ECHO members setting up their Mad Doctor scene

If you look above, you will see a piece of PBC pipe on the right side of the table. The “victim” would lie on the table and there is a hole to put their leg through right before the pipe. Whenever groups came by, the victim would be screaming and the doctor would actually be sawing the pipe for the effect. Pretty cool, huh?

The doctor is taking a break in between groups of people

Not only did ECHO have haunted trails to do, but they also helped with SafeKids Halloween on Oct. 30th. This event is done every year and is a safe place for parents to bring the children for Halloween. We had games and lots of candy for the kids. It was held in the parking lot of Newberry County Memorial Hospital. The whole community came. Different campus organizations participated by setting up different boths.

ECHO member (Annie Watson) helping with ECHO

Annie was a scarecrow and I was a vampire princess. HAHA!

Shari (member of ECHO and CLAY) running CLAY

This is the whole group from the soccer competition.

Justin and Katie cheering on an athlete!

For more photos, click here. Thanks!

After people signed the letters, we had shirts and wristbands that we gave away for donations. These donations will go towards World Vision. I have not decided which branch of World Vision it will go to. The president of STAND – NC Chapter (Katie Justice) and the president of ECHO (Justin Johnson) and I will meet to decide where we want the proceeds to go. A week later, we are still getting donations and people are still signing letters for us. It is a good feeling to know that there are students on this campus that really do care about what is going on in the world.

As the rally progressed, I said a few words to welcome people and give a little background on why we were there and what we were doing. Then Katie said a few words and then we all stood while she recited a pledge. This pledge talked about not sitting down and taking poverty lightly. It was a promise to continue to make our world leaders accountable for the Development Goals and to do anything in our power to help end poverty by 2015. It was very inspiring and Katie did a wonderful job.

What inspired me the most is that even though Newberry College is a small campus, the people here have big hearts. The students that showed up Friday reminded me why I was on this campus to begin with. The students want to help. They want to change the world. Without me, most of them would not know how to make a difference in their community and their world. I am the link they need to get information on how to change their world and their lives. I am very grateful for my opportunity to be here.

If you would like to know more ways that you can end poverty, please visit the Resources section on my blog. Thank you!

WORLD LEADERS TOLD NOT TO LET FINANCIAL CRISIS DETRACT FROM ENDING POVERTY AND ACHIEVING MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Bono, Archbishop Tutu and Martin Luther King III Join Millions to Demand Governments Meet Promises made at Millennium Summit in 2000

New York, 16 October 2008 – Beginning tomorrow, more than 67 million people are expected to mobilize under the slogan “Stand Up Take Action” at events around the globe to demand that world leaders do not use the financial crisis as an excuse for breaking the promises they made in 2000 to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

“From Friday to Sunday, in rich and poor countries, at concerts and sporting events, in universities and in houses of worship, millions of people will show that they will not remain seated in the face of poverty and broken promises to end it,” said Salil Shetty, Director of the UN Millennium Campaign. “This mass mobilization will demonstrate to world leaders that citizens do not consider the global financial crisis to be an excuse for breaking promises, and they must commit to concrete plans of action now in order to eradicate extreme poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.  The global financial crisis once again shows the urgent need for a radical re-thinking of the international financial architecture to make it more equitable and relevant to today’s world.”

Among the events, thousands of people will march to Government buildings in Pretoria, South Africa to present the new leadership with concrete policy demands to help the growing number of poor people.

“By standing together on this historic day you could be the first generation to end one of the greatest injustices and human rights violations in history: extreme poverty,” said Desmond Tutu, Archbishop of Cape Town and Chairman of The Elders. “You join millions and share the vision of a more just and peaceful world.”

The global movement in support of the Millennium Development Goals is growing. Last year, more than 43 million people Stood Against Poverty. This year, more than 67 million people –one percent of the world’s population – is expected to mobilize.

“Four decades ago, my father, Martin Luther King Jr., proved that peaceful action of the masses can reverse the course of history, no matter how entrenched the status quo may seem,” said human and civil rights leader Martin Luther King III.  “This weekend, people across the globe have the opportunity to Stand Up and Take Action to be part of a movement just as powerful, demanding that world leaders end the evil and injustice of extreme poverty.”

“If you want to stand by the poorest and most vulnerable, this is a chance to stand up and be counted,” said Bono, lead singer of U2 and co-founder of The ONE Campaign. “You’ll be in the company of more than 60 million others who hold the view that even in tough times we can’t abandon our promises to the poorest to do more of what helps and less of what hurts.”

“It is scandalous that we are not hearing our voices in the debate on the financial crisis.  We are the majority who want to see a different wealth distribution system,” said Sylvia Borren, Co Chair of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), who is in New York this week for Stand up. “We are the ones who call for that which has been given to those in the minority at the top of the social ‘pyramid’ to be given to the millions at the bottom.  Then you will see real change.”

During Stand Up, citizens of poor countries will demand that their governments:

1. Make the Millennium Development Goals the highest priority in budget allocation.
2. Put in place clear plans to achieve the Millennium Development Goals at the national, sub-national and local levels, adapted to local realities. 
3. Aggressively fight corruption and set up mechanisms to end impunity.

Citizens of rich countries will demand that their governments:

1. Establish targets to deliver on existing aid volume commitments.
2. Commit to debt relief beyond existing aid commitments and ensure that it reaches the poorest countries without delay.
3. Announce concrete plans to complete the Doha Trade Round with an outcome that will help poor countries and the poorest people achieve the Millennium Development Goals, through the elimination of trade distorting agricultural subsidies, capping of domestic subsidies on products of importance to poor countries, and genuine market access to poor countries.

The mobilization comes at a time when:

1.4 billion people live on less than $1.25 per day.

One woman dies every minute as the result of pregnancy and childbirth.

An estimated 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.

The world spends $1.2 trillion on weapons annually but cannot find the $18 billion necessary to help meet existing overseas development assistance commitments.

For every $1 in aid a developing country receives, over $25 is spent on debt repayment.

Events are planned across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America and Oceania. Click here for a list of sample global events: http://www.standagainstpoverty.org/en/node/878

The final number achieved for this mobilization will be announced globally on October 22^ndvia an online press conference at 1:30GMT.

All Stand Up events will be registered on www.standagainstpoverty.org.

Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PZ0M7tcff8 for a message from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and for higher resolution downloads visit http://blip.tv/file/1343952.

About the Campaigns:

The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is a civil society alliance of social movements, international NGOs, trade unions, community groups, women’s organizations, faith and youth groups, local associations and campaigners working together across more than 100 national coalitions/platforms. GCAP is calling for action from the world’s leaders to meet their promises to end poverty and inequality. In particular, GCAP demands solutions that address the issues of public accountability, just governance and the fulfillment of human rights; trade justice; more and better aid; debt cancellation; and gender equality and women’s rights. For more information, visit www.whiteband.org.          

The UN Millennium Campaign was established by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in 2002. The Campaign supports citizens’ efforts to hold their governments accountable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.  The Millennium Development Goals, formally adopted by 189 countries in the year 2000, are a set of eight specific goals which commit rich and poor countries to work together to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, ensure all boys and girls complete primary school, promote gender equality, improve the health of mothers and children, reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, protect the environment, and create a global partnership for development by ensuring rich countries give more and better aid, debt relief and trade opportunities to poorer countries. For more information, visit www.endpoverty2015.org.

NC students and Professor Glenna Zeak help children from Grant Homes make cards for U.S. soldiers

8/12/2008 – The Newberry College Values Based Learning Program (VBLP) has had another busy year promoting service-learning activities in the Newberry community.

During the 2008 spring semester, 187 college students contributed 1,422 hours to the local community. For the entire 2007-08 academic year, 454 college students contributed 3,828 hours to the local community.

The students served at over 15 different sites that partner with Newberry College in providing ways for the students to be engaged in the community. Students collected food and helped organize distribution for the Daily Bread Food Pantry (part of the Living Hope Foundation), tutored youth at seven local schools, ran an after-school program and hosted field days and basketball clinics at the Newberry Housing Authority (Grant Homes), visited with residents at White Oak Manor nursing home, painted a local family’s home, worked with patients at the Free Medical Clinic, sorted donations and helped customers at the Newberry College Shop Around the Corner, and helped adults learn how to read at the Newberry County Literacy Council.

“It’s been great to have the students here,” said Barbara Chapman, executive director of the Newberry County Literacy Council. “I appreciate them coming here because it empowers everyone involved, and it helps build the capacity of the Literacy Council.”

Students at Newberry College get involved in service-learning projects through classes with a service-learning component, and as members of organizations and athletic teams that take part in service. The service activities benefit the community, its schools, and its non-profit agencies, but they are also learning experiences. Students are expected to connect their service activities to their classes and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to be effective citizens.

According to one Newberry College student, “The entire project was one of the most enriching experiences that I have had here at Newberry. I enjoyed myself every time I went to Grant Homes. This experience has definitely encouraged me to participate in service-learning projects in the future, whether my class requires it or not.”

If you would like more information about the Newberry College Values Based Learning Program, please contact Dr. Joe McDonald, director of the VBLP, at 803-321-5215.

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Author: Alison Kelly, AmeriCorps VISTA

She arrived on the 16^th and gave an engaging lecture about the church and sexuality. The lecture created an hour and a half of thought provoking conversation. On the 17^th, Dr. Foster ate both breakfast and lunch with groups of students. Discussion ranged from questions about evolution to discussion on interest in Darfur. The SOC 308, SOC 208 and REL 481 classes all enjoyed a visit from Dr. Foster as she entered into conversation relevant to each classes theme.

The night of the 17^th was Dr. Foster’s final lecture. This lecture pertained to the church and its role in social justice. Many students were a buzz about this lecture and its call to social activism and awareness. Justin Johnson, a Junior religion major, said, “I had no idea that the prison system could be seen as a modern day slave trade.” The conversation that both of these lectures created on the Newberry College campus is still being heard. We at the Values Based Learning department would like to say thank you to Dr. Foster for her care and dedication to the Newberry College community.

- Shari Trotter