“Be the Change” event that promotes service and honors Mahatma Gandhi.

“We are honoring the history of Gandhi’s life,” said Sheetal Patel, psychology senior and service chair of Delta Phi Omega. “We’re trying to show how one person impacted almost a million people.”

The event was hosted by Delta Phi Omega, Delta Epsilon Psi and Beta Chi Theta, and participants were primarily South Asian American students.

Patel said the event is a miniature version of “Big Event,” but focuses on honoring Gandhi’s life.

“It gives young generations a way to give back to the community, and it feels great,” Patel said.

Turnout for the event was higher than expected.

“This was better than last year,” said Sharup Karim, French and microbiology senior. “We doubled the volunteers that we had last year.”

Nusaybah Khan, biochemistry pre-medical senior and president of Delta Phi Omega, said she is happy that people were willing to get up on a Saturday to come help with the event.

“It’s a great cause, and we’re going to great places [in Norman] to go help,” Khan said. “We’re trying to give back to them as much as they have given to us.”

Some students helped Habitat for Humanity, one of the nine service sites chosen for this event, as they sorted through piles of donated items.

“It’s a good thing to help people out because there are always people in need,” said Chris Tran, business and accounting sophomore and member of Tau Kappa Omega.

Gandhi said “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” and Khan said all of the volunteers Saturday were attempting to do that.

“We were made known of ‘Be the Change’ and we wanted to do out part and help the community,” said Matt Klein, accounting and finance senior and member of Phi Sigma Pi.