Not for Spectators: How SJU Gave Back this Week

Last Friday AOPII had their kick ball tournment, “Strike out for Arthritis”. Also, on Sunday October 6th SJU hosted Community Day. Her Campus covered both events, and here is our feedback: 

Emily Heitzman: For community day, many people came out, and the day started off in the Chapel on campus and each student got a name card with their location on it. Groups inside the Chapel and started with a prayer and then were off to different locations. On the way to our location I got a chance to find out about “Ray of Hope”. It isn’t a specific location all the time. Ray of Hope is a non-profit corporation created by Raymond Grant back in 2002.

Ray drives around an old van, which he removed the seats in and replaced them with yard and clean up supplies. The organization is based out of Philadelphia and helps out local communities. The Ray of Hope Project does many things for the community, such as clean up lots and restore homes. On Community Day, Ray’s Truck was located in Frankford, right in front of an empty lot. Once we arrived Ray gave us a little background about what we would be doing and then he put us right to work. The group was split up in two, one group cleaning the lot and the other cleaning up the streets. My job was to clean up the lot. We all had to wear these neon vest and clear glasses. (Super Stylish)

            After we were done for the day, Ray called us all over and we reflected on the day. I noticed how big Ray’s dreams were for the city of Philadelphia. He really wants to make a difference. He takes time out of his life, to help people that he may never meet. The Ray of Hope Project started from a small idea that Ray noticed Philadelphia needing help. Now Ray has been named one of the most influential people in the world. Community Day taught me that we don’t need to directly benefit from everything that we do, taking a small part of our lives to help someone could make a bigger difference than we will ever know. I feel lucky to have had such an eye opening experience and I’m really looking forward to the next Community Day coming this spring. 

AOPI STRIKE OUT:

Hannah Pappas: 

This past weekend was kicked off with one of our very own sororities kick-ball tournament. Alpha Omicron Pi, also known as AOPII, hosted their philanthropy event supporting Arthritis. Nationally, AOPII fundraises for the Arthritis Foundation. Their chapter, Sigma Beta, donates the money they raise to the juvenile group known as JRA. The philanthropy chair Liz Anzevino shares with me that this tragic disease is actually found mostly in women. AOPII was able to happly report that they raised $1,931 dollars! It is the perfect way for the sisters to come together and support a disease that affects women nation-wide AOPII has been doing this Kickball Tournament since they first came on campus in 2005, it has only grown bigger and bigger. Fraternities and sororities on campus came to support this  fundraiser, along with other students. The games got quite competitive making the event a blast. The fraternity Sigma Pi took the overall win, but it is safe to say everyone who played was most certainly a winner. Liz was more than pleased by the turnout this year. AOPII had the most teams participate in Strikeout yet and we are sure next year there will be even more students supporting a great cause next year.