Lights Volunteers

Southern Adventist University has a long history of volunteerism, dating back to the beginning of the organization. In 1892, when Mr. and Mrs. Colcord accepted the call to come to Tennessee, they were truly entering a mission field. With nearly no church support, school, students, or money, they had a true sense of mission and volunteerism.

In 2005, when Vice President for Advancement Chris Carey, arrived on campus, there was no volunteer program in place despite a community full of the culture and resources necessary to begin one. Carey and a student worker began developing an idea for an organized volunteer group on Southern’s campus. This student worker, Cheryl (Fuller) Torres, took the idea of a volunteer program, researched ideas and came up with the name, Lights Volunteers.

Joy McKee was hired in 2005 as the volunteer liaison and Southern Lights were officially underway. Around the same time, Bill Wilson, a former administrator at Florida Hospital in Orlando, was recruited by Gordon Bietz to be the Volunteer Coordinator. When Wilson came into the office ready to help, Carey and McKee gladly took him up on his offer.

Since the beginning of Lights, there has been a mission mentality. The Lights are a beacon on campus, and live out one of Southern’s core mission statements—lighting a life of service. Your time is valuable. Independentsector.org places a dollar value to every volunteer hour given. It’s a gift of time and money to Southern. You are priceless.