Spring Break
RHA in the giving mood for the holidays
Organization encourages participation in Relay for Life, charities
Wil Lyons/Staff Reporter
Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: News
At RHA's meeting Thursday, the association focused on charitable events that permeate Eastern this time of year.
The most familiar of these events was the initial planning for the 2009 Relay for Life. Eastern participates in the event every year - last year's event raised more than $60,500 for cancer awareness and research. The goals for the 2009 event are even higher, with a combined total of more than $70,000.
Maria Cesario, the vice president of the Colleges Against Cancer contingent at Eastern, aside from talking about the Relay event at Eastern, highlighted another charity that she hopes gets the attention of the campus community-Heifer International.
Heifer International is a charity that works to benefit the lower income families of third world countries.
Instead of offering money to people, Heifer International instead gives the family an animal that the family can use to produce food for sustenance or some profit. On occasion, the company gives two farm animals so that they can reproduce and the family can start their own farming operation, Cesario said.
This alternative allows families another option out of poverty, instead of giving them income that can easily be taxed, stolen or squandered, she said.
Sophomore elementary education major Samantha Richter said the poor are not the only ones in need of charity.
Richter helped spearhead a campus-wide campaign to provide support for American soldiers abroad.
Instead of financial donations, the campaign seeks to provide a sense of home to military personnel around the globe, she said. The primary item donated to this endeavor will be letters to the soldiers.
"Letters are the number one most requested item," Richter said. "They give the soldiers a sense of home."
The letters and approved donations are due by Dec. 16. Richter encouraged anyone interested in getting involved or donating to email her at slrichter@eiu.edu.
RHA also discussed the current can food drive that is taking place in the residence halls.
All proceeds are going to the Charleston Food Pantry, and the hall with the most donations will have a donation given in the hall's name.
After the first collection, only 125 items have been received; however, more collection dates are to come.
Wil Lyons can be reached at 581-7942 or at dennewsdesk@gmail.com.
The most familiar of these events was the initial planning for the 2009 Relay for Life. Eastern participates in the event every year - last year's event raised more than $60,500 for cancer awareness and research. The goals for the 2009 event are even higher, with a combined total of more than $70,000.
Maria Cesario, the vice president of the Colleges Against Cancer contingent at Eastern, aside from talking about the Relay event at Eastern, highlighted another charity that she hopes gets the attention of the campus community-Heifer International.
Heifer International is a charity that works to benefit the lower income families of third world countries.
Instead of offering money to people, Heifer International instead gives the family an animal that the family can use to produce food for sustenance or some profit. On occasion, the company gives two farm animals so that they can reproduce and the family can start their own farming operation, Cesario said.
This alternative allows families another option out of poverty, instead of giving them income that can easily be taxed, stolen or squandered, she said.
Sophomore elementary education major Samantha Richter said the poor are not the only ones in need of charity.
Richter helped spearhead a campus-wide campaign to provide support for American soldiers abroad.
Instead of financial donations, the campaign seeks to provide a sense of home to military personnel around the globe, she said. The primary item donated to this endeavor will be letters to the soldiers.
"Letters are the number one most requested item," Richter said. "They give the soldiers a sense of home."
The letters and approved donations are due by Dec. 16. Richter encouraged anyone interested in getting involved or donating to email her at slrichter@eiu.edu.
RHA also discussed the current can food drive that is taking place in the residence halls.
All proceeds are going to the Charleston Food Pantry, and the hall with the most donations will have a donation given in the hall's name.
After the first collection, only 125 items have been received; however, more collection dates are to come.
Wil Lyons can be reached at 581-7942 or at dennewsdesk@gmail.com.
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