TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Students at The University of Alabama will join with students from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) to serve the Tuscaloosa community in the UA-Ole Miss community service project Saturday, Sept. 11, beginning at 9 a.m.

More than 100 RAs (resident assistants), other students and volunteers from both schools will work on several projects, including house construction on Serenity Drive, helping the Family Resource Center move to a new location, and helping the Kentuck Museum conduct an inventory. Students will build, paint and help move.

“It’s a great way for students at rival schools to partner in the community,” said Julie Foster, assistant director in the UA Office of Residential Life. “Saturday night they will be cheering for their school teams, but during the day they will be working on the same team to help people in Tuscaloosa,” added Foster, the main coordinator for the UA event.

“The idea for this event started two years ago when Ole Miss and Vanderbilt partnered to do community service projects on the weekend the two met in football. Ole Miss contacted us about a similar arrangement this year and we were quick to accept,” Foster said. Plans are already in the works for a contingent of UA RAs and other volunteers to travel to Oxford next year to complete similar community service projects and attend the annual football game.

In addition to RAs, students from UA’s STAR (Students Taking Active Roles) residence hall community will be participating in the weekend event. STAR students are involved in community service and volunteer projects throughout the year. Students participating in the STAR program are housed in Rose Towers on the UA campus.

For more information about the UA-Ole Miss community service project contact Julie Foster at 205/348-7175 or jmrobertson@sa.ua.edu. For information about UA Residential Life, go to http://reslife.ua.edu/.