Service week rasies hurricane funds
Utah State University’s Val R. Christensen Service Center flooded the campus with charitable activities during this week’s annual Service Week.
This year’s slogan, “Flood of Service,” was meant to encourage students to participate in helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina. All proceeds from the activities will go to USU’s Katrina Relief Fund.
Activities included a school supply drive, bake sale, country dance, pingpong tournament, benefit concert and free Aggie ice cream during the week.
There will also be sleepover on the Quad tonight. Donation buckets will be passed around at the USU vs. University of Nevada-Las Vegas football game on Saturday.
In past years, Service Week has been planned to raise awareness of the volunteer opportunities the Service Center offers, but this year the focus was changed to aiding victims of Hurricane Katrina. Belinda Lopez, Service Center vice president, said the Service Center hopes to raise at least $1,000 in donations.
Two hundred and fifty dollars was raised at the country dance and $250 more was expected to be raised at the concert Thursday night.
Students wanting to volunteer for projects closer to home on campus signed up at the bake sale Tuesday or for free ice cream Wednesday.
“We were very successful Tuesday and Wednesday getting volunteers,” Lopez said. “Time commitment ranges from one to two hours a week, to eight hours depending on the project and the committee.”
At the concert Thursday night, a bus tour for the student service leaders was scheduled to begin. Representatives from schools all over Utah will be visiting each other’s schools to see what volunteer and service activities are going on. Chairpersons of two service committees at USU will attend the tour.
There are 16 committees in the Service Center, including Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity and Best Buddies – a program through which students can befriend people with mental disabilities.
Students can volunteer with any of the organizations.
The Service Center also held a Blood Battle earlier this month and will be sponsoring a Sub for Santa in December.
The Service Center is on the third floor of the Taggart Student Center. Students interested in contributing time or money can contact Lopez at 797-7378.