An opportunity to give back to the Los Angeles Community—Rose Bowl
An opportunity to give back to the Los Angeles Community—Rose Bowl, January 1, 2012
The Holden Center’s service learning program organized a day of service at the SOVA Community Food & Resource Program’ food pantry today. It was a fantastic event. UO students, staff, faculty and administrators were on hand to help fill food boxes that will later be delivered to those without enough to eat. The Duck, Oregon cheerleaders, and the Oregon Marching Band joined together at the event as well and performed the fight song and other inspirational pieces to get us ready to go. It was hard work, but well worth it.
We have participated in a service project as part of our BCS bowl trip for three years in a row. We first became aware of this incredible way to give back to the host communities from Ohio State, who graciously partnered with us at their service-learning project three years ago. We promised we would “pay it forward” every chance we could, and that is exactly what we have been doing, and will continue to do so.
Service is central to the UO’s mission, and we strive to enact our commitment in our hometown, home state, nationwide, and globally. We know how important it is to give back, regardless of the community, and in appreciation for all that we have and the privileges that many of us enjoy.
Our students really understand the importance of service. As part of our service-learning program, UO students spend thousands of hours each year serving the community. They clean up parks, plant and harvest nutritious food, care for children with special needs, raise money for important causes, provide after school recreation and tutoring, and help build affordable housing.
It was indeed a pleasure to partner with our on-field opponents, the Wisconsin Badgers, and our hosts, the Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles, to extend our commitment of service to help the hungry in our host city where one in six Angelenos are without adequate food.
A special thanks goes to Deanna Chappell Belcher, Director of the UO’s Service Learning Program (http://serve.uoregon.edu/), for coordinating the event; as well as assistance and hearty participation from: Kathie Stanley, Kathy Holmes-Sullivan, Chicora Martin, Lori Landers, Alex Notman, Brenda Tuomi, David McCandless and the whole Student Affairs team. Ben Eckstein, ASUO President and Katie Taylor, ASUO Vice President were on hand, too. I would also like to thank Lori Berquam, Dean of Students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the other Badger fans for participating with us. Hopefully, we will have another chance to assist another community next year.
