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04/09/2018 03:09 PM

QU's 'Big Event' Gives Big Assist to Branford's Rosenthal Gardens


This crew of QU Bobcats came out to help Branford Garden Club clean up Rosenthal Garden's public garden space on a chilly morning April 7, as part of Quinnipiac University's annual Big Event community service project.Photo Courtesy Eunice Lasala BGC

On April 7, yet another great group of Quinnipiac University (QU) Bobcats queued up to help Branford Garden Club (BCG) spring-clean the public garden at Rosenthal Gardens. The volunteer work was part of QU's annual Big Event student service efforts to help non-profits and other community groups throughout the greater New Haven area. QU is located in Hamden.

BGC's Rosenthal Gardens chairman, Eunice Lasala, said the group of students who came out to volunteer made the annual garden clean-up a pleasure, especially on a morning when even stalwart gardeners might have thought twice before heading outside. QU Big Event student volunteers have helped BGC spruce up the garden annually for the past several years. A crew of 14 volunteers came out on April 7 to help.

"I had a great group of students from Quinnipac University volunteering," said Lasala, who has enjoyed working with each QU crew through the years. "It was bitter cold and windy; but with enough doughnuts and coffee, there was not one complaint as the girls raked, pruned, clipped, and cleaned. What a superb event for young people in which to participate."

According to information from QU, the original Big Event was born 36 years ago at Texas A & M University. Today, it is the nation's largest single-day, student-run community service project. The Big Event was founded at QU in 2010. On April 7, approximately 1,500 students performed thousands of hours of community service, according to QU's Big Event page on Facebook.

Located on Kirkham Street, Rosenthal Gardens was donated to the town by the late Jane Rosenthal and is a housing complex offering affordable housing to seniors. The site includes a gem of a one-acre garden that's open for the public to visit. The garden includes two man-made pools, a meandering walkway with small bridge and several notable native trees and shrubs. Care and maintenance of the garden is just one of many Branford community civic outreach and beautification projects undertaken by all-volunteer BGC.