Valentine Party and Food Drive In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, UF students sent their love to local Findlay residents. On Feb. 7, 2008, numerous faculty, staff, and students came to the AMU Lounge to create Valentine cards for long-term care patients at Fox Run Manor or donate needed items to Chopin Hall and City Mission. After contributing to the cause, students enjoyed hot chocolate and heart-shaped cookies. This Valentine Party and Food Drive, co-sponsored by the Campus Compact Special Events Committee and Student Activities and Commuter Student Services, brought in over 300 donated items and 46 Valentine cards. While Fox Run Manor, Chopin Hall, and City Mission benefited, students also left with an understanding of the importance of random acts of kindness. Freshman occupational therapy major Katie Wilburn stated that “the Valentine's Party and Food Drive was a great event, which allowed students to have the opportunity to make someone else's day. It is the little things that matter most in life and I believe the outcomes of this event will bring much happiness to those in need."
Coats Warm the Hearts of Findlay Residents
The University of Findlay campus community joined together to contribute in many ways to Hancock County’s Coats for Christmas event. The Special Events Committee of the Campus Compact board coordinated a successful Coats for Christmas collection drive November 26-30, 2007. This collection drive with the Physical Therapy Organization (helped with public relations for the event) and Alpha Sigma Phi (helped with daily collection of coats) was a huge success! The University of Findlay campus community donated a total of 93 coats, 25 hats, and 52 pairs of gloves during the collection campaign. In addition, the Special Events Committee members organized a one-day fundraiser during which a total of $202 was donated by the UF campus community. This money was used to buy an additional 54 hats and 100 pairs of gloves. University of Findlay student volunteers helped throughout the community event as well. Volunteers from the Student Occupational Therapy Association assisted City Laundry in cleaning the donated coats. Alpha Sigma Phi and Cheerleading assisted with scaffolding and coat set-up before the event. The Physical Therapy Organization and the Student Occupational Therapy Association assisted with distribution of hats and mittens and manning the Kids Corner during the event. Thank you to everyone who donated to and/or volunteered with this incredible event!
Students Share Thanksgiving Dinner with Seniors
On November 15, two generations gathered in Henderson Dining Hall for the third annual “Bring a Senior Friend to Thanksgiving Dinner.” This event, co-sponsored by Campus Dining Services and Campus Compact, allowed University of Findlay students to share dinner with a senior citizen volunteer from Hancock County. Volunteers from both CHOPIN Hall and Hancock Christian Clearing House were invited to participate.
Crystal Jones, Campus Compact Coordinator, stated, “These community volunteers were invited for a myriad of reasons, including showcasing The University of Findlay’s student population by allowing them to interact with local community volunteers, giving students the opportunity to interact with seniors who model active citizen engagement, and sharing The University of Findlay’s gratitude for our guests’ service to our local community.”
Over 50 students were paired with a senior guest. These student volunteers were comprised of students from Kathy Grant’s Social Problems class, Patti Berton’s The Aging Process class, Student Occupational Therapy Association, Black Student Union, Habitat for Humanity, and other organizations. The matched pair of student and guest enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving dinner together. While feasting on the meal, the student and senior were able to learn more about each other.
It was a beneficial experience for the seniors because they were able to meet local college students and hear about their lives. One senior guest expressed, “It was a pleasure talking with the young people. We hear so much bad news about our youth; but if we take time to talk and listen, we soon realize there is a lot of good to be said about them.” University of Findlay students also found the experience rewarding because they were surrounded by an age group that they do not see very often on the college campus. Julie Wieging stated, “I enjoyed eating and chatting with the seniors, especially because all my grandparents are deceased. It was a nice experience, and I hope they enjoyed my company as much as I enjoyed their company.”
Students Make a Difference with Campus Compact! Every month Campus Compact will devote a Saturday to service and reflection. This opportunity allows the office to start re-scheduling the Orientation Service Projects that were cancelled in August due to the flood. Katie McGee, the AmeriCorps VISTA and coordinator of this project, stated “there were many organizations that were counting on the freshman help, so I am glad we found an alternative way to meet their needs.”
This past Saturday, October 27 was not only the first Sweet Service Saturday, but also Make a Difference Day. University of Findlay students were transported to Hope Temple early in the morning to help with landscaping and cleaning. Upon arrival, the students were greeted warmly by Pastor Claire Mortensen. The work that was to be done by the freshman in August had not yet been completed. Throughout the morning, students not only made a difference by cleaning and organizing the parsonage’s barn and the church’s property, but also made new friends as they worked as a team to complete these tasks.
After the service, students were invited back to the Alumni Memorial Union to eat pizza, drink pop, and reflect on their experience. Many students expressed the importance of what they did for Pastor and Mrs. Mortensen. One of the students, Alicia Aldrich stated, "The jobs that we did seemed small, but for one person or two people the work wouldn't have been done. It feels great to know that I made their lives so much easier." The Mortensen’s thanked the volunteers, “On behalf of the members of Hope Temple Church, we would like to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for all the industrious and willing hands that came to help.” By hearing these positive responses from students and our community partners, the Campus Compact staff feels that the first Sweet Service Saturday was a success.
Campus Compact encourages students and student organizations to take part in the next Sweet Service Saturday in January. If you are interested or want more information, please contact Katie McGee, AmeriCorps VISTA, at extension 4462 or mcgeek@findlay.edu.
KAKE Ambassadors Volunteer Throughout the month of September, Japanese students from the 2007 UF-KAKE Ambassador Program have experienced American culture in a variety of ways. Part of their experience included learning about and taking part in service-learning.
After listening to a service-learning presentation by Crystal Jones, coordinator of UF’s Campus Compact Center for Service and Learning, the students were ready to help their new community. On Saturday, September 8, UF-KAKE Ambassadors and UF students volunteered alongside each other at a Mobile Food Pantry, co-sponsored by CHOPIN Hall and Findlay Evangelical Free Church.
According to Dr.Hiro Kawamura, by helping and observing people in need, the students were able to “learn by doing”. Dr. Kawamura incorporated service into the program because he feels, “It doesn't make sense to learn about volunteerism without participating in an actual service project. I also wanted students to experience Findlay, beyond The University of Findlay campus, through the window of volunteering."
In addition to volunteering, the students were able to reflect on social service programs in America (including food stamps, child support, and the role of the church in service) in comparison to programs in Japan. Students discussed the lack of healthy food available to people in poverty and the reasons for poverty in Hancock County.
One Japanese student shared that “I have volunteered by picking up trash and tutoring children in Japan, but I have never met someone’s most basic need of hunger.”
Another student reflected, “In Japan, we have a different view of people in poverty. I am wondering why we have that view and why we can’t do something like this (Mobile Food Pantry) in our country.”
With these reflections, it was evident that learning through service took place. Crystal Jones saw this project as a success because “it not only allowed these students to serve their new community for the short time they were here, but also introduced them to social services and programs in the United States. They had the opportunity to serve, while learning through observation, reflection, and dialogue."
Giving Back to their New Community What do you do if you arrive on campus a few weeks before classes begin? For a group of International MBA students, they chose to do community service to benefit their new home. In collaboration with Dr. Scott Freehafer, Campus Compact staff organized two days of service during the week after Labor Day. On Tuesday, September 4, the students helped put together 300 piggy bank milk cartons for Hancock Saves. The second day of service, Thursday, September 6, students assembled educational materials for the Women’s Resource Center. Not only did these International students serve their new community, but they were also able to make new friends going through the same experience as themselves.
