COLUMN: Rally around the cameras
So, in case you haven’t heard, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is here in Logan, and if you haven’t heard, which rock have you been hiding under?
This is a great opportunity for Cache Valley. I have always thought there is a very compassionate group of people living here, people who really care about their neighbors.
When the floods came last spring, I was thrilled with the number of people, especially USU students, who traveled to the south end of the valley and helped sandbag. And I have always been impressed with the kinds of service projects the university takes on, such as Operation Smile, Best Buddies, S.T.A.R., the blood battle and Sub for Santa. These kinds of activities are worthy undertakings of which I’m proud to be a part.
But here we are again, at the beginning of a major service project, and we are trying to rally the troops. The only difference: this time the Cache Valley service project will be televised.
That’s fun. I just hope we don’t lose sight of the goal.
A few things to keep in mind: First of all, this family is very deserving. Notice, I said deserving, not needy. It’s a family of one mom, nine children and one nephew. It’s a family who works hard at four separate self-started businesses to keep life going. It’s a family who recently lost a loved one. It’s a family who is the first to offer service and the last to ask for help.
I don’t tell you this to invoke pity of any kind, but to let you know these people we are trying to help are more than worthy of our service. And, to bring up my second point, this project is about them. Yes, it is exciting that out of all the worthy families out there, ABC chose to come to Logan. We are grateful. But because now, one of our own will be helped in a way we couldn’t help them before or maybe never thought to.
My last thought is more of a plea. Get involved, and do it for the right reasons. This week there will be hundreds of opportunities to help, and not just at the building site. There are clothing, school supply and blood drives happening on campus for the people in Tonga. There is a benefit concert Wednesday night. There are raffles, drawings and activities. Keep your eyes out in the TSC. Sign up, buy tickets and give what you can.
I know that money is often tight for college students. Between gas for the car, groceries and stuff for school, there is a lot of penny-pinching going on. But can we really not afford to give just a little bit? Skip Wendy’s this week. Don’t hit the movies. Walk instead of drive. We can all save a little bit, and a little can help a lot.
So jump on. Cache Valley is a great place to live. There are good people here. If we must show the world, let’s paint an accurate picture. Let’s show them Logan knows how to do service the old-fashioned way, straight from the heart.
Mikaylie Kartchner is a senior majoring in journalism. Comments can be sent to mikayliek@cc.usu.edu.