20 Acts of Kindness

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1) No Shave November

M State’s College Social Workers and Hunger Council organized a collegewide “No Shave November” event, which encouraged the campus communities to, “Toss the trimmers and let it grow!” For a donation of $20, anyone at the college could sponsor a student, staff or faculty member to grow out or keep their existing facial hair through November. Creative facial hair designs were cheered on, and photos were posted to the college’s social media pages with the hashtag #mstatenoshave. The effort was intended to raise awareness about physical and mental health, and was held in conjunction with a monthlong food drive for M State’s Campus Cupboards.

2) Wadena Nursing Club Blood Drive

Five volunteer students from the Wadena Nursing Club collected blood donations for the Red Cross at the M State campus in Wadena on October 24. There were 54 blood donors, 35 of whom were donating for the first time. The club plans to continue to hold a blood drive at the campus every fall, with next year’s event especially targeted to veterans.

3) Walk of Flags

Volunteers from M State helped set up hundreds of American flags around the Fergus Falls community in honor of military veterans on Veterans Day. The patriotic display was set up first thing in the morning so the flags could fly all day before being taken down later that evening.

4) Fix It Forward

The M State Auto Club in Moorhead joined Fix It Forward Ministry in late October to help repair donated vehicles for people in need of transportation. The Fix It Forward program provides the vehicles at zero expense. Students worked alongside Fix It Forward volunteers to prepare a number of donated cars for the road.

5) Moorhead Campus Student Life Blood Drive

Moorhead Campus Student Life held a blood drive for Vitalant at the M State-Moorhead campus on November 8. Eight students from Student Government and other campus clubs volunteered for the event, which brought in 22 blood donors, including nine first-timers. Another blood drive is planned to be held at the campus on March 8.

6) Donation Drive for Lakes Crisis Center

The M State Student Nurse Association in Detroit Lakes held a fall donation drive for Lakes Crisis & Resource Center. The group collected household items such as bed pillows, bath towels, small kitchen appliances, silverware and non-breakable dishes, as well as some gently-used kids’ clothing throughout the month of November.

7) Food Drive for the Becker County Food Pantry

Along with the donation drive for the crisis center, the M State Student Nurse Association in Detroit Lakes held a Fall Food Drive for the Becker County Food Pantry, collecting canned goods, hygiene items and diapers. Donations were accepted until Dec. 1.

8) 'Dig Pink'

The M State Spartan Volleyball team hosted “Dig Pink” during their final home game of the regular season on October 20. Donations were raised in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with proceeds going to the Fergus Falls Cancer Center, and a limited number of free pink t-shirts were available at the game.

9) Pizza With the President

On each of the four campuses in late October, M State President Carrie Brimhall brought free pizza for students, spending an afternoon talking with them and sharing a slice. Pizza With the President is an activity Brimhall likes to do on a semi-regular basis, for fun and connection.

10) Blankets for Sanford

In early December, the Nursing Student Organization in Moorhead made tie blankets and donated them to Sanford Health for use by patients and their families.

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11) HERO Foundation Volunteering

About a dozen Wadena Nursing Club students dressed in their '80s best to volunteer for the HERO Foundation's fall fundraising event in Fargo. HERO (Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization) collects and distributes donated healthcare supplies to those in need. The theme of this year's event was "'80s for $80,000."

12) Ornament-Making for Otter Cove

A group of M State Early Childhood students helped the staff at Otter Cove Children's Museum in Fergus Falls make ornaments during the community's Over the River Holiday Festival on Dec. 4.

13) Reading to Kids

M State-Fergus Falls students read to kids at McKinley Elementary in Fergus Falls this past fall, with the scheduling help of the Otter Risers Kiwanis club.

14) Bell-Ringing for the Salvation Army

Volunteers from M State were seen ringing bells in red aprons and chatting with customers outside storefronts across the region this holiday season as participants in the Salvation Army's iconic annual fundraiser.

15) Employee Giving Campaigns

M State employees donated thousands of dollars to help students in need as part of this year's two separate Employee Giving Campaigns. The campaign for the Detroit Lakes, Moorhead and Wadena campuses is run by M State Foundation & Alumni, with money raised going into the M State Promise Fund, which college social workers use to help students with unexpected expenses that may inhibit their ability to stay in school, such as medical bills, vehicle repairs, childcare or food. The campaign for the Fergus Falls campus is run by the Fergus Area College Foundation, with dollars going to students in need as well as high-need scholarships, programs and student activities.

16) Good Luck Ducks

During final exams week in early December, M State's Success Navigators decided to relieve some student stress and stir up some fun by hiding little toy ducks around the Moorhead campus for students to find and collect. The hidden "Good Luck Ducks" quickly became one of the most talked-about things on campus, proving popular with students and staff alike. 

17) Walk the Walk

To promote moving more/sitting less, M State is hosting an employee wellness challenge this spring called Walk the Walk. The college has hosted this annual challenge since 2018, offering weekly prizes and other incentives to participating employees as they strive to walk 204 miles (the distance between the college's four campuses) in six weeks.

18) Give Kids a Smile

In light of National Children’s Dental Health Month in February, the Moorhead campus dental programs participate in Give Kids a Smile, a nationwide initiative to provide free dental treatment to children who otherwise may not receive dental care. This year's event is being held February 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All dental assisting and dental hygiene students and faculty will participate, providing x-rays, cleanings, sealants, oral hygiene instructions and fluoride treatments at no charge. They'll be making it as fun as possible for kids, with a small photo booth, balloons, fun music playing, and goody bags for each child.

19) Empty Bowls

This beloved 18-year annual tradition on the Fergus Falls campus will return this April for another year of creative fundraising for the Salvation Army. Taking place in April, Empty Bowls brings area potters together to handcraft hundreds of one-of-a-kind ceramic bowls, which are then individually purchased for a $20 donation and filled with soup during a lunchtime fundraiser. Empty Bowls is hosted by the M State Fine Arts Department and has raised more than $71,000 for the Salvation Army over its history.

20) 1,000 Bike Storage

M State's Detroit Lakes campus worked with the local Boys and Girls Club to provide free temporary storage space for 1,000 donated bicycles. The bikes were brought to the community earlier this year by the semi truckload, transported from a Twin Cities charitable organization. They spent months on campus while undergoing minor repair work in preparation for finding new homes.