Thursday, November 29, 2012
The holiday spirit has been felt at GateWay for most of the fall semester as GateWay students, faculty and staff have participated in a number of activities with one goal in mind – help improve our community. Here is an abbreviated list of some of the activities GateWay has facilitated to help improve our community:
- GateWay Community College participated in the Empty Bowls event. Thanks to the generosity of students, faculty and staff, over $1,500 were raised to help fight hunger. A donation was made to Paz de Cristo.
- The student clubs "Geckos In Action" and "INSITE" adopted Fatima and her former ACE alumni family this holiday season. Fatima a little girl currently fighting cancer. Although her arm was amputated in an effort to stop the spread of cancer, doctors fear this might have been done too late. Students are hoping to help the family by providing food, clothing and helping cover the cost of some of the increasing number of hospital bills. The clubs plan to deliver items to the family on Dec. 14.
- The Association of Respiratory Care Students has been fundraising for part of the fall semester and will be presenting a check of $2,000 to the American Lung Association on Dec. 7.
- An annual tradition at GateWay and the other Maricopa Colleges, the United Way Campaign took place this fall to help raise awareness on some of the challenges our community faces as well as raise funds to empower those who need it the most. Participation was increased by 53% when compared to the last two years thanks to the hard work of Linda Ulmer and Jessica Brosilo, the campaign co-chairs.
- GateWay’s Student Nurse Association is collecting food for St. Mary's Food Bank. Collection boxes have been placed throughout campus for those wanting to participate. The food drive ends December 3, so be sure to participate before then.
- A team of Geckos from the GateWay Community College EEG/END Technology Program Class of 2013 joined the walk to support the Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona on Nov. 3.
- GateWay student council led efforts to help serve Breakfast on Thanksgiving for families in need. A local McDonalds restaurant has been doing this for 19 years and for the past 3, our very own Gecko’s have participated by volunteering to package these meals. Channel 12 was there and you can see them on our Facebook page. Volunteers from Geckos In Action, INSITE and the Hispanic Student Organization were involved in making this event a success.
- GateWay students, faculty and staff helped serve brunch for residents at UMOM, the largest homeless shelter for families in Arizona. The event took place on Nov. 11.
- Also, GateWay staff and students volunteered at the Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (GAIN), an annual event sponsored by the Phoenix Police Department and local neighborhood associations. The event is designed to bring communities together and celebrate crime prevention. This year's event was on Oct. 28 and the Sky Harbor Neighborhood Association threw a fiesta in the park at 28th Street and Adams.
You can still make a change by helping others out. If you are interested in helping you can contact Student Life to see which activities are being planed. For more information, visit them at http://www.gatewaycc.edu/student-life or stop by the Student Life Center at the Main Building.