Trick-or-Treat for Cans and Books is a success
Instead of getting candy for Halloween, student representtives from all seven Utah State University colleges trick-or-treated for canned food and books.
The service project was organized by Students Together Ending Poverty (STEP) and Storytellers from the Val R. Christensen Service Center along with several students from a Management and Human Resources 3110 class.
Volunteers split into groups and went into different sections of Logan Friday night and Saturday morning to trick-or-treat for books and canned food.
“We’re just going around trick or treating – instead of candy, we’re going for books and cans,” said Steve Skinner, a project coordinator for STEP who was dressed as Elvis Presley.
The project brought in a total of 4,415 cans and 957 books.
“It was a great success,” said STEP director Charlie Hennick. “Everybody did a great job. I couldn’t ask for a better project.”
Hennick wore a giant afro wig, gold chains and a brown leather jacket Friday night during the project.
“All of the student body has a chance to dress up and come join together for a good cause,” he said.
It was also a competition for each college to get the most cans and books.
The College of Business took first after they brought in 1,081 cans and 355 books and the College of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences came in a close second with 1,047 cans and 250 books.
“It was awesome. Even though it was cold and raining, people came and helped,” said Christina Guymon, who was the CEO of her MHR group. “We’re so proud of our college students.”
The trick-or-treat project is run annually by STEP. This is the first year Storytellers has joined in to gather books. Storytellers is a service center program that promotes literacy.
“I think it went really well. I feel as if this project was very successful,” said Karen Gourly, director of Storytellers.
The books will be donated to Bear River Headstart, the Child and Family Support Center and Bridgerland Literacy.
The canned goods were donated to the Food Pantry, which will give the cans to those in need.
The project finished Saturday with a party on the Taggart Student Center Patio with donuts, hot chocolate and raffle prizes for the volunteers.
“I had a great time,” Hennick said.
-joelfeathers@cc.usu.edu