Purdue students in Harrison Hall make holidays merrier
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Students who live and work in Purdue University's Harrison Residence Hall have been donating their time, talents and money to ensure that local children and families as well as soldiers stationed in Iraq have happier holidays.Two large boxes of Christmas gifts collected by the Harrison Hall Cavalier Club will be delivered this weekend by the Salvation Army to a Lafayette single mother who is supporting three children. The gifts include remote control cars, dolls, games, winter clothes, coloring books and art supplies.
"The Salvation Army gave us a list of the items the children wanted and we did our best to make them happy," said club president Morgan McFarland, a sophomore in the College of Health Sciences from Warren, Ind. "This was an excellent opportunity for the club to fulfill its mission of getting students involved with their surrounding community."
Prior to Thanksgiving, the club members also made and delivered 10 blankets to the Salvation Army.
"Young people stepping forward like this is crucial as we attempt to meet the needs of hundreds of families in this community," said Maj. Robert Meyer, local corps commander of the Salvation Army. "Everybody pitching in converts fears that we will miss people into warm joy all around."
On Dec. 7, the club members brought a bus full of needy Cole Elementary School students to Harrison Hall for a party that included a viewing of "A Charlie Brown Christmas," snacks, crafts and Christmas gifts for the children including footballs, dolls and games from the Purdue students.
Cole Principal Mike Pinto said each child was very appreciative and was pleased that his students got an opportunity to experience the university environment, something he hopes inspires his students to achieve academic success. Pinto said the day was a win-win situation that embodied the kind of service learning principles professional educators stress.
"These Purdue students are not aspiring teachers, they are just students with big hearts who made a difference," he said. "It was a great day for Harrison Hall, Purdue University and Cole Elementary."
On Dec. 19, Annette Brown, Harrison's residential life manager, mailed two 30-pound boxes of gifts and goodies to two soldiers stationed in Iraq that the hall's resident assistants adopted through the organization Soldiers' Angels. The gift packages included Christmas cards, cereal, snack bars, baby wipes, lip balm, disposable cameras, first aid and toiletry items, and pairs of pantyhose that are used as netting to keep bugs out of the tents.
"We just wanted to make sure the soldiers have the stuff they need or are used to having but can't get over there," said the project leader Natalie Tobey, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts from Hebron, Ind.
Resident assistant Justin Lewis, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts from Lafayette, Ind., also donated items to the soldiers.
"The soldiers are laying it all on the line for us," he said. "This is the least any of us should be willing to do for them."
Writer: Jim Schenke, (765) 494-6262, jschenke@purdue.edu
Sources: Annette Brown, (765) 494-2640, abbrown@purdue.edu
Morgan McFarland, (260) 433-2651, mmcfarl@purdue.edu
Mike Pinto, (765) 523-2141, mpinto@tsc.k12.in.us
Natalie Tobey, (219) 241-0022, ntobey@purdue.edu
Justin Lewis, (765) 543-1138, jtlewis@purdue.edu
Robert Meyer, (765) 742-0006, robert_meyer@usc.salvationarmy.org
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Related Web site:Purdue University Residences
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