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SNOW 2004 |
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In Hampton Roads, snow is a rarity. However, this January snowfall graced the campus of Virginia Wesleyan College twice. On Jan. 9, during Winter Session, and Jan. 25, the day before spring classes began, students enjoyed the unexpected but welcomed winter weather. |
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| Photo by REBECCA DESJARDINS The Monumental Chapel was covered with snow on Jan. 9. |
Photo by SUSAN ROBERTSON Junior Rebecca Dawson makes an angel in the snow outside of Clarke Hall on Jan. 25. |
Building houses, recycling, tutoring, feeding the hungry and serving the community - these are the mantras of the Virginia Wesleyan College Service Clubs. These are also the foundations of the Community Service Office. The students who spend their free time in service through these clubs are not only changing the face of the college but that of Hampton Roads as well. The members of Habitat for Humanity are changing the living situation of residents of the seven cities by upholding the motto of “a decent house in a decent community for God's people in need.”
Wesleyan has joined forces with four other local colleges and universities to form a Higher Education Build. This force has been successful in securing almost all the funds needed to construct a house for a needy family in the Norfolk area. Junior Mary Douglas, co-president of Habitat, reflects on the fundraising experience. "It has been a long, rough road, but people have come together right when we needed them to," she said. "We have taken it one goal, one step and one day at a time."
The most recent fundraising effort is a local concert billed as "Homegrown 2004." The idea for the show is literally a one-man effort. "One guy named Jessi started it all," Douglas said. "[He] worked at the NorVa and approached them about hooking up with Habitat and the build." The proceeds for the event will directly benefit the build and will be placed into the general funds. Douglas is confident that this and other fundraising efforts will allow them to meet the building deadline of May 2004.
"If the funds come, I am completely confident that it will be completed," Douglas said. "We have the manpower and the labor, but we need the money." Workdays for the house begin this month. Wesleyan's chapter of Habitat is excited about the experience and will continue to work tirelessly to make this dream come true. S.E.A.L. (the Student Environmental Awareness League) has successfully revived the campus-wide recycling program this year. In conjunction with SIPSA, S.E.A.L. has secured four 90-gallon bins to be used for the collection of glass, plastic and paper. These bins are located in dorms and campus offices and are to be emptied weekly. The collections are going better than expected – S.E.A.L. fights weekly to keep up with the vast amounts of recyclables.
The organization continues to be a leading force in the importance of environmental awareness here at Wesleyan. Along with recycling, they also plan monthly Waterway Cleanups. The next is scheduled for Feb. 22. Any interested student may donate time and/or items to S.E.A.L. in cooperation with their activities. The Community Service Office is not only interested in shelter and the environment but in people as well. This is where service clubs like Circle K and IMAGINE shine like stars.
Circle K (part of Kiwanis International) has worked at Wesleyan since 1987 to make "children of the world priority one." The K’ers sponsor a weekly tutoring program for elementary students at the Heritage United Methodist Church (located on Baker Road). They work with the participants on reading, spelling and math skills. The program has been a roaring success with veterans and newcomers alike. Junior Shani Green is new to the program and excited about continuing to be a part.
"It is so rewarding," she said. "It took me back to when I used to tutor in high school. I felt like I really accomplished something with the kids. I loved it." The students not only enjoy meeting and spending time with the kids but realize the importance of programs such as these. "It gives us the opportunity to make a change in a child's life," she added. "It's like that quote ‘It takes a village to raise a child' – it is so true." The newest quest for Circle K is hunger awareness. Last semester brought a 12-hour fast and service fair called Starving to Serve as well as the selling of hunger chains to raise money for the hungry/homeless of Hampton Roads. The event was a success, and Circle K hopes to continue its efforts to eliminate hunger. The club has been recognized by local organizations and Kiwanis International for its hard work and commitment to a cause.
The IMAGINE Spring Break program brings together a select group of students who are willing to give up seven days of fun and sun to serve the less fortunate. Past trips have included hurricane cleanup in La Plata, Md. as well as service in local homeless shelters through the Youth Services Opportunities Program in New York, N.Y. This year's team is returning to a program favorite, Rising Hope United Methodist Mission in Alexandria, Va. Team members plan to assist with weekly feeding and grocery delivery programs and preparing for the mission's move to its new location.
Students are drawn to this experience for various reasons. Sophomore Kimberly Shumate shares her decision-making process. "I have always enjoyed community service," Shumate said. "This sounded like an excellent experience, and I wanted to help others." Members of the team recognize that it takes specific strengths to provide help in these situations. Shumate knows hers and expects to learn more. "I am a good listener and organizer," Shumate said. "I hope to get an idea of what this population is going through and how they still make the most of it. I just want to learn from them."
The Community Service Office plays host to organizations that have opened the floodgate of service not only to this community but others around the state and country. While professors aim to educate with textbooks and past experiences, the Community Service Office aims to create engaged citizens out of these newly educated individuals. They have employed these service opportunities and many more to open students' minds to the world beyond Wesleyan. Building houses, recycling, tutoring, feeding the hungry and service to the community. These are more than the foundations of the Community Service Office. They are the planks that bridge the office to the campus community and the world.
For more information on the service clubs, contact the following:
- Habitat for Humanity, Mary Douglas (medouglas@vwc.edu)
- S.E.A.L., Michelle Rowe (mlrowe@vwc.edu)
- Circle K, Jessica Tibbetts (jatibbetts@vwc.edu)
- IMAGINE, Linda De Rosa (ljderosa@vwc.edu)
- General Information, Diane Hotaling (dhotaling@vwc.edu)
Site created and maintained by Linda De Rosa.