Escape Thursday, April 4, 2014

ESCAPE smile. EXPLORE. relax. / april 3 / weekend

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BIG EVENT Gathering students to work for the community

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more online @ oudaily.com/weekender

the volunteer issue

ESCAPE

make a difference Big Event is almost here, which serves as a reminder to us all that serving our community is something we shouldn’t do just once a year.

With our busy schedules here at ESCAPE, we understand that finding time to volunteer can be challenging, so we’ve tried to provide a few simple ways to get involved.

You don’t necessarily have to sacrifice your time to do good. Discover some alternative ways to be charitable (pg. 3). However, time can often be the best sacrifice. Read one columnist’s perspective on why donating an hour a week to help a local teacher has been the best experience (pg. 6).

All it takes is half an hour to help out, so take a little time out of your day to put an effort into bettering your community.

april 3

contents 3 small ways to help 4 big event 5 where do you volunteer?

6 worry about teachers 7 saving songs 8 don’t get hooked

Escape is a student-produced publication of OU Student Media, a department in the Division of Student Affairs. Copyright 2014 OU Student Media.

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I’ve been making an effort to volunteer ever since my first service project in middle school. I dug up this lovely throwback photo of myself sanding a ceiling in Mexico. Don’t make fun.

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no excuses

volunteer on a time crunch

keaton bell | volunteerism In today’s fast-paced world of work, family and personal time, the idea of volunteering can seem like a burden. It is not that you do not want to go out and contribute or volunteer in some way, but our schedules can be jam-packed, making it difficult to squeeze in time to volunteer at a fundraiser or go walk dogs at the local shelter.

Believe it or not, it is not too hard to give back to the community or volunteer on a regular basis without taking away too much of your time.

There is more than one way to give back to your community. Even if you have friends who work at what seems like 300 charity events a year, doing what you can given your circumstances is still effort.

So if you are having trouble finding ways to volunteer, here are some tips and ways to make sure your smalls acts have a big impact:

Switch to products that operate as a charity. TOMS aren’t the only thing you can buy that also helps others. Proceeds from Sniff Pet Candles (sniffpetcandles.com) go to animal rescue organizations. Proceeds from quilted laptop sleeves (buyherbagnotherbody.com) go to the Nomi Network, a nonprofit working to eradicate sexual slavery in Cambodia. And the production of Haiti Bracelets (choosehaiti.com) provides jobs for Haitians displaced by the 2010 earthquake.

1.

Set aside a time to volunteer.

We all have different schedules, so it is up to us to decide when we have down time. But whether it is Sunday afternoon, two hours between classes or even Thursday nights, instead of wasting time, use it to volunteer regularly at a local animal shelter or read to children at a local chapter of the Boys & Girls Club of America.

Whether you do it weekly or monthly, make it part of your regular schedule during a pre-determined time.

2.

Reduce/Reuse/Recycle.

Don’t throw away those piles Everybody knows to recycle glass, of magazines. Let’s be real, you are paper and plastic. But what about likely never going to look through those empty ink cartridges (recycleplace. issues of “Rolling Stone” from 2011 com), old cell phones (collecever again. And instead of throwing tivegood.com) and toothbrushes them away, there are places you could (recycleline.com)? The truth is that donate them to make sure they do not things we throw away on a daily go to waste. There is the local library, nursing homes, military troops, women/family shelters and basis could be recycled and remade into products for others in need. many other organizations that could make sure they get even more use. Even preschool or daycare centers could use them for crafts.

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Offer your skills. Volunteering or giving back does not have to be on a national level or with a large group. Are you a handyman? Give back by helping out a neighbor with some household issues. A writer? Offer to help a local charity write press releases or clean up their website. Are you good at knitting? In your spare time, knit up some scarves, blankets or gloves and donate them to a local shelter or retirement home. Offering your skills to those who can really use them is an easy way to give back.

tweet your volunteer ideas to @OU_ESCAPE

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things to do this

weekend what: playwrights festival when: 8 p.m. thursday where: old science hall’s lab theatre

The Faith Broome Young Playwrights Festival will present six original short plays by School of Drama students. Tickets are $5. what: new media collective show opening when: 6 to 8 p.m. friday where: school of art and art history’s lightwell gallery

Attend the opening reception of a new show in the art school’s Lightwell Gallery. The event is free and open to the public. what: 38th annual medieval fair when: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. friday through sunday where: reaves park

Head over to the legendary Medieval Fair for jousting, dancing, theater, pottery, jewelry and countless other attractions. It’s free just to walk around and see the sights! what: free movie when: screenings at 6 and 9 p.m., midnight where: oklahoma memorial union’s meacham auditorium

You’ve probably heard talk about Disney’s “Frozen,” so head to Oklahoma Memorial Union for a free showing, courtesy of the Union Programming Board. what: The cherry orchard when: 8 p.m. saturday where: weitzenhoffer theatre

University Theatre presents “The Cherry Orchard.” Refine your tastes with the show, which is $14 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the OU Fine Arts Box Office.

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Saturday’s Big Event will bring more than 5,000 students together for a day of giving back to the community. Catch a glimpse into some of the groups participating and their motivations for helping out.

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all photos were provided by the groups pictured and were taken at the 2013 big event.

megan deaton | volunteerism Not sure where to get started on the road to volunteerism?

There are plenty of on and off-campus resources to help you along your way. Here are a few suggestions:

o

rs e d a e ul

hip and volunte

Finding a place to volunteer is incredibly easy with this OU group.

Their website has seemingly endless resources with both ongoing and one-time volunteer opportunities. Plus, they are ready and willing to help you get started. Visit the website at ou.edu/leadandvolunteer.

cl

county family y d n a l eve If you enjoy working with kids, mc

first of all, you’re a saint, but more importantly, you can volunteer at the local YMCA. There are dozens of volunteer opportunities available, according to the Cleveland County Family YMCA website. For more information, contact Crystal Wicker at 405-364-9622, extension 131.

BIG EVENT BACKGROUND: OU students have been involved with Big Event since 1999. The tradition originally started at Texas A&M University, but the event has now spread to more than 60 major universities, according to the Big Event website.

This year, OU will celebrate the 15th annual Big Event at the OU campus. As an entirely student-run effort, the event’s widspread success at OU is impressive. The 2013 Big Event brought out over 5,300 registered volunteers, according to the OU Big Event website.

Volunteers will once again come out for Big Event on Saturday.

They have registered in groups and will disperse to various service sites across the Norman and OKC area. Look for crowds of students with Big Event t-shirts all across town.

If you forgot to register for Big Event, but you would still like to get involved with volunteering in the area, see the suggestions in the “Get Connected” column to the right.

e ri s

e animal sanc aWhoncdoesn’t h c tua d love helping on r

poor, homeless animals? If you’re ec an animal lover, then this opportunity is for

you. Second Chance needs people to walk dogs, socialize with cats, mop floors and work adoption clinics, among many other duties, according to the Second Chance website. Get more information at secondchancenorman.com.

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he OU Wesley regularly serves the community through a Saturday Missions group, but this Saturday, the team will be giving back through Big Event.

Broadcast and electronic media junior Nathan Harkins will co-lead the Wesley group.

Harkins said participating in Big Event just makes sense, especially for college students.

“As young college students, we are all extremely blessed to be getting an education, to have a roof over our heads, and to not have to go hungry,” Harkins said. “Many people around Norman and Oklahoma City aren’t as fortunate. Big Event is a great opportunity to give up part of a Saturday to go help others in need.”

Harkins also said he hopes Big Event will encourage people to think about serving year-round.

“My hope is that Big Event will really motivate people to get out and serve not just one day a year, but on a regular basis, serving those in need in the community,”

get connected

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ou wesley

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reek groups often have philanthropies they support throughout the year, but sororities and fraternities are also coming out in force to contribute to Big Event.

Blair McDonald, president of Alpha Phi, said she has participated in Big Event each year since she came to OU, and she looks forward to being the Alpha Phi group leader.

“Big Event is such an incredible opportunity for others to see the giving spirit and family atmosphere that we have at the University of Oklahoma,” McDonald, an accounting and entrepreneurship junior, said. Participating in the events shows that we are not only dedicated to bettering the university but also to bettering the lives of those around the university.”

Most of all, McDonald said she enjoys the willing spirit and togetherness OU students display through the event.

“Every year, I most look forward to seeing different types of people from different walks of life coming together to help people that they do not even know,” McDonald said. “The students at the University of Oklahoma are incredibly generous with their time, and Big Event constantly serves as a reminder of that.”

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eteorology students are taking a break from watching the fickle Oklahoma skies to better their community.

Addison Alford is the president of the OU chapter of the American Meteorological Society, and will be leading a group combined with his organization and the Oklahoma Weather Lab. “Community service is so very important to help rejuvenate our community,” said Alford, a meteorology senior. “Our presence in the community as students can help us learn what we can do to better our world.”

Alford said he has participated in two Big Events in the past, and he always looks forward to getting dirty with some hands-on service.

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megan deaton and kate mcpherson | big event

gy stud o l o r en eo

alpha phi

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teaming up for service

6

worry about KATE MCPHERSON | VOLUNTEERISM

I have strong feelings about glue sticks and crayons, and I can un-jam a copy machine at the speed of sound.

I know how to get laminators untangled, remove permanent marker from white boards and that the paper cutter just never cuts straight, so you should line it up at the bottom rather than the top.

I guess it’s true, then: all I ever needed to know I learned in kindergarten.

Over the past four years, I have volunteered at Madison Elementary School near The Reserves, and at an elementary school in my hometown.

While you might think an elementary volunteer works with children, I actually work with teachers to be sure the basic tasks that keep their classrooms running get done.

Each week, I go to a classroom at Madison for an hour, and I do whatever needs to be done. This week, I cut down construction paper and matted the kids’ artwork for an upcoming exhibition. Next week, I might make copies, and the week after that, I could be putting up posters for the book fair or filing papers or making worksheets so the kids can practice cursive.

It’s true this isn’t the most glamorous work, but I firmly believe it’s important work. While the school day is technically only six or seven hours long, teachers spend about 50 hours a week doing work-related activities, according to the National Education Association. The average teacher will spend $485 from their own pockets, without reimbursement on school sup-

heather brown/escape ESCAPE writer Kate McPherson helps a teacher hang students’ artwork at Madison Elementary School.

plies and classroom materials for their students.

Teachers work hard. They pour themselves into their classrooms. Case in point: When I ask my teacher what she did over the weekend, she almost invariably says, “Oh, I graded papers while my boyfriend and I watched Netflix!” or “I found this project for the kids on Pinterest, so I went shopping to get the materials and put it all together!” Because that’s what teachers do: they think about their students all the time. They care about them.

They strive to help them succeed.

They worry about them.

Isn’t it time someone worried about teachers?

If you want to give back to your community, if you want to have an economically prosperous state, if you want our country to be the best it can be, worry about teachers. Then do something with your worry: support them.

Maybe your solution is mine, and you want to get into a classroom to do the support work no one wants to do because it’s not glamorous like interacting with kids. Awesome. It’s simple:

Email the principal of your local school — shameless plug, Madison is walking distance from the dorms — and ask if you can help a teacher. (Or get in touch with me, and I’ll help get you placed.)

Maybe you’re a policy wonk. Get educated about education policies in Oklahoma and lobby the state superintendent to change them.

Maybe you’re a busy bee, but you want to support teachers financially. Donate to their classrooms on DonorsChoose.org, an organization that lets you fund teachers’ requests for classroom materials and allows you to see how the students benefit from your donation.

No matter what your skills and time allow, there is a way to support teachers, and I cannot think of a more important thing to do. These men and women worked hard to put you through school, and they’ll still be there, underpaid and overworked, to put your brothers, sisters, children, nieces, nephews and neighbors through school. And they’ll probably do it fantastically and with a smile on their faces, because teachers are pretty much superheroes like that.

There’s definitely something important about kid-centric programs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Kids absolutely need tutors and mentors, and if that’s how you want to get involved, do it. But please remember that teachers play a huge role in these students’ lives, and they deserve our support as well. Consider giving back by getting involved with a classroom.

7 A HISTORY KEATON BELL | MUSIC Today, the charity single has become a sort of musical institution. Even since the idea was popularized in 1985 with the star-studded “We Are The World,” there have been countless songs released to support those in need.

A charity single is the release of a song for a specific charitable cause. This can be in the vein of supporting large organizations — “Just Stand Up!” for Stand Up To Cancer — or as a response to a national tragedy — “We Are The World 25 for Haiti” for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Here for your listening pleasure are some of the most notable tracks for a charitable playlist: Connie Francis, “In the Summer of His Years” Many people overlook Francis’ hit 1963 single when referring to the history of charity singles. The song was written as a tribute to John F. Kennedy after his assassination on Nov. 22, 1963 in Dallas, with all of the proceeds from the single donated to the family of J.D. Tippit, a policeman who had also been slain that day in Texas.

George Harrison, “Bangla Desh” One of the strongest social statements in music history, “Bangla Desh” is widely regarded as the first charity single.

The single raised awareness for millions of refugees from the country formerly known as East Pakistan, following the 1970 Bhola cyclone. It even led to an all-star concert for the war-torn country, featuring the likes of Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton.

Band Aid, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”

A supergroup featuring Sting, Bono and Phil Collins, among others, this charity record raised more than $18 million for famine relief in Africa. Still one of the biggest selling singles in U.K. music history, it is also the most ’80s thing to ever happen.

USA For Africa, “We Are The World” Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, “We Are The World” is likely the most popular charity record of all time. Also raising funds for African famine relief, the track raised more than $60 million in aid. It helped that the group featured the likes of Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen among the all-star group.

Elton John, “Candle In The Wind” Originally written as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, John’s 1973 single was rewritten as a tribute to Princess Diana after her fatal 1997 car crash. Having only performed the song once at Diana’s memorial service, the track has since raised more than $60 million for the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

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