From April 21-25, 2025, fraternity and sorority members from Georgia Southern University volunteered at the Kennedy Pond Conservancy during Fraternity and Sorority Life Serves Week.
Kennedy Pond Conservancy is an organization in Bulloch County whose mission is to protect and restore the wetland so that everyone in the community can connect with nature.
At the conservancy, there are 3 miles of walking trails, camping sites, and guided fishing and kayaking tours, and they are working on duck hunts. Georgia Southern and Ogeechee Tech students also use the pond for biology research.
During FSL Serves week, 31 Greek organizations participated in a week of community service at the pond, each divided into teams with different shifts. Around 70 volunteers from all of the different chapters came to help out at Kennedy Pond.
Different shifts were assigned to help put out mulch, pick up trash along the pond and highway, and clear walking trails. On Wednesday, Chi Omega, Sigma Chi, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. were at Kennedy Pond.
After Hurricane Helene hit, the trails around the conservancy were destroyed.
Some shifts cut down trees and invasive plants to clear the walking trails.
"Instead of everybody being their separate organizations, you're combining everybody into, you know, helping one type of place and a group of people," Chi Omega member Valeria Lopez said.
"FSL just kind of brings everyone together," Chi Omega's Natalie Lubrano said. "I feel like this community work is much bigger than all of us.
While some people were outside clearing the trails, other teams were inside, cutting and laminating cards for students to do on an upcoming field trip with Mattie Lively Elementary School.
This is the 3rd annual FSL Serves Week and Kennedy Pond is a continued partnership. A little over 200 students participated in the week this year.
"This is the third year," Dr. Francisco Lugo, Director of FSL at GSU, said. "I think this is going to be embedded into what we've always done, and we just need to keep participating."
The work of these students was vital to the protection and maintenance of the ecosystem at Kennedy Pond.
In a Facebook post, Kennedy Pond leadership said, "Without the help of these amazing students and events like FSL Serve Week, much of what we do at Kennedy Pond Conservancy wouldn’t be possible. It was truly inspiring to watch these students work with such passion and positivity. Your energy was unmatched, your effort was tireless, and your impact is real."
To learn more about the Kennedy Pond Conservancy, visit https://kennedypondconservancy.org/.