Toni Steffens
The Paw Print
Many individuals and clubs from Adams State College spent most of their Saturday volunteering at San Luis Valley organizations for ASC Cares Day.
Students and some staff and faculty from the college went out to local organizations to help establish sustained relationships between the college and these groups.
Elizabeth Bosworth of the ASC Student Life Center said that over 200 students showed up for the day. Last year the number of students participating was nearly the same. In previous years, student groups were required to take part in the day. This year the groups could earn points for student senate, but were not required to participate.
Local groups were encouraged to submit their projects for ASC Cares Day, and eighteen groups signed up for volunteers. Students were able to start the day with a breakfast at 8 a.m. before heading out to their projects. Once they returned from volunteering, they were welcomed to take part in lawn games, a dunk tank, and pizza provided by the ASC Cares committee. Committee members Wendy Hemiger, Aaron Miltenberger, Rodney Martinez, Joe Kelso, Shirley Atencio, Kendall Cements, A.J. Webb, Rick Esquibel, Ashley Grover, and Elizabeth Bosworth represented the ASC staff, local community members, and students in organizing projects and the celebration.
The Sci-Fi Club and others from Student Housing volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Creede. The Sci-Fi Club chose the project because they saw that no one else had signed up for it, and the students from housing were interested in a project that involved construction. The house was started in the middle of July and volunteers Saturday were able to help with framing.
Those who have been working at the house since its beginning were very glad to have “young bodies” there to help them. Habitat for Humanity works to provide simple, decent, affordable housing with the belief that it is a good foundation for their future.
La Puente Home gave volunteers an opportunity to help with gleaning. They collected potatoes left over after harvest. All of the food was given to La Puente’s food bank. Other volunteers helped cook and set up for La Puente’s Homeless Organization Promoting Education (H.O.P.E.) week.
The Haidakhandi Universal Ashram also asked people to help prepare food and also to make crowns and veils and to help collect fire wood. Many groups spent the day at clean up projects for Model United Nations, Sacred Heart Parish, ASC Cares road clean up, Conour Animal Shelter, and Mi Animo Prevention SLVCCMHC.
Other organizations that submitted projects for the day included the SLV BLM, Valley Humane League, Blue Peaks Developmental Services, Tu Casa, Inc., Colorado Gators, and the Sargent, Monte Vista, and Center school districts.
Bosworth said that the day went very smoothly and as of Monday afternoon, she had heard from Tu Casa and La Puente who were both really pleased with the help they received during ASC Cares Day.
In the effort to create sustained relationships with the groups, the school will be holding a celebration for volunteers sometime in the spring. Many of the students already have volunteer positions in the community and ASC Cares is a way to encourage that as well as to get more people involved.
Contact information for all of the organizations involved in ACS Cares Day is available from the Student Life Center and through the individual organizations.
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