Focus
October 28, 1999
13
Elon Volunteers! offers students, faculty
numerous opportunities to serve
Lisa McChristian
The Pendulum
When students first visit Elon
College, it isn ’ t long before they are
introduced to Elon Volunteers! Bet
ter known as EV!, the organization
makes commu
nity service expe
riences available
to students and
faculty and is one
of the campus’
^ost prized
groups.
Located in
the John R.
Kernodle, Jr.
Center for Ser-
''ice Learning,
EV! is one of the
campuses largest
organizations.
The
group’s goal is to
provide all mem
bers of the Elon
College campus
the opportunity to
develop an ethic
of service by con
necting campus
^nd community
through service
experiences.
Last year,
65 percent of the
student body
(2,367 students)
participated in
service activities
Alpha Phi
experience
Kate Botty
The Pendulum
Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed
national service organization with a
chapter on campus has perhaps
helped Elon College earn a spot in
The Templeton Guide: Colleges
that Encourage Character Develop-
ment.”
Released Friday, Oct, 22,
Elon has been named one of the top
loo character developing colleges
and universities. Elon was recog
nized for volunteer service and se-
nior-year programs.
College President Leo Lam
bert is pleased with the rating.
“Elon’s mission is to offer
students a liberal arts education that
Enriches them as human beings and
through the organization.
EV! is organized in
four sections: Service pro
grams, service organiza
tions, service events and
communications.
EV! Has contact with over 50
Elon Volunteers!
agencies in the community. Sev
eral groups thatEV works with on a
year-long basis are: Adopt-a-
Grandparent, Boys and Girls Club,
Crossroads, Elon Cares, Mis
Amigos, Operation Toy Box, The
ARC, Family Abuse Services and
Friends of Youth.
Due to the abundance of op
portunities, EV! can place students
on an individual basis according to
their specific interests or the can
arrange activities for campus
groups.
Nine on-campus service or
ganizations work through the EV!
office. They are Alpha Phi Omega,
Epsilon Sigma Alpha, BACCHUS,
Circle K, Habitat for Humanity,
One in Three, Safe Rides,
S.C.A.L.E, and the Sierra Club.
Throughout the year the of
fice plans major one-time service
events. This year’s blood drive
with the American Red Cross was
extremely successful. Elon ex
ceeded the set Red Cross goal with
more than 178 student donors.
Other events include Festival of
the Oaks, Hillcrest Carnival, March
of Dimes Walk, Special Olympics
the Great Strides Walk. Hunger
Awareness Week will take place
in mid-November along with
Make-a-Difference Day.
For more information call
ext. 2102 or
elonvols@elon.edu.
email
Omega: Turning a college
into a lifetime commitment
prepares them for a life of service
through character- and career -ori-
ented programs,” Lambert said.
AOn is a great way to get
involved in college and community
based service programs. Founded
Dec. 16,1925, current membership
exceeds 17,000 nationally.
Derived from the Boy Scouts
of America, AOQ is based on three
cardinal principles: Leadership,
friendship and service. Similar to
other fraternities A^i2 begins as a
college experience and becomes a
lifetime commitment.
Last December, the chapter
was recognized nationally. Cur
rently, there are nine active broth
ers and eight pledges in Elon ’ s chap
ter of A0^2. Although AOO is
known as a service fraternity women
can also pledge.
AOQ turned co-ed in 1978.
Elon’s chapter has an open door
policy.
If a student pledges, they will
get a bid. There is also zero toler
ance on hazing and Elon is a dry
chapter.
Typical service events AOn
is recognized for include Adopt-A-
Highway, Safe Rides, canned food
drives for the Burlington Soup
Kitchen, the removal of old flyers
around campus and regular read
ings to kids.
On the first Friday of every
month, members spend an after
noon with mentally handicapped
children.
Senior Drew Neil is president
of AOQ and has been a member
since spring of ’97.
Neil says it has shaped his
overall Elon experience.
“Like any organization it be
comes your social life. A lot of my
really good friends belong to it,”
Neil said. “It has given me leader
ship opportunities. I think it is a
wonderful experience.”
AOf2 is looking forward to
hosting a regional conference this
spring at Elon, in which eight other
regional schools are expected to
attend.
Classes will be taught on lead
ership and the history of AOQ. A
dinner dance will also be among
festivities.
For more information, con
tact Drew Neil or advisor Jim
Brown. ' * . * ^ • . . , ,
Riding the
Copper Top
Spirit
Kristin Conn
The Pendulum
The practice of volunteerism
is becoming ever more popular in
today’s society. It is common for
college students, high school stu
dents and other members of com
munities to dedicate their time to
the cause of helping others.
The spirit of volunteerism
can be seen across many college
campuses. It is especially evident
on Elon’s campus. Tliere are many
programs available at Elon whose
sole purpose is to provide service.
Elon Volunteers! and Circle K are
just a few.
Copper Top is a branch of
Elon Volunteers! The Copper Top
program is one of the more unique
programs available to Elon stu
dents.
“The program provides
therapeutic horse back riding for
people with physical^ emotional
and mental disabilities,” said stu
dent volunteer and Elon Volun
teers! coordinator Lizzie Gilbert.
The success of the program
can be attributed to the programs
association with animals.
Gilbert explained that often
times those with disabilities ben
efit greatly from this. According
to Gilbert, the majority of the
people helped through the pro
gram are children.
However, some adults also
participate. Physically, through
riding hordes, the program helps
to strengthen muscles of the body
that are not nonnally exercised.
Mentally the program
teaches discipline and responsi
bility.
“After the completion of the
program the members shouldhave
the ability to care for a horse by
themselves/’ Gilbert said.
The Copper Top program is
run by an ol¥ campus organization
that is not associated with the col-
ege.
However, through EV!
many students are actively in
volved with the program.
Copper Top offers a variety
of local and school internships
throughout the school term and
also during the summer months.
The volunteers invol ved can
dedicate as much or as little time
as possible to the program.
Gilbert said that she volun
teers an estimate(l 20 hours a week.
^ But for Gilbert and the other
voluiiteeps, the time is well spent.