Tarleton Serves is a service based program which goes out to the local Stephenville and disaster stricken areas to provide relief. Tarleton Serves has changed their organization by growing in size and number of projects.

The mission of Tarleton Serves is to assist members of the Tarleton State University community in finding meaningful volunteer experiences that enrich learning, teach civic responsibility and strengthen our community.

“Tarleton Serves is good for the community and good for people, and is all around a humbling experience,” said Ashley Ehler, a member of the organization.

Tarleton Serves started three years ago with local jobs to help out the community and give back. They have been doing everything from volunteering with children at foster homes to helping out with Habitat for Humanity.

Last year they branched out and went to Mississippi to help with restoration and relief efforts. The students that attended helped with environmental restoration by building artificial reefs and participated in state park restoration and damage relief from Hurricane Katrina.

Tarleton Serves is going this spring break to Boulder, Colo., to help with flood relief, which happened this spring. They will be cleaning and rebuilding the affected area. Tarleton Serves will also have a local group to help Stephenville and the surrounding area with local jobs.

So far this year, Tarleton Serves has helped Habitat for Humanity and the Historical Museum, and spent time at the nursing home. They will also be doing two other projects, one on February 22, and one on March 8.The projects are still in the works, but will be beneficial to students by allowing them to give back to the Stephenville area, meet new and people, and promote leadership and leadership roles in students.

“[Tarleton Serves] promotes service and helps to learn a sense of community and help out other communities in the surrounding area,” Ehler said.

Tarleton Serves is looking for volunteers to help with the program and people who are willing to help over spring break as well. For more information call Ehler at (214) 462-0077 or email at [email protected].