SU’s AWS, Men’s Federation spread holiday cheer

The hallways of the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union were buzzing on Southern University’s campus as the Association for Women Students and Men’s Federation put final touches on decorations and seating arrangements for its annual Thanksgiving program; the doors of the Cotillion Ballroom were opened last Tuesday morning.
Among those students inside of the Cotillion Ballroom were Men’s Fed President Courtney Brooks and AWS President Catina Washington. Brooks and Washington stated the goal of this program is to feed needy families and the goal for this year was fifty families.
“Everything that we have here today is for the families. The activities, the entertainment and the food for the reception portion of the program is all for them (less fortunate families),” said Washington.
Brooks and Washington commented on the importance of giving and the importance of the success of the program, which is why AWS and Men’s Fed reached out to the Battered Women’s Shelter and the Big Buddy Program.
“We want to ensure that the people who are truly deserving and in need receive the Thanksgiving boxes that we have prepared,” said Brooks.
“This program makes us look human, in the sense that we are giving back to our community. I am extremely proud to be apart of this program,” said Student Government Association President Carey Ash, who served as a guestpeaker for the program and spoke on the significance of Thanksgiving.
The program also consisted of various activities ranging from arts and crafts, in which the children participated in making Indian headbands and vests along with coloring and designing turkeys; to live entertainment, which included a musical selection from Miss Southern, Jasmine Smotherman and a dance tribute featuring the Southern’s Zimbabwe Dance Team.
This year, AWS and Men’s Fed worked with several other campus oriented and local organizations in order to assure the program’s success were: Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Phi Beta Sigma, Incorporated, Student Government Association, the sophomore class and several departmental clubs and organizations all contributed in order to fill each of the fifty Thanksgiving packages that were issued to the less fortunate families.
AWS and Men’s Fed brokered an agreement with Aramark, stating that Aramark would match the total number of turkeys bought by AWS and Men’s Federation.
Other organizations that participated in this year’s program were St. Vincent De Paul and St. Agnus, which are both religious based organizations that provide assistance to the poverty stricken individuals.
Sharon Thomas, Elementary Coordinator to the Big Buddy Program, was particularly pleased with the success of the Thanksgiving program.
“It makes me feel great to see Southern step up and help our program, especially being that most of the children in our program are African American. I believe that the children really appreciate what is being done here today and hope that Southern students realize how they are positively inspiring these children,” said Thomas.
Michael Wells, Advisor to the Men’s Federation, was another individual that was impressed with the success of the Thanksgiving program.
“This is my first year serving as advisor to the Men’s Federation, but I can say that it is the Men’s Federation’s job to serve as the voice of the male students on campus and I definitely think that they would be pleased today. Everything worked out and that is what is most important,” said Wells.
There were over fifty guest convened in the Cotillion Ballroom for the Thanksgiving program, in which over thirty of the guests were children that represented a less than fortunate household.
As the program came to a close and the boxes were issued to the children, each child was to introduce him or herself and reference what he or she was most thankful for. Majority responded as saying family, friends, God and even Southern University.
Both the AWS and Men’s Federation presidents encourage all male and female students to become active members, simply by coming to the AWS and Men’s Federation office located on the second floor of the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union and inquiring what he or she can do to volunteer.
Sharon Thomas of the Big Buddy Program also stated that anyone wanting to volunteer with the program should contact the Big Buddy Program headquarters at (225) 388-9737.