Community Cares Week

Thank you to our 2025 volunteers! Community Cares Week was a success. Click here to check out pictures from this year’s event.

• 8.5 dumpsters filled with 21,250 lbs. of spring cleanout items
• 28 tons of gravel, stone, pavers and rock
• 3,500 bags of mulch
• 2,020 flowers
• 100 gallons of paint

• A special paver and landscape wall project outside of Morrow Library was completed by volunteers instead of hiring a contractor, which led to a savings of $33,695. The paver project and other projects on Marshall’s main campus used 100 bags (5,000 lbs.) of concrete, 11,000 lb. of gravel and 20,000 lb. of stone. Other special projects on the main campus included the assembly of picnic tables and benches as well as installing concrete for hammocks.
• New plants and shrubs were added around campus, including the Memorial Student Center Plaza. Mulch was placed around beds across campus, including beds around the Memorial Student Center, the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center, Gibson Hall, Haymaker Hall, Willis Hall, Wellman Hall, Twin Towers East, Twin Towers West, Buskirk Hall and Harless Dining Hall. More than 600 flowers were planted in these areas as well, which were grown from seed and therefore had no cost associated.

• Weeding and mulching vegetable beds in the student garden, sponsored by Marshall’s Sustainability Department, removal of winter plants from 10 elevated beds at the Memorial Student Center followed by planting of summer flowers, removal of winter plants from circle planters at the Memorial Student Center followed by planting of summer flowers.

Pressure Washing

• The Memorial Student Center Plaza, sidewalks and entryways across campus were power washed.

• Areas across campus, including four floors in Gibson Hall, rooms in the Memorial Student Center, Drinko Library and steps in the Henderson Center and Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

• Nearly nine dumpsters were filled with unwanted items from spring cleanout in buildings across campus, totaling 21,250 lbs. The Memorial Student Center was deep-cleaned.

Detailed breakdown of work accomplished in some locations and cost savings

• Volunteers used 80 gallons of paint and supplies to paint four floors in Gibson Hall.
• Total volunteer labor for the week: 350 hours.
• Volunteers used 1,080 bags of mulch around all the following residence halls: Gibson, Haymaker, Willis, Wellman, Twin Towers West, Twin Towers East, Buskirk Hall, Harless Dining Hall.
• Total labor hrs. for the week, 350 hours.
• Six-hundred flowers were planted – all grown from seed at Marshall University. No cost.
• Total cost savings for paint supplies: $4,360.00
• Total skilled labor (painting) hours: 350 hours x $18/hr = $6,300.00
• Total cost for mulch, which was provided by Housing and Residence Life as a normal purchase year to year = no cost.
• Total labor hours for mulching and planting flowers: 340 hours x $13/hr = $4,420.00
• Supplies used:
  • Paint: 80 gallons
  • Mulch: 1,080 bags
  • Flowers: 600 plants

• Main Campus
  • Sweat Equity/Cost Savings/Cost Avoidance: $51,503
  • Spring Cleanout: 21,250 lbs. (8.5 dumpsters)
  • Gravel/Stone/Pavers/Rock: 16 tons
  • Mulch: 2,140 bags (4,280 yds)
  • Flowers Planted: 1,068
  • Paint: 6 gallons
• Satellite Campuses
  • Sweat Equity/Cost Savings/Cost Avoidance: $1,570
  • Gravel/Stone/Pavers/Rock: 12 tons
  • Mulch: 280 bags (560 yds)
  • Flowers Planted: 352

Breakdown

• Landscaping (180 Volunteers)
  • Mulch: 2140 Bags totaling 4280 cubic yards.
  • Concrete: 100 bags (5,000 lbs)
  • Gravel: 11,000 lbs
  • Stone: 20,000 lbs
  • Flowers Planted: 1,068
• Dumpsters
  • Weight: 21,250 lbs
  • Disposal Savings: $5,100
• Paver and Landscape Wall Project Savings vs Contractor: $33,695
• Sweat Equity
  • Landscaping (Mulching, Planting, Pavers): $6,440
  • Purging: $943
  • Concrete (Hammocks and Pads): $865
  • Picnic Table/Bench Assembly: $140
  • Pressure Washing: $3,375
  • Painting: $945

Satellite Campuses

• School of Pharmacy (11 Volunteers)
  • Mulch: 140 bags (280 yds)
  • Flowers Planted: 100
  • Sweat Equity: $385
• South Charleston (19 Volunteers)
  • Mulch: 24 bags (48 yds)
  • Flowers Planted: 72
  • Rock: 12 tons
  • Equipment: Skid Steer
  • Sweat Equity: $665
• MOVC (16 Volunteers)
  • Mulch: 116 bags (232 yds)
  • Flowers Planted: 180
  • Sweat Equity: $520

Calculation Rates (per hr):

• Purging – $13
• Landscaping – $14
• Concrete/Pavers – $21
• Painting – $21
• Pressure Washing – $75

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Check out our stats and pics from the past…

Click here to see stats and pictures from our 2024 event.
Click here to see stats and pictures from our 2023 event.
Click here to see our stats and pictures from our inaugural 2022 event.