 Groups
give for holidays
by Christie Benham, Herald Staff Writer
ASU HERALD 11/25/02 -- The Holidays can be a hard
time for some Arkansas families, but some ASU student organizations
are making them easier by holding charity events that will help
those in need.
The Arkansas State Honors Association is sponsoring
the Angel Tree for the sixth year, but with a few changes. In previous
years, the Angel Tree benefited CityTeam Ministries, who would give
the donations collected to children in Jonesboro, but this year
the tree helps children in Poinsett County.
"There are so many organizations helping out
in Jonesboro, so we decided to help out the surrounding counties,"
said Sarah Dixon, coordinator of student activities for the honors
program. "Last year, CityTeam Ministries could only give us
50 kids, and people were asking us to get more kids so they can
help out. So we decided to go with Poinsett County; they were begging
for help, and they could give us a larger number of kids."
Dixon said.
The Angel Tree will help 150 kids this year, but
there will be 450 angels on the tree. Last year, each angel on the
tree had three items listed on the back that the child needed: two
clothing items and one toy. This year, those items have been broken
apart, and now each child has three separate angels on the tree.
One angel will have a shirt size, one will have a pant size, and
the other will have a toy request on it.
To donate to the tree, all students have to do
is take an angel from the tree, which is located just inside the
library doors, sign the sheet on the table next to the tree, and
bring the presents back unwrapped to LIB 103 on December 2. The
Honors Association will wrap the presents on December 3, and if
anyone wants to donate wrapping supplies, it would be greatly appreciated.
Another on-campus event is a tree lighting, sponsored
by the SAB, UAB and SGA. The tree lighting, an annual event, will
benefit the Helping Neighbors food pantry and United Way toy drive.
It will be held on November 25 in the Indian Lounge at 4 p.m., and
a reception will follow in the Ballroom.
"Student organizations are donating toys,
the faculty and staff are donating food, and students can donate
both," said April Rand, SAB president.
Also on campus, the Gamma Beta Phi Society is sponsoring
a party benefiting the Arkansas Children's Hospital. The party will
be held at the Pavilion on December 3, from 6-8 p.m., and the price
of admission is a donation.
"Donations can be card games, board games,
and toys," said Jennifer Jarrett, President of the Gamma Beta
Phi Society. "They can also be more mature items, like perfumes
or aftershave, because the Children's hospital has patients up to
age 18. This is a great opportunity to contribute to a worthy organization
and to give something to sick kids who will spend the holidays in
the hospital," Jarrett said.
If students would like to donate food for the party,
they can contact the Gamma Beta Phi Society by e-mailing gammabetaphiasu@hotmail.com.
Whatever the charity event, this is a time when
students get a chance to help someone in the community that otherwise
would go without during the holidays.
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