As the holidays approach most students are frantically studying and finishing up last-minute projects.
However, many student organizations are also sponsoring events to help bring the holiday spirit to Loyola and the New Orleans community.
Bea Forlano, president of the Student Government Association, said that SGA is planning with Loyola Community Action Program, and other organizations such as Sigma Alpha Kappa, to conduct a turkey drive for the Thanksgiving holidays.
Directed by LUCAP, the organizations will collect canned goods, monetary donations, and turkeys to distribute to families in need.
Communications junior and SGA senior congressperson
Martina Mills is anticipating the Thanksgiving charity event. “I get excited when the Loyola community takes time out to help others,” Mills said. “So often we get preoccupied, but the Turkey drive allows us to show how much Loyola cares.”
In addition to the Turkey drive charity event, several other Loyola student organizations are extending their services to the community.
The Black Student Union is planning to make Thanksgiving baskets at St. Peter Clavier Catholic Church.
“We want to help the local community in any way possible, so we’re happy to be putting together canned goods and toiletries for the Thanksgiving holiday,” philosophy pre-law junior and BSU president Tyrone St. Junior said.
On Thanksgiving Day, the Loyola Asian Student Organization plans to help distribute holiday foods to people at Bridge House, a local homeless shelter.
Last year, LASO gave a monetary donation of about $600 to Bridge House as well, LASO external vice-president and communications senior Ronald Evangelista said.
“I think that charity work is incredibly important for our organization because it extends our reach to Loyola University and the entire community,” Evangelista said.
Loyola Greek organizations have also caught the holiday spirit. The brothers of Phi Kappa Psi
plan to deliver Thanksgiving baskets containing canned goods and turkeys to ten needy families in the New Orleans area on Nov. 24, political science senior and Phi Kappa Psi president James
Eddy said.
“It has become tradition for Phi Psi’s to buy turkeys and personally deliver them to families in need each Thanksgiving,” Eddy said. “It brings the brothers together and shows the positive side of Loyola and fraternity life.”
Gamma Phi Beta sorority is sponsoring a food drive. The sisters will be collecting canned goods, clothes, toiletries and monetary donations for local shelters the week after Thanksgiving. Marketing senior and Gamma Phi president Ann McGrath said that Gamma Phi decided to sponsor the drive so that they could make other people’s holidays as happy and comfortable as possible.
“We want
to help the
less fortunate,” McGrath said. “We are so privileged to be where we are in life. Gamma Phi wants to help those people who do not have the same resources as most of us.”
Though the Christmas holiday is several weeks away, Forlano
said that SGA is excited to lead a campus event titled “Christmas
in the Palms.”
The event includes plans to put up and light a Christmas tree in Loyola’s Palm Court. SGA is planning to co-program with Loyola’s music groups for the event.
Forlano said that several fun ideas have already been considered for “Christmas in the Palms,” such as having each student organization create an ornament to decorate the Christmas tree.
“It will be an opportunity for all students to come together and do something nice for the holidays,” said Forlano.
The BSU also plans to have their annual Christmas dinner, which is open to all campus organizations.
“Many Loyola students aren’t from here, so this event will help all of us get into the Christmas spirit together,” Profice said.
“These events provide entertainment, fun memories with friends, and the opportunity to serve New Orleans,” Mills said. “Loyola students support each other and the community, and in turn we receive that same support tenfold.”
