GIVE Center plans 2010 events and goals
The GIVE Center at GCSU serves as a volunteer organization where students can make a difference by contributing to the community. With the help of Kendall Stiles, a GCSU staff member, and several other volunteers, the center has set many goals for this year along with numerous upcoming events.
The Purple Glove Dance is one such event scheduled for Feb. 17 from 12:30-2 p.m. at Front Campus.
Senior Jaquie Beute will be filming a Purple Glove Dance video, which will involve a large group of students and staff members. The video will be entered in a contest in order to increase cancer awareness and raise money for the American Cancer Society.
“It is a unique way to raise money and awareness for Relay for Life and is going to be a great way to showcase GCSU and its students as well,” Beute said.
The GIVE Center has also been working over the past couple of years on Stories of Service, encouraging students to write about their personal experiences with the service and how it has made a difference in their life.
The goal is to gather around 100 stories and eventually create a work similar to the popular book “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” The book, a title for which has yet to be decided on, will be used to help raise money for the GIVE Center.
“I feel it will be a great seller because it will be filled with stories by GCSU students and how they have made a difference every day in our community and throughout the state and world,” Stiles said.
Another endeavor that will be worked on this year is operating with Hands on Network and Disney Parks to select some of the service projects as Give A Day, Get A Day project, which rewards people who volunteer with one of the programs with a free day at one of Disney’s parks.
The event would not take place until the fall, but it’s a definite possibility, Stiles said. “I feel that Mickey (Mouse) will help us recruit some new volunteers and is a fantastic way to honor and celebrate volunteerism.”
One of the newest programs that the GIVE Center is planning is the GIVE Center Alternative Spring Break Service by the Sea in Savannah. The GIVE Center is looking for 15 to 30 students to sign up and participate in the program, which aims to combine a spring-break getaway for students along with community service.
In addition to events planned for this school year, the GIVE Center has also set several long-term goals.
It is working on improving the connection with alumni, trying to strengthen male participation in volunteerism by 10-25 percent, and creating a new program to help transfer students volunteer hours to their experiential transcripts.
“We have come a long way with many of our programs, however, I feel that this semester is going to be the best one we have had with some of our new programs,” Stiles said.
Posted by Sophie Singer
on Jan 29 2010. Filed under Focus On.
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