Service During the Season and Beyond

Amber Will, a political science major from Wausau, Wisconsin, shares about Valpo service opportunities at Christmas and throughout the year:

In the spirit of Christmas, we often take time to reflect on all the blessings bestowed upon us. This usually becomes a reflection also on the advantages many of us share when compared to families around the world. Whether we drop a few coins in the red container because the man outside is ringing his bell loudly or we buy a few extra groceries to donate to the food pantry, Christmastime is regarded as a season for giving – no matter how small. Here at Valpo, we join in this charitable spirit through many different aspects of campus life.
There are buy in levels for getting meals in the Union, but there are quite a few students that do not spend all of their money. So it isn’t wasted, there are ways to donate extra meal card money to one of the food pantries in Valparaiso. Just as an example of how much money this can add up to, one semester brought in eleven thousand dollars for Hilltop House! The generosity of giving just a few dollars can add up to packed pantries. There is also a project on campus called Adopt a Family. Looking back at Christmas, I remember running to wake up my parents in order to open up the presents underneath the tree. However, not all kids have this luxury. Adopt a Family allows different organizations on campus to raise money and buy presents for a family in need. This is especially helpful with the economic downturn many parents are facing. There are so many ways to get involved in the giving season at Valparaiso University.
But we don’t stop there. The community here doesn’t just want to donate and help others during this freezing season. Many organizations do countless philanthropy hours and raise money for various charities and foundations. The Social Action Leadership Team (SALT) run though the chapel does a semester long fundraiser called the World Relief Campaign. This entails adopting a project from some corner of the world and fundraising around campus and the community to raise money to complete it. In years past there have been donations made for educational programs in Jakarta, water pipelines in rural China, and a nutritional program implemented in Uganda. This year, the group is focusing on raising twelve thousand dollars to build a foster home on an orphanage’s property on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua. The government is closing down orphanages and sending all of the children back to potentially unfit families, so to combat the legislation the orphanage is building foster homes on the property so that the children can stay in a safe environment. The funding will provide one house that can hold up to five children. The entire campaign will run throughout the semester extending the season of giving up to the summer months. Valpo is truly a place where students can get involved and make a difference not only in the community but around the world.