search articles:     from the issue of September 7, 2006         Big Event draws more than 1,000 campus volunteers  UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Shortly before 11 a.m. on April 8, volunteers swarmed in and disturbed the quiet calm of an abandoned lot at 335 S. First Street.   LUNCH TIME - Cindy Barerra, a freshman from Omaha, serves food to Michael Peterson, a junior from Lincoln and a fellow Big Event volunteer, at the Downtown ActivAge Center, 1005 O St. Photo by University Communications.   Standing in his doorway, Paul Abele watched as a group of 12 volunteers - six UNL employees and six students - took up rakes and shovels to rehabilitate an overgrown community garden that thrived a few seasons ago. "This is pretty cool," said Abele, who lives next door to the garden. "We've had this community garden here for four years now. But, I don't think it's every been cleaned up this good before. "Where did these people come from?" They were a small part of UNL's Big Event volunteer force, numbering more than 1,000, that fanned out across Lincoln April 8 to help with a variety of community projects. Volunteers cleaned leaves and sticks from Lincoln neighborhoods, helped the Lincoln Children's Zoo prepare for the opening weekend, aided a Goodwill Industries/Boy Scouts donation drive, painted and cleaned apartment buildings run by the Interfaith Housing Coalition, and served lunch to the elderly at the Downtown ActivAge Center. About 50 UNL faculty/staff members were among the volunteers. GO TO: ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 7 NEWS HEADLINES FOR SEPTEMBER 7 Year in Review 15 proposals for teaching, learning excellence funded Air Force ROTC sweeps national honors Awards and Honors Beef scholars program begins Big Event draws more than 1,000 campus volunteers BIT Mobile rolls across Nebraska Buffett, Gates visit campus Cassman directs energy center Chemist creates synthetic bone Circle of Nations hosted by UNL Civil Rights marcher gives keynote address in MLK observance Combined campaign raises $331,994 Committees lay foundation for general education reform Core Values: Achievement Core Values: Diversity Core Values: Engagement Core Values: Excellence Core Values: Learning Core Values: Research and Creative Activity Core Values: Stewardship Eight students chalk awards Energy research partners UNL scientists, public power Engineering opens 2006 with new lab Excellence in Brief Faculty earn top teaching, research honors Fall semester opens with LGBTQ minor Five faculty members earn Fulbright honors Four record CAREER grants Franco takes student affairs helm Ginsburg tenders two UNL lectures Hurricane Briefs Journalism issues two depth reports Learning community builds on Thompson Forum speakers Libraries expand Cather collections NaBRO lands 5-year Korean bridge project Natural Resources moves to Hardin Hall NU Directions hailed as model program Partnership aims at commercialized cholesterol fighter Program aimed at next generation of researchers Program cards a first Psych symposium examines lesbian, gay, bisexual identities Research funding tops $100 million milestone Research on campus Retention drive launched Robots participate in 18-day mission Sheldon revives tradition Theatre Arts honors Carson Three new majors offered to students Transportation Center earns grant University takes new tack in accreditation UNL aids $5M wheat effort UNL among top 50 colleges UNL, Grand Island students celebrate college opportunity UNL students approve new culture center UNL updates online image Weisz helps shape court's handling of abused and neglected children Year in Review issue can be downloaded in pdf format 732561S36094X