The atmosphere on the Plaza of the Americas on Saturday morning was tense with anticipation.
Nathalia Leal, a 21-year-old psychology and criminology senior, paced excitedly as she prepared herself to take a plunge.
She and more than 300 other UF students registered to volunteer around Gainesville as part of the the Center for Leadership and Service’s 13th annual Gator Plunge. Participants didn’t know until they arrived where they’d end up — Alachua Conservation Trust, Kids Count in Alachua County Inc. and Wilmot Gardens were just three of the organizations benefiting from the day’s events.
Gator Plunge allows UF students to get involved in their adopted community, event coordinator Maria Muñoz said.
“Your four years here don’t have to be spent just in books,” she said. “You can definitely give back to the community you live in.”
For Leal, that meant joining 14 other students in helping residents of Tacachale, a developmental disability center, play putt-putt golf, serving ice cream and giving out cotton candy.
“I had never worked with or met adults with developmental disabilities,” Leal said. “I wasn’t sure what to even expect.”
As soon as the first resident, Wayne, came up to her station, she knew it was going to be a good day.
Wayne, one of Tacachale’s biggest jokesters, started laughing, jumping around and teasing staff members.
Tacachale volunteer coordinator Rosa B. Williams said residents always enjoy groups coming to visit.
She said it’s an educational experience for both the volunteers and residents.
“They see new people, and all the attention is on them,” said Center Administrator Michael S. Mayfield. “They really enjoy that interaction.”
Mayfield said help from UF students is great because they can help future generations understand there is a place for the developmentally disabled population in society.
The overall experience was rewarding, Leal said.
She said it only took a few hours, and she learned a lot about locals she wouldn’t normally have met.
“Not only do you impact your community, but your community impacts you,” Leal said.
