Big crowds with big hearts came out to the biggest Brock Cares in history this past weekend.

More than 200 student volunteers and 40 community partners participated in the 8^th annual Brock Cares Day of Service on Sept. 10 to give back to the Niagara community.

Many of the service projects took place indoors due to unfavourable weather, though several groups of students were able to catch some rays later in the day by heading out to a car wash.

Sarah Salt, community outreach and volunteer co-ordinator at Student Life and Community Experience, said the most rewarding part of the event was the connections that students made with each other.

“It was great to see the students come together for the community, but it was also fantastic to see that many came away from the event having made new friends,” she said.

While most of the volunteers were out in the community, many community members made their way to campus to buy and sell their items at the first Brock Bazaar.

More than 250 community members came to the Bazaar, enjoying some leisurely shopping and family-friendly activities.

“For our first time running the event, there was an overwhelming response from the community and support from all areas of campus. It really turned out to be a fantastic event, so we’re looking forward to making this a Brock Cares tradition,” said Megan Brown, Brock Leaders Citizenship Society and Golden-Key co-ordinator.

More than $500 was raised during Brock Cares and the Brock Bazaar, which will fund new Alternative Reading Week bursaries, supporting students who participate in the annual international service-learning trip.