AWS, Big Buddy hold holiday luncheon

 
Association of Women Students continued the tradition of giving for the Thanksgiving Holidays for participants in Big Buddy.
AWS president, Ja’el Gordon, along with The Alpha Sigma chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Collegiate 100 Black Women, Student Government Association, Men’s Federation, SUBR Chancellor, SUBR Comptroller’s and Aramark; provided thanksgiving dinners to 50 Big Buddy participants.
The annual thanksgiving luncheon gave Big Buddy participants a time together to enjoy a meal, games, and entertainment from their peers.
“It was a very warm thing to do for the kids. They were not expecting it, We wanted them to know there’s more to Southern University than what they see on the news,” Gordon said.
Cara Tyson, Youth Development Resources Manager for Big Buddy was grateful to be apart of the program.
“This was another great event sponsored by the Association for Women Students. I am always grateful to be called for this event and to be the recipient of these thanksgiving gifts for the youth in our program,” Tyson said.
During the luncheon participants played turkey bingo, sang, danced, learned more about thanksgiving and talked with Southern University volunteers.
“The program turned out well. It’s all about the public service. It shows the Southern University students giving back to the community,” Gordon said.
Participants played turkey bingo; where they yelled turkey once they got a line of colored markers.
“I liked playing games. I felt glad and happy (when I yelled turkey),” Joshua Dotch, Dalton Elementary said.
Joshua Moore from Polk Elementary shared how he felt when he won turkey bingo.
“I felt glad …  I thought I was going to win a million dollars and I was going to drive to my mansion,” Moore said.
Trinity Williams from Highland Elementary sang for her fellow Big Buddy participants.
“I was scared a little bit … I thought (when I got up to sing) that everyone would laugh at me.  I was happy and excited when everyone clapped for me,” Williams ​said.
Stephanie Johnson-Bell, Trinity’s mother shared how she felt when her daughter performed.
“I was a very proud parent,” Johnson-Bell said.
Volunteers from the Alpha Sigma chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi shared their favorite parts of participating with the Big Buddy participants.
“My favorite part was playing turkey bingo and singing to the kids,” Kirt Thibodeaux, senior Electronic Engineering major from St. Martinville said.
Thibodeaux along with Aaron Ventress and Perry Fontenot on behalf of their fraternity participated in the program and contributed multiple baskets for the participants.
“I enjoyed interacting with the kids and seeing the smiles on their faces,” Ventress, senior Agricultural Science major from Opelousas said.
Each Big Buddy participant left the luncheon with a basket including food for a traditional thanksgiving dinner; including a turkey donated with assistance from Chancellor James Llorens.
“I enjoyed playing turkey bingo and I was greatly moved in the presentation of thanksgiving baskets,” Fontenot, senior Biology major from Opelousas said.