Option of giving yaks available this Christmas
Many people spend hours pondering the perfect gift for that certain someone who has everything and may never ask for anything. Sometimes that perfect gift can be found in the form of an alternative gift.
Alternative Gifts, a nonprofit organization that helps fund other organizations around the world, may be the perfect way to give to more than one person at a time, said Lauri Muller of Campus Ministry.
Alternative Gifts does just as its name suggests, provides an alternative to a generic gift-wrapped present. They provide help to people around the world who are in need. The giver would choose an organization or a gift that the receiver would most likely choose to donate to and gives in the receiver’s name. The receiver will get a card notifying them of the donation made in their name, Muller said.
Campus Ministry, an arm of the Faith and Fellowship Club on the USU campus, has been promoting and representing Alternative Gifts in Cache Valley for the past 15 years, However this is their first year on campus, Muller said. They have received a lot of response in the past and hope that reaching out to the student population will only increase that response. Muller said many students were interested in donating to the cause but didn’t have the money to do so today.
“I think it would be a cool gift for someone who’s into service,” said Andrea Cranney, junior in political science.
The project has been pretty successful the last few years, Muller said.
“Each year for the last three years, we have had between $13,000 and $15,000 dollars donated,” she said.
This money can benefit these organizations greatly in countries where cost and pay are low, American dollars go a long way, Muller said. She gave a few examples of how resourceful some countries are.
“I’ve seen them make wheelchairs out of lawn chairs and old bicycle tires,” Muller said.
The gifts range from many different projects in many different countries. They can benefit people as far away as Thailand and as close as the United States. The gifts themselves vary from children’s books to trees, from wheelchairs to hens. These different gifts can help all sorts from an individual in Ecuador who is able to be mobile from a wheelchair to a family who can eat due to receiving a hen.
“It’s a great way to give, to use your money to give to someone who actually needs it rather than buying more stuff for people who already have stuff,” Muller said.
The group will be in the TSC, next to the Bookstore, Friday and at the LDS church located at 125 E. 500 North from 9:30 a.m.– 2:30 p.m. Donations are accepted throughout the year and Miller can be reached for donations at lauri_jayne@yahoo.com.
–beck.turner@aggiemail.usu.edu