THANKS TO CONTINUED VOLUNTEER activites such as trash collection by Student Ambassadors along Trish Knight Street in West Plains, Missouri State University-West Plains is just 2,000 hours shy of its goal for Operation 50K. The year-long community service initiative began following 2013 commencement ceremonies as a way to honor the campus’ 50th anniversary. For the past 10 months, faculty, staff, students and those with ties to the university have been recording their volunteer hours online. Ambassadors spent an hour cleaning the street on this particular day, university officials said. That hour has added up throughout the year for the Ambassadors, who pick up trash once a week during fall and spring semesters and every other week during the summer session, officials added. University officials encourage eligible volunteers to continue recording their hours so that the 50,000-hour goal can be met by commencement May 17. For more information about Operation 50K and how to record hours, visit http://blogs.wp.missouristate.edu/volunteer/. From left are Coordinator of Admissions Melissa Jett; Ambassadors Ashley Howell and Shelby Harris, both of West Plains, Myriah Mestas of Poplar Bluff, Trevor Cressman and Brady Peterson, both of West Plains, and Tori Porter of Greenville; Recruitment Specialist Rachel Peterson; Ambassadors Heather Morrison of Fair Play, Tyler Tooley of Mountain Grove and Cody Skidmore of Conway; and Admission Counselor Dakota Bates. (Missouri State-West Plains Photo)