Highlights

Campus News

Wildcat Weekly Minute for Nov. 17, 2011

A look at what's happening on campus this week.

Faith

Cleansed through the Cross

Dr. Quarles speaks on the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice at weekly chapel

Sports

LC hoops teams wrap up homestand with pair of wins

Off to Ozarks, UT-Dallas next

Organizations

LC media student give to Toys for Tots

More than 100 toys will help local charity

Campus Life

February is Heart Health Awareness Month

Stay healthy and 'God Red'

Culture

All the Shakespeare you could laugh at… and more!

tlc's adaptation of 'Shakespeare Abridged' pulls out all the stops

Special Coverage

LC brings another successful ‘Follow the Star’

'Christmas on the Hill' and 'Gala' add to festive weekend

Freshmen class serves community

by Nicole Richmond

For the first time in Louisiana College history, the entire freshmen class particpated in a community-wide service project.

In keeping with the Christian spirit of Louisiana College, this year’s incoming freshmen participated in a service project, which aided many across the Alexandria/Pineville community.

“People often think of volunteering as giving more than receiving, but it’s both,” said Dr. David Britt, President of the United Way of Central Louisiana.

College Connection 100, also known as CC100, is an orientation class for incoming freshmen and some transfer students. Each class is paired with two upperclassmen, known as Student Orientation Staff, who help the students adjust to college life.

“Part of the CC100 course is to help us get acclimated to LC and they did that by teaching us about different people on campus and such; but the project does fit the theme of CC100 because, being part of different activities like band and Chorale, we do service projects and we do community service,” said Seth Thompson, freshmen theatre major from Columbia, LA. “And CC100 making us do it helps us get used to the fact that LC does do service projects and LC does do community service and you will have more opportunities and more chances to do stuff like that as you are here at LC.”

The idea for the project initially came from Lauren Johnson, wife of Director of Student Activities, Eric Johnson, at a planning meet last spring, according to Dr. Wade Warren, Assistant Dean of the College and host of the meeting.

“Hopefully the exposure will ignite interest in some of the students to continue working with these organizations,” Dr. Warren said.

In order to organize the projects, Dr. Warren turned to Dr. David Britt and United Way. The organization played a vital role in connecting agencies in need of volunteers with the college.

“I eagerly told Wade that we could be happy to arrange all the projects because we have connections with almost all the agencies in the community,” Dr. Britt said.

After months of planning, the service project was fully organized and served as the culmination of the class. The students met in front of Alexandria Hall on a sunny Friday afternoon, were divided into eight groups and then left for various locations with their SOS leaders.



The freshmen spent the next few hours volunteering at Red Cross, Salvation Army, the food bank, Shepherd Center, Families Helping Families, Hope House, T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum and Volunteers of America.

“Families Helping Families seemed to have it well in hand. Students were making great progress building a walking path,” Dr. Britt said. “The Red Cross had several students doing different things, but the ones I saw were doing some great work helping Red Cross make the move to their new building. I know the Red Cross was very happy about that.”

The activities varied depending on the location, but many of the students assisted the locations in completing projects that cannot fit into the usual schedule. At the Salvation Army, students converted a consignment building for it’s next purpose. They took down clothing racks, organized boxes and even painted a parking lot, according to Megan Decoteau, freshmen journalism major from St. Amant, LA.

Some students painted, some built bridges and some organized boxes, but all the students spent the afternoon meeting important needs, even if in a seemingly small way.



“We served at Families Helping Families and built a ramp onto a bridge,” Thompson said. “It was a bridge over a ditch, because we were putting down landscaping logs across an entire new walkway they had just formed … and when they got to the bridge part they needed to build a ramp so if someone was in a wheelchair they could be rolled over it.”

In addition to serving the community, the service project also fostered the growth of unity among the freshmen class. Because the groups were not divided according to the CC100 classes many students were grouped with freshmen they did not know very well.

“I do think that it should be continued because community service work does help with the unity of the freshmen class,” Thompson said. “It does foster friendships and build relationships that will carry on throughout the rest of our time at LC.”

In addition to producing benefits on-campus, the project produced other benefits off-campus. According to Dr. Britt he has heard nothing but positive feedback from those involved in the project.

“Dr. Travers and I have agreed that we would like to make this an annual event, maybe even more than annual. I would like to see where this goes,” said Dr. Britt. “I’m hoping as time goes on that LC students learn more about what kinds of community work goes on in our community and find ways they can learn and grow by putting skills and talents they already know they have to work.”

Photos By: Angie Shepherd

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