The University of Alabama is planning a day of service on Saturday, April 21 to honor the victims of the April 27, 2011 tornado.

In a press release, Mark Nelson, vice president for Student Affairs, said the “day of service will be an opportunity to honor the lives of the six students and the UA employee who died as a result of the tornado by making a meaningful difference in our community.”

The April 27, 2011 tornado took the lives of 46 people in Tuscaloosa County in addition to six Alabama students. Over 600 businesses were damaged and many lives were forever changed.

According to Cathy Andreen, director of media relations for the University, the day of service will be an opportunity to commemorate the first anniversary of the tornadoes by bringing UA and the community together to volunteer in three areas that were impacted by the storms.

Volunteers will meet on campus the morning of April 21 and be taken by bus to one of three work sites located along the path of the tornado.

Andreen also said the volunteers will work from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to clean up and beautify tornado-damaged areas.

“Afterward, they will return to the UA campus for lunch and a brief program. In addition to working, volunteers may help provide materials or supplies or donate to the UA Remembers fund,” Andreen said.

If you would like to participate in the clean up efforts and volunteer, you need to sign up online on the Day of Service website.

Anthony Brown is a sophomore majoring in biology from Tullahoma, Tenn. He saw the tornado from the lobby of Ridgecrest West and has helped in many of the cleanup efforts. He is also planning to volunteer in the day of service.

“That kind of work is always some of the most rewarding. But especially being here and seeing the aftermath of the tornado, it’s nice to have been a part of the cleanup,” Brown said.

Brown said he likes the University’s provision of a way for students to get involved without having to find an outside group.

And when asked if he felt the University has done enough to encourage student involvement in the recovery, Brown said the University has done their part.

“I think if the student wants to get connected to that they can easily do it,” Brown said.

The UA day of service begins a week of events and remembrances that will eventually culminate in the city of Tuscaloosa’s memorial service on April 27.