University of Richmond holiday giving efforts benefit university employees and their families, local charities and beyond
December 13, 2007
Several University of Richmond organizations and departments are conducting charitable drives to benefit people in need this holiday season.
From collecting coats to stuffing stockings, students, faculty and staff are pitching in to help fellow employees and their families, as well as children and families in greater Richmond.
Alan Loxterman, professor of English, is leading a stocking stuffing effort on behalf of the Salvation Army. Loxterman has organized a joint effort by the English honor society Sigma Tau Delta, the campus Volunteer Action Council, the financial aid office and several of his individual students in shopping to fill about 400 stockings with toys, games, books and non-perishables.
Golden Key International Honor Society is collecting gifts for patients at VCU Children's Hospital. The annual project started 10 years ago and serves some 70 children.
"We used to focus on gifts for kids up to age 10, but with recent medical advances we are now including older children that have continued to receive treatment since the conception of our program," said Max Vest, the university's director of student activities and advisor to the Golden Key chapter. The program began with several students looking for a service project and now includes students, faculty and staff.
New and gently used stuffed animals are being collected at the Robins Center for delivery to Sgt. Santa in time for the holidays. Ken Hart, athletic equipment manager, launched the growing collection effort several years ago. "I've started delivering some of the gifts to people who have made requests, but don't have transportation to come pick up their items," he said. "Every single stuffed animal that we collect means that a child can have something special this Christmas."
One campus drive benefits people outside of the greater Richmond area.
While many of her peers were focused on the festivities of the holiday season, UR senior Colleen Shutts thought about the impact of the weather on people who have no protection from the elements.
"I was thinking about how fortunate we are here at Richmond and about all of the people out there who can't even afford a regular jacket," she said.
A member of the pre-law academic fraternity Phi Alpha Delta, Shutts organized a coat collection drive, resulting in about 40 donations for people of all ages. She will take the coats home with her to Harrisburg Pa., where she will pick up additional donations from her family. Shutts will deliver the coats to a location designated by One Warm Coat, a national organization that distributes coats to people in need through Burlington Coat Factory.
Along with projects benefiting the community, two charitable drives on campus help university employees. UR Santa, organized by university services, collects gifts for children of employees. Also, food baskets are assembled for UR families in need by student development.