Farmville Community Misses Students During Summer

By Cathy Onorati
Rotunda ReporterLongwood University students have an impact on the Town of Farmville in more positive ways than one might think. Cindy Morris, Farmville's town planner, stated, "Each Longwood student is an asset to the town of Farmville and plays an important role in influencing the town of Farmville. When the students leave it really feels like something is missing."

Morris said Longwood student volunteers help out with the Farmville Recreation Department, the Fire Department and the Rescue Squad. "Longwood students make up 25 percent of the Farmville Volunteer Fire Department's membership. Their service to the community while they are in Farmville is tremendous, with a three- to four-minute response rate." This cut in response time has a lot to do with the students' location. Since the student volunteers are living here in the center of the town, it is easier for them to respond to emergencies in a quick manner.

The students are very involved with the Farmville Recreation Department as well. William Bailey, the director of recreation for the town, stated the Longwood student volunteers are "a huge backbone support system because they provide so much volunteer support to our programs that in turn allows us to offer free programs to the youth and to the town of Farmville." Typically, the Recreation Department has anywhere from 20 to 30 volunteers. Bailey said the number of volunteers "varies because I have some that will come in for an hour here and an hour there and I have some that are committed to programs."

Not only does the number of student volunteers range, but also so do the jobs they do. Bailey stated the youth programs the students are involved in "are anywhere from art to helping out with sporting events to participating in outdoor activities such as help with rock climbing . The students really enjoy helping out."

Morris said, "The town utilizes student volunteers for our recreation programs. This has been a wonderful and beneficial experience for both the students and the town." She explained the students not only serve the community through their volunteer efforts but the students also simply come to the community and liven it up. "During the school year, thousands of Longwood University students and many of the student's visitors [parents and friends] bring out the busy aspects and unique qualities of the town."

Morris said, "There are major positive economic impacts when the students are in town. The economic factor is huge when you have thousands of young people strolling around town with their purchasing influence." Morris said the town's small businesses and restaurants see a lot more buyer traffic during the school year and she is sure that parents want the students to enjoy their time here and experience the town.

The relationship with the university and the town may not always be perfect, Jerry Spates, the town manager of Farmville, explained, but it is pretty close. "I think [having the university] is what sets us aside from other small towns." Spates went on to say, "Farmville has been very fortunate to have the university."

Bailey said the student volunteers help build the relationship between the town and the university. He said the students are "really smart, really mature, really professional and they've been a pleasure to work with and I think they've really helped the community outlook" on the students as a whole. The community is "very appreciative" of what the students do because "a lot of adults can't volunteer during the day because they are working and Longwood students have a more flexible schedule." Bailey went on to say the students are "greatly missed during the summer because it is a lot harder to find people to fill those positions.

Not all of the students leave for the summer. Morris said, "Some students stay the summer and work with our summer youth camp." Morris summed up her feelings and the feeling of the town about Longwood University wrapping up the semesters, "When Longwood is in session, it is like a season, the LU season. When the students leave, you know summer is here and when they return you know summer is over.