Pat Kenney
Staff Writer
For four years, Melissa Milich and the student leaders of LTC (Leadership Training Conference) have been waiting for a moment to give back to their community.
On Dec. 2, their hard work and patience will come to fruition.
“It has been a four year process to really see something like this happen” commented Milich. “I found out about #GivingTuesday when I was home for the summer.”
#GivingTuesday is a day where people from across the world join together for one purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.
It was founded in 2012 by New York’s 92nd street Y and the United Nations Foundation. Since then, the movement has reached over 10,000 organizations worldwide.
Following up Cyber Monday may seem like a daunting task, but all #GivingTuesday is asking people to do is give, no matter how big or how small. Give time, a tweet, laughs, smiles, a handshake, help, hope, donations or anything you can think of, just give.
“I loved the ambiguity of it. It seemed perfect for LTC to take on because it gave us so many options,” continued Milich.
Spring boarding around ideas is the whole concept of #GivingTuesday.
“What has really taken off is that the eight board members came up with their own contribution into what (#GivingTuesday) is going to be on campus,” stated Angela Veatch, the advisor for LTC. “Each one of them has brought an idea to the table that has led them to shape what Dec. 2 will be.”
As soon as the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 1, the giving begins. Melissa and the LTC leaders will be in charge of collecting school supplies, new socks and canned goods, as well as running booths in Cheney, the Wellness Center and the Union.
“The school supplies will go to a local school, the socks to a local homeless shelter and the canned goods to a local food pantry,” said Milich.
Along with those drives, each booth set up around campus will have pledge banners, thank you cards (to be sent to anyone in the Springfield College community) and the game FreeRice.com, which is aimed to educate and to help feed the hungry.
Residence Life has gotten in on the action as well, with International and Abbey Hall, the Townhouses and Senior Suites running their own drives. The senior living section will be hosting a can/bottle drive where the Adopt-A-Family organization will receive half the money brought in.
International Hall has partnered with Operation Gratitude, an organization that sends care packages to the United States soldiers fighting over seas. Their mission is to lift the spirits and give back to those serving our country.
Abbey Hall plans to make wool bracelets that will be donated to animal shelters in the Springfield Area. With everything going on around campus, the simplicity of #GivingTuesday can be lost.
“There are a variety of ways to give back. Some of the best ways [to give] are reaching out and communicating with people,” said Veatch. “This isn’t just a one day thing, it should be part of a separate initiative (whether it’s your own, a clubs, etc.) to give back every day of the year.”
That is exactly what #GivingTuesday stands for. It provides the spark for all to give back the rest of the year and beyond.
On Thanksgiving, we give thanks. On Black Friday, we get deals. On Cyber Monday, we get online. On #GivingTuesday, it’s time to give back.
What a great idea yet so simple and powerful!