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Charities benefit from campus generosity

I'm feeling generous this week.

I realize that I've been a bit harsh at times -- never unjustified, mind you, but harsh nonetheless. I've written about the now notorious Beta poster and the even more notorious CGA. I've been tough and I think that is a good week to give something back.

October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month. This is as good an example of a local charity in action tackling some of the toughest issues that face our society today. The Women's Center of Bloomsburg has been promoting the awareness of Domestic Violence with their tireless efforts, press releases and talks in the community. They have sponsored different events in the community to create a greater awareness of Domestic Violence not just in the month of October, but for the whole year.

It feels really good to say that an organization is doing everything right. I rarely say it, and when I say it I mean it. The Women's Center is just one of those rare examples, though. I have personally worked with the Women's Center at different charity events through WBUQ, the campus radio station. Representatives from the Women's Center have spoken about date rape and other relevant topics in a number of my classes.

It has truly been an eye-opening experience to be able to see the dedication behind the staff of the Women's Center. Many students volunteer their time down at the Women's Center. The Women's Center provides on-the-job training that you truly can't find anywhere else.

The staff that runs the Women's Center is doing it not because they are looking for money, because money is very hard to come by in a charitable organization. Oftentimes, the staff is the first group that sees cutbacks when donations haven't been as high as in previous years. The staff at the Women's Center is doing their jobs because it's a labor of love. They aren't looking at each dollar, but rather at each person they can help.

Fortunately, the Women's Center is not alone in the Bloomsburg community. Plenty of other charitable organizations like the Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the American Red Cross help to keep the Women's Center in good company.

Bloomsburg University has truly done wonders in promoting community service. The SOLVE office down at Husky Corners plays a significant role in helping students become involved in the community. Greek organizations are involved in service activities.

A service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, also plays a major role on campus and community involvement. The people that get involved in these organizations are people that are truly looking out for the betterment of others. These are the selfless people that every university wants but doesn't always get.

What can you do as students, staff, faculty and the community? Very simply: give. If you can give time, give time. If you can't give time, give money. If you can give both time and money, great--give both. A few dollars a month that you may have spent on a Friday evening at a bar would go a lot farther at the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters office.

"Where did all of this come from?" you may ask. I guess, for some reason, I just had a realization of how lucky I really am. I'll be graduating in December with a college degree and a (somewhat) bright future ahead of me. I'm going to be able to support myself quite well in the very near future. I will be able to buy a car, rent an apartment and live fairly well. What I realized this week is that I'm just really lucky. What I also realized this week is that I'm not the only lucky one on campus. Many other people will be graduating next to me that have just as bright a future as I do.

I realized that I'm not really the right person to write a column like this to encourage everyone to contribute their time and money charity if I haven't done so myself. I realized that I've erred by thinking only about my needs and not about the needs of others in the community.

I'm making a change this week and I hope all of you will make the change with me. Instead of ordering that last drink, save that $3 and put it towards a worthy cause like the Women's Center or Big Brothers/Big Sisters or the American Red Cross. Give an hour or two a week to a cause that you believe in. Make it a labor of love like the people that work at these charities.

Instead of sending hate mail to me this week, send $20 to a charity that you believe in. I'm making the change. This won't be the only week that I feel generous.