University law students gathered around the Paul M. Hebert Law Center’s outdoor pavilion Friday to drink beer and deservedly relax after a long day spent volunteering around the city.
Out of the more than 500 students enrolled in the law school, about 200 participated in the first Paws for a Cause event, where students spent time volunteering in various ways at places like Goodwill, the Baton Rouge Food Bank, Villa Del Rey Elementary School and Capital Area Family Violence Intervention Center.
The event was hosted by the Law Center’s Student Bar Association.
Sean Corcoran president of SBA, said he looked at other law schools for ideas for service events.
Corcoran said Paws for a Cause was inspired by a similar event put on by the University of North Carolina’s law students. Of UNC’s roughly 780 law students, however, Corcoran said only about 100 were involved.
Graham Ryan, the executive vice president of SBA, said compared with UNC’s student-volunteer ratio, the number of student volunteers Paws for a Cause attracted was an improvement and a bragging point.
William Macke, a first-year law student who volunteered at the Food Bank, said his group threw away expired food, as well as sorted donated foods based on their containers, like boxes or cans.
Macke said the volunteer work at the Food Bank was rewarding because no one is hired to do the work and it is left up to volunteers.
Macke also said it was good knowing the donated food was going to families and schools that need it.
Maryanna Broussard and Emily Brouillette, second-year law students, said their time spent volunteering at Villa Del Rey Elementary School involved reading to children and emphasizing the importance of literacy.
“I really enjoyed interacting with the kids and seeing their enthusiasm,” Broussard said.
Brouillette said the experience left a positive mark on her, and she wants to go back.
“They said any time we wanted to come back, we could just walk in the door. We don’t even have to make an appointment,” Brouillette said.
Marshall Perkins, a first-year law student who worked at the food bank, said the event was advertised extensively, and he had heard about it from e-mails sent to the student body by Corcoran.
“I thought [the event] was great. Everyone was kind of on the same page — just ready to do whatever. I didn’t hear any complaints,” Perkins said.
Summer Swanson, volunteer coordinator for Capital Area Family Violence Intervention Center, said she had worked with law students before, and they approached her for volunteer opportunities.
Swanson said the volunteers, who painted and potted plants at the center, did a fantastic job.
 
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Contact Kevin Thibodeaux at [email protected]