Cleaning up the Wekiva River, building houses and painting a school auditorium will be among the many ways ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ students, staff and faculty members and alumni will give back to the community on Saturday, Oct. 9.

About 800 volunteers have signed up to participate in Knights Give Back, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s annual campuswide day of service. They will work from about 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at more than a dozen sites in Orange, Seminole, Volusia and Brevard counties.

Since the tradition began in 2007, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ volunteers have provided nearly 3,500 hours of service on behalf of social services, the arts, the environment and other causes.

β€œEach year we seek to include more sites that will create a fun and enriching experience for our volunteers,” said Marlon Gutierrez, a senior business major and the student director for Volunteer ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, which coordinates Knights Give Back.

Volunteers this year will:

— Canoe and clean the Wekiva River.

— Clean and paint the auditorium at the Chiles Academy, a public charter school for pregnant and parenting teens in Volusia County.

— Play sports with youths served by Boys Town Central Florida. Most of the volunteers in this group will be ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ student-athletes.

— Help Pet Rescue With Judy coordinate a pet adoption fair at Waterford Lakes.

— Build homes with Habitat for Humanity in Cocoa.

Knights Give Back promotes civic engagement while building partnerships and making a difference in the Central Florida community. It is sponsored by the Student Government Association, Volunteer ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ and the Office of Student Involvement.