UMC VolunTEAM Takes Action
To complement the Crookston VolunTEAM community-wide volunteer clearinghouse created by UMC's Office of Service Learning (also known as VolunTEAM Headquarters), the campus is launching an official student chapter, known as the UMC VolunTEAM Club. The inaugural meeting, held in early September, attracted almost 30 students, most of whom are new freshmen who were active volunteers in their hometowns during high school and are now looking for ways to put their time and talents to good use in Crookston, their new home away from home. They're finding that the new VolunTEAM Club is just what they're looking for.
Clockwise from above
left: Amy Ross, left, and Tiffany Anderson, right, are pictured
assembling some play equipment in the gym; Tiffany Anderson, left, and
Katherine Johnson are pictured putting check-out cards and slips in new
library books; Becky Locke is pictured assembling a mini-table in the
foreground, and Katie Delohery is assembling a larger table in the
background. Locke is also the Resident Advisor of UMC's Community Service
floor in Skyberg Hall. Students on the floor will be doing service
projects throughout the school year; their first project will be held on
Sept. 28 at the Habitat for Humanity house. Such a floor is fairly unique
to UMC; Lacey Hayenga, left, and Jen Gisch, right, are assembling two
children's tables.
Their second meeting was held "on location" on Wednesday, September 18, at Lincoln School, and attracted more than 20 students. There, Early Childhood Family Education Coordinator Sandy Peterson had projects for the club members to do, including assembling and labeling new toys and play equipment purchased for ECFE, placing check-out slips and cards in new library books, and clearing out a storage space adjacent to the gymnasium.
Also Wednesday evening, the club's constitution was presented to the full Crookston Student Association for acceptance. Once the club is officially sanctioned by the CSA, it will receive some money for its budget that can be spent on shirts showing off the VolunTEAM logo that club members will wear while they volunteer in the community.
The club wants to hold at least one signature service event each month, and in October the club is planning to hold one of its meetings at the current Habitat for Humanity house site.
Any local agency or organization seeking volunteers is encouraged to contact Mike Christopherson at VolunTEAM Headquarters. Call 281-8526 or e-mail chris282@mail.crk.umn.edu.
Posted 09/19/2002
Contact: Andrew Svec,
218-281-8435