Every fall and spring, Texas Lutheran University students, faculty, and staff set aside a Saturday to come together and do some good by giving their time and energy to a wide range of local volunteer projects—a thank-you in action from the university to its community. But the outcomes of the day stretch far beyond the scope of the work completed.
“H.O.T. Dogs Day (Helping Others Together) is important because it brings the heart of servant leadership to life,” said Dr. Pamela Ray, TLU director of service learning and the Jon & Sandra Moline Center for Servant Leadership. “Our students are not simply volunteering for a few hours; they are building relationships, learning about the needs of our neighbors, and discovering how their time and talents can make a meaningful difference. At the same time, our community partners help educate our students in ways that extend beyond the classroom. It is a true partnership—TLU serving alongside our community, learning together, and strengthening the place we all call home.”
H.O.T. Dogs Day serves as a reminder that while one person can do a lot, when people join together, they can make a huge difference. Nearly two hundred TLU students woke up early on Saturday, September 19, and headed out to give their time and efforts for a morning of service at ten different community partner sites throughout Seguin and the surrounding community.
They took on a variety of projects at local nonprofits—places like Emanuel’s Lutheran Church’s Garden of Eatin’, LULAC Community Garden, and Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church. They pitched in with the popular “Clean with the Dean” project right on the TLU campus.
“Students also worked with Community Cycles, which repairs and restores bicycles for members of the community, also at Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church; supported seniors at Eden Court Senior Apartments; volunteered with Trails End Animal Rescue in New Braunfels; and partnered with Habitat for Humanity on a wall build for a local residence,” said Ray.
They spent their morning weeding and planting, painting and cleaning, repairing and building—in short, helping.
“Together, these projects reflected the fall 2026 theme, ‘Rise and Shine Through Service,’ demonstrating how Bulldogs can make a tangible impact while developing a deeper understanding of community, service, and servant leadership,” said Ray.
“We truly could not have accomplished the scope of this work without their service and support,” said Natalia Almquist, who is a member of the congregation at Emanuel’s Lutheran Church and serves on the church’s council as well as the Emanuel’s Lutheran Day School council, in addition to her role as marketing generalist at TLU. “These students were not there because they had to be. They showed up with heart, determination, and a genuine willingness to serve. Their work ethic was exceptional, and they consistently went above and beyond what was expected. Their efforts made a meaningful and lasting impact, and we are sincerely thankful for the time, energy, and care they invested in our church and community.
TLU has been organizing fall and spring days of service for the past twenty years, carrying forward a legacy of giving back, and turning out students who take to heart the value of serving others.
