s goal of 75,000 service hours by the end of 2010.

Lou Serna, director of the Office of Service and Community Involvement within Campus Ministry, said since the initial kickoff in February, 235 individuals have registered online and have contributed around 2,000 service hours of the targeted 75,000 hours.

The university set the goal as part of its 125th anniversary and students have been asked to each perform 125 hours of community service this year. Last year, the university said students volunteered a collective 63,000 hours.

“I actually got an e-mail from someone who already completed their 125 hours,” Serna said.

Although this achievement may seem daunting to prospective volunteers, Serna stressed that every little bit helps and encouraged everyone to register.

“Whether it’s one hour, five hours, or 25, we are looking for everyone to register to help us get to that goal,” Serna said.

Alumni are also encouraged to engage in the program.

“We are asking alumni from across the nation to get involved and help us reach our goal, because our hope is that people will continue to do community service as alumni,” Serna said.

Members of the St. Edward’s community who want to contribute to the challenge can register online at stedwards.edu/service.

The Web site also promotes service opportunities offered through the university’s Student Service Council, as well as links to other service organizations outside of St. Edward’s.

Once the year-long service challenge is completed, there will be a celebratory event in February 2011 thanking all those involved in the challenge and informing the community of the results.

“My whole business is that we continue to do something and do more every year,” Serna said. “I think if we just stay at one point, we wouldn’t be living our Holy Cross mission and going forward.”

Serna said that ultimately he believes the 125 Service Challenge is meant to test individuals as well as the St. Edward’s community as a whole.

“I think it is a challenge, and that’s why we call on people to do 125 hours,” Serna said. “For those individuals who are going through that, it’s a lot of work amongst balancing academics and other activities, and we want to thank them for doing that. And as a community as a whole, 75,000 will be a great goal to reach for a university of our size and I’m very confident that we will.”

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