The fifth annual Jana Mackey Day of Service brought together community members and Fort Hays State University students and staff to honor the life of a women’s rights advocate.

Jana Mackey grew up in Hays and graduated from Hays High School in 2000.  She was killed by her former boyfriend in 2008, in Lawrence.  Mackey had just finished her first year of law school at K-U.

Her mother is Dr. Christi Brungardt, FHSU Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies.

“We had four different service projects underway in the basement of Wiest Hall,” said Brungardt.

“Volunteers packaged 300 bags of personal supplies of soap, toothpaste, deodorant, which were donated to us.  We took them to the Community Assistance Center which is always in short supply of this kind of stuff for their clients,” she said.

More volunteers found an unused corner of Chuck’s Place to write thank-you notes via social media which were sent to members of Congress supporting recent passage of the “Violence Against Women Act.”

The other two service projects involved making cards to be sent to “Hugs for Hopes” for children, and distribution of informational fliers around Hays from several non-profit organizations.