Campus sets record for Oxfam, NL meal center donations

Sixty-two percent of CC students gave up their evening meals on campus Nov. 18 — a record high — after an all-out campaign on the part of the Student Government Association.

With additional donations from faculty, staff and other members of the College community, the campus raised $3,750 to fight hunger. The effort was sponsored by the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, the SGA and Dining Services.

Half the donations will go to Oxfam America and half to the New London Community Meal Center. SGA representatives plan to turn the money over to the charities during the second week of December.

The 1,115 students who participated raised their money by signing up to have their dining cards deactivated for the evening meal. Dining Services credited $3.10 for each deactivated card.

Last year 1,029 students signed up and, with donations from the College community, raised what was then a record $3,440.

The event is a longstanding CC tradition dating back at least 30 years, according to Chaplain Larry LaPointe. The idea is that students will forgo their meals and fast in a show of support for those who around the world who are living in hunger.

Molly Helms, the assistant who coordinates the program for the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, said she was pleased by the students’ enthusiasm. It bursts the notion that they aren’t interested in what goes on outside the “bubble” of the campus, she said.

Chaplains and student leaders were on hand to help students sign up at Harris, Jane Addams and Smith.

“We worked on it harder than ever before,” said SGA President Peter Lelek ’05. Two years ago, students were enrolled only at Harris; last year one lunch was added at JA. To reach even more students this year, Harris and JA were covered for two days and Smith was added for one. “Some people eat down south and never come up north, and vice versa,” Lelek said.

The extra effort paid off, but it also helped that the fundraising coincided with Thanksgiving, Lelek said. He added that the cause also resonates with students, and said the signups make it easy for them to donate — although processing the single-meal credits creates paperwork for Dining Services.

“People start thinking about what they have,” Lelek said. “I think that’s why participation is so high. It’s so simple and it’s so easy, and it really does have an impact.” Plus, Lelek added, there’s another incentive for student organizers: “You always want to beat last year,” he said.

He said the fall event was so successful that the SGA might try to do something similar in the spring.