As part of its William B. Dean Community Impact Day, approximately 35 Howard Payne students on Wednesday afternoon offered their assistance for a variety of projects at Greenleaf Cemetery.

“Julie Welker reached out and let us know they were going to be doing this and that Stephen Lynn was going to be heading it up,” said Greenleaf Cemetery Groundskeeper Shane Agan. “It’s a big help for us because we’re a very limited staff, just me and two other guys. It’s just us doing the whole thing.”

Julie Ivy, an HPU student originally from Shiner, said, “Howard Payne plays a big role in the community so it’s important for us to give back and to serve.”

Patricia Garibaybartolo, an HPU student from Nolanville, added, “The school allowed us the whole day off to serve as the Lord has asked us to do.”

Regarding the tasks for the day, Agan said, “The girls are looking for unmarked veterans graves.”

Elieana Range, a HPU student from McKinney, said, “I love being able to help people be able to find their family members and to be able honor the dead. It means a lot to me to be able to find veterans so we can honor them.”

“With the guys, we’re looking at the late 70s, 80s, early 90s caskets are giving away so they’re sinking,” Agan said. “The guys are going through and taking dirt and leveling those out. It really helps us when we do our mowing. Over time the stones starting sinking, settling, leaning, so they’re also going along and picking those up and leveling those out, which is a big help because there’s a ton of stones out here, but there’s a lot of man power out here right now.”

Wyatt Anderson, an HPU student from Dallas, said, “It’s a great blessing to be able to fix the cemetery and make sure everything is great with it. I’m blessed to be here.”

Trevor Rangel, another HPU student also from Dallas, added, “It’s a lot of work but we’re doing good work and that’s all that matters, helping other people out.”

The day began with a message from keynote speaker Leesa Stephens, executive director of Good Samaritan Ministries, during HPU’s Wednesday morning chapel service. Following the service, HPU students and personnel worked at service projects from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.