Service with a smile

Campus organizations give back

by Laura Wainman, November 18, 2009

Residents of a college town are always quick to notice when their slightly louder college neighbors step out of line and engage in behavior viewed as unsatisfactory. But what often goes unnoticed are the many acts of service Elon students engage in around the community.

The motto of Elon Volunteers! is to focus on the reason behind the service and not just the service itself, which is exactly what attracted senior Andrea Medinaceli, the Kernodle Center's outreach intern, to the organization in the first place.

"I think Elon tends to come off as a rich school, and service projects are a way of showing the residents of our community that Elon students truly care," Medinaceli said. "It says we aren't just donating money because we have it, but are interested in making a difference and affecting lives."

Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, hunger is on everyone's mind. Yet little attention is paid to those who are hungry during this feasting season. But at Elon, many organizations are dedicating an entire week to promoting awareness of the hungry and homeless.

Last night the annual Will Read for Food program was held in Yeager Recital Hall, and many Elon students, faculty and staff read selections from their favorite writers. All participants and attendees brought a can of nonperishable food to be donated to the Alamance County Food Bank.

Across town, on Nov. 17 the men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. hosted a community service trip to the Allied Church of Burlington to help build beds for the homeless.

The educational week will culminate with a sleep-out on the west lawn Friday. Participants will sleep outside either in sleeping bags or cardboard boxes to show their support for ending the stigmas against the homeless. Guest speakers will be present and the documentary "Have You Seen Clem" will be shown.

Alpha Phi Omega
It is tradition for the newest brothers of the co-ed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, to plan a fundraiser, a fellowship and a service project. After raising funds for National Hunger Awareness Week at Coldstone Creamery and hosting a fellowship at CiCi's Pizza, 13 of the 17 pledges held a party at Blakey Hall, an assisted living community in Elon for the residents last Saturday.

"Activities like our Blakey Hall party are a mutual benefit to students and the community," senior APO president Julia Roberts said. "The residents get an opportunity to engage with college-age students, which truly brightens their days, and the students gain a little perspective and are taught humility — a lesson which is especially valuable for Elon students who tend to be from a higher socio-economic class than the typical Burlington resident."

Roberts said one of the most important aspects of being an active member of a community is practicing gratitude and making it an action rather than just an emotion, which is one of the reasons she joined APO.

"When students get involved it helps perpetuate a positive representation of Elon as a university whose students are not only socially aware, but also socially active," Roberts said. "Plus, Elon students are an integral part of fostering and maintaining community partnerships that have taken years to form."

While a portion of the 46 active members were entertaining the elderly residents at Blakey Hall, more of the brothers were engaging with other members of the community, such as lending assistance at PetSmart's holiday adoption weekend and participating in a Habitat for Humanity build. To cap off the weekend, the brothers of APO and sisters of ESA collaborated at the Conservators' Center for half a day on Sunday. It was an average weekend for an organization that has committed more than 900 hours of community service this semester.

Epsilon  Sigma Alpha
Epsilon Sigma Alpha is Elon's co-ed service sorority whose 30 active members dedicate hundreds of hours of community service every semester to its two philanthropies — St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and Easter Seals.

One of the biggest events for the sorority is the biannual service trip to St. Jude. Several members of ESA gave up their fall breaks this year to visit the hospital headquarters in Memphis, Tenn. The trip allows students to see first-hand the benefits of their service efforts for St. Jude.

"Our organization sends money to St. Jude's all the time and we never get to see how it is really impacting lives," said junior Brandon Landreth, president of the chapter.  "I think this trip really got our members a lot more excited about what we are doing and inspired to continue the work."

Last Friday ESA hosted its semesterly babysitting night for the children of Elon faculty and staff, designed to give the parents a night off, free of charge. Participants are told they may give a donation to St. Jude's if they wish.

"Not only is coloring with a 4-year-old relaxing, but they have wonderful insights on the world," junior service chair Linda Kurtz said. "It's a great break from college life and a nice way to thank Elon faculty and staff for all of the hard work they do by giving them a few hours to do whatever they like."

While Landreth said raising funds for St. Jude's is ESA's primary focus, it also tries to help out as much as possible in Alamance County,too.

"We want all of our members to be engaged members of their community," Landreth said.

In December the sorority will again be giving back to the community by participating in Christmas Cheer. The members will have the chance to give the gift of Christmas to one family in the Alamance community.

"We will be given the ages of the children of our family, told of their most immediate basic needs, as well as a suggestion for a fun toy they may enjoy," Landreth said. "Our members love participating in Christmas Cheer because they know they got to help make a family's Christmas a little brighter."

Landreth said he feels Elon is already doing a good job attracting engaged students, but needs to continue getting the word out about how students can get involved in the community from the moment they come to Elon.

"If you have a good experience with community service as a freshman, you are likely to continue," Landreth said.