• General Projects
  1. Check in on elderly neighbors 
  2. Clean up parks and trails during your regular walks
  3. Call people you know to check to see if they need anything
  4. Contact local non-profit agencies to see how you can volunteer
  5. Deliver groceries to those in need
  6. Develop Tech Tutorials for families to connect
  7. Donate blood
  8. Help local schools maintain their grounds
  9. Identify ways to reduce your waste
  10. Identify shelters and donation locations to donate your items
  11. Inform others about limiting their waste
  12. Little Free Pantry – Make a pantry or fill a pantry
  13. Make dog toys out of fleece
  14. Make a community pride sign to post in your window
  15. Make cards for retirement communities, doctors, nurses and others
  16. Reach out to animal rescue services to walk or clean up after surrendered pets
  17. Reach out to local food pantry to help with food distribution
  18. Sort through belongings to be donated at a later time
  19. Share your unique skills online and teach others how to do it
  20. Visit assisted living residents
  21. Volunteer with Meals on Wheels
  22. Write letters to teachers, faculty, staff and others
  23. Read books aloud to children 
  24. Walk a neighbors dog if they are unable to
  25. Yard clean up

• 2023 Sponsored Projects

  Community Partner	Service Project
  Storm Lake Park: Scout	Pick up trash, sticks, mulch, and plant trees or paint park benches
  Storm Lake Park: Sunset	Cleaning up the park
  Storm Lake Park: Chautauqua	Cleaning up the park
  Buena Vista Fairgrounds	Various tasks around the fairgrounds
  The Bridge	To Be Determined
  Storm Lake Elementary	Clean school grounds with 3rd & 4th graders; possible other small projects
  United Community Health Center	Clean-Up
  Storm Lake Fire	Cleaning rigs and apparatus floor
  Otsego Place – Assisted Living	Games and coloring with residents
  Hope Haven – Faith, Hope, & Charity	Outdoor Clean-Up: raking, picking up trash, etc.
  Buena Vista Regional Medical Center	Outdoor Clean-Up: raking, picking up trash, etc.
  St. Mary’s School	Helping with maintenance; details depend on weather
  King’s Pointe Water Park	Cleaning up outside from the cabins over, along the shore
  The Bridge Garden	Clean up storage unit and prepare for spring planting
  Community Education	To Be Determined
  Storm Lake Middle School	To Be Determined
  Gingerbread House Child Development	Cleaning up around playground and center
  Kiwanis	Clean up Frank Starr Beach
  Imagine the Possibilities	Partner with a sports team to clean a park

Since its origins as "Hobo Days" in 1913, Buenafication Day has become a beloved tradition at BVU. Originally a relaxed and unstructured day of spirits, games, and festivities, it has evolved into a serious undertaking of civic responsibility at its most enjoyable.

In its most recognizable form, Buenafication Day has been an annual event since approximately 1980, when Student Senate and the administration arranged a weekday when classes were closed and students were instead given the opportunity to beautify (or "buenafy") the campus. Students were roused in the morning with banging pots and pans and met at the stadium for an announcement of on-campus service opportunities in the morning, and the evening was filled with entertainment.

Today, Buenafication Day is led by a committee of various students and administrators and is co-sponsored by the Office of Community Engagement, the Student Activities Board, Residence Life, and Student Senate. Students serve their community either by doing work on Buena Vista's campus, or going out into the community to clean buildings and grounds. The afternoon involves "BVU Against Hunger," where students participate in a service project based on meeting a community need. There is also, of course, the traditional evening entertainment, and smiling faces can be seen all over the community and students have fun during this day of service.

Last year, Beavers near and far completed service projects in more than 10 states and on campus. Our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Beaver family members remain committed to Education for Service.