In 2018, the East Cleburne Community Center (ECCC) recognized Dr. Bill Kilgore, a beloved religion professor at Southwestern Adventist University, at their annual Barrett Awards Banquet with a Lifetime Service Award. Dr. Kilgore was given the award because he had established a tradition of bringing SWAU international students to visit children at the ECCC every week, rain or shine, to talk to the children about the students’ home culture and how it’s different from the children's own.

Founded in 1987 by the late D.L. Barrett and others, the mission of the ECCC is to provide Cleburne youth with the opportunity to enhance the quality of their lives through positive interaction with the community. To support this foundation, Dr. Kilgore, and one or two new SWAU international students each week, would prepare a 15-minute slide show presentation about what it’s like to live in their country. The students would often wear traditional clothes and bring things from their country for the children to see. Afterwards, the children would have the opportunity to ask questions. The feature program was a huge hit with the ECCC children. Dr. Kilgore also received a community award for this project in 2012.

Fast forward to 2025, and the Ignite Service community at SWAU is taking up the mantle to continue support of ECCC during their Kid’s Night Out initiative. The first Monday of every month, Ignite hosts the program and the meal at ECCC. When Dr. Pablo González, SWAU math and physical science professor, heard about the new opportunity to serve, he told Ignite Service coordinator Susan Grady that he wanted to lead out in planning the programming for each month. Mrs. Grady arranges the meal, including soliciting food donations from other local programs.

This past Monday’s program set the bar high for the future.  Twenty SWAU students, plus faculty, attended the program. Select members of the SWAU Orchestra, led by Dr. Rogério Nunes, performed several Christmas songs. Five education majors did a caroling sing-a-long with the children. Three nursing students helped Mrs. Grady serve the food.

A Houston non-profit named El Salvador Foundation, at the request of Dr. Gonzalez, provided a Christmas present for each child.

While Ignite Service initially began as a single University-wide service day during the school year, it has since expanded to include multiple on-going projects. With the support of SWAU family volunteers, Ignite Service assisted in setting up 40 Christmas trees for the Children’s Advocacy Center’s upcoming fundraising ball. This past week, in partnership with SWAU’s Office of Student Success, students created Christmas cards for all the residents of the local Towne Hall Estates. Regularly scheduled initiatives include supporting the local Meals on Wheels, delivering food and a friendly smile once a week to Keene seniors. Monthly activities include visiting a local nursing home, feeding the homeless in Cleburne in partnership with Feed My People, supporting Keene Church’s senior share and LIFT programs, and the Country Life Church’s food bank. Ignite Service volunteers also support the Keene Chamber of Commerce by helping to plant the flags along Old Betsy commemorating holidays and special events.

We would love to have our alumni participate. If you would like to get involved or support these ministries in some way, please email ignite@swau.edu. Volunteering with Ignite Service is a double blessing as volunteers can support local ministries and work alongside SWAU students, supporting them in their efforts to learn community involvement.

Faculty, staff, and students can look at upcoming projects and sign-up via the SWAU app. To see a list of upcoming Ignite Service projects, please visit https://apps.swau.edu/ignite.