Page 62 - ThePhoenix1997-98

COMMENTARY Community Service Benefits All f· • J_i I 'Megan Martin I Advertising Manager Laura Kelley '01 "It's better to give than to receive," says an to donate it? To be a part of the community, Business Manager ancient proverb. Another proverb says, "If you Other campus organizations also provide Tara Bonjoumi '99 chances to become involved with community you have to want to get involved. No one give, you will receive." Give and receive what? service. Many of the campus religious groups should be forced to perform community ser- News Editors There are many different types of giving and re- Kate Hampson '00 actively participate in service projects and en- vice. ChristianWilwohl'98 ceiving. One important typeIs community ser- courage members to do so as well. Affinity A few years ago, President Clinton pro- vice. groups provide opportunities for service di- Assistant News Edttor Ideally, community service ts time given posed aiaw to require community service in Emily Sramathis 'OQ rected towards the campus community. exchange for college tuition money. The topic freely and put towards helping people in the com- Membership in such groups has risen over Features Editor munity, as well as helping the community itself. the past few years. Not so long ago, Circle K died down after a while, but every once in a Jennifer vick '98 while, it resurfaces. A law like that is really There are many ways people can become in- was an inactive club. Last year, membership not very fair. Why should someone by forced Assistant Features Editor volved in giving their time. There are many on totaled near thirty people. This year's mem- to give up their time if they don't want to do Nicki Kassolis'99 and off campus groups that provide opportuni- bership is closer to fifty people. SERVE has so? A person forced to do a service project is Editorials Editor ties for members to become involved in different also grown tremendously. Students involved not going to be glad about it, and the commu- Adam Dean '98 activities. in these clubs seem to be very excited about nity may suffer because of that. One of the most prominent groups on cam- Assistant Editorials Editor their memberships and their activities. Community service is something that Megan Martin '01 pus is Circle K. Circle K provides numerous op- There are many benefits to performing needs to be done. because a person wants to portunities for service, which is the foundation community service. The community benefits make a difference. No one should be forced Sports Editor of the club. For members, community service is Carolyn D. Barnes '99 from the different kinds of work volunteers into it. For some students, community ser- not only visiting children in hospitals and work- do in many tangible ways, but it also benefits vice can provide direction for their lives, and Art Editor ing long hours in a soup kitchen. While both are society in intangible ways. it can also build self-confidence and give in- Mike Puskar '99 certainly projects of the club, there are other Volunteers encourage a sense of hope in sight into what they want to do with their fu- Photography Editor chances to provide service. the people and communities they help. They tures. Jose (Jubaj Stqueira '00 Although many of the projects, and the work can lift the spirits of all they help. Sometimes, Although community service is something Pbotographers they entail, are cenainly not glamorous, the rush this is more important than anything else. people have to consciously want to do, is it Nathan Birdsall '99 you get from knowing you helped someone or Not only does the community benefit so- not better to give than to receive? Sometimes IcssieWatts'98 helped the community is certainly worth all the ciety in general, but it also benefits the volun- we need to treat others like we would like to Layout hard work. teer. There is nothing like the good feeling, be treated if we were in their place. Carolyn Barnes '98 Fraternities and sororities also have to pro- almost a "high," one feels after doing some- Community service is challenging but Adam Dean '98 vide community service, so there are plenty of Kale Hampson '00 thing to make a difference. It does not matter worth it. Who does not want to be challenged Erin Howard '00 opportunities there. The organization SERVE how small, insignificant, or tough the job may for something worthwhile? Although it is Grant Rice '98 offers a program over spring break that is similar seem. Every little bit helps, and the sense of your personal choice, I dare you to at least Emily Stamathis '00 to Habitat for Humanity. JenVick '98 accomplishment can lift a volunteer's spirits think about becoming involved within the Also, the SGA offers a campus wide clean- as well as the community's. community, if you are not already involved up program each year. These are some ways to Community service, however wonderful, specifically get involved in interesting commu- is a personal choice for everyone. What point Megan Martin is a freshman communica- niry service projecrs. is there in giving your time if you do not want tions major. StaII'Wrlters Kathleen Davis '0 I SarabRadice '01 The Soapbox Rich Simmons '99 J:S~~v~fIi~~~bl I AdamDean I JessleWatts'98 DlltribQdon Richard Hamilton '99 Englar Dining hall, colloquially known an easy thing to do. It requires tremen- sicken or poison it's customers. The Rich Suchoski '00 as Glar, feeds most residents at Western dous effort and even so some mistakes people who run Englar Dining Hall are Subscriptions Maryland College. A favorite activity of do slip through. I have gotten hamburg- not stupid. They know this. Glar tries to Richard Hamilton '99 these residents seems to be criticizing the ers so red inside I would call them raw, Adviser food and the sanitary conditions in G1ar. I under cooked chicken sandwiches, "...give Glar a break. This Terry Dalton will admit that I myself have engaged in scrambled eggs so runny it was almost this activity. But, there is a problem with like soup and baked chicken where ridiculous sport of Glar all this. Glar is not that bad. someone forgot the "baked" part. But, bashing has gone far Glar does not serve bad food. I have had remember, this happens only rarely. The bad food in my lifetime. In elementary reason such incidents stick out in your enough. The food really school the food was prepared at a high mind is because they happen so infre- isn't that bad." school and then shipped to us. That food quently. Most of the time Gtar serves was bad. I attended summer camp with the good, basic meals. Usually nothing provide good tasting, healthful meals. scouts. We had to cook for ourselves. That fancy, but we aren't paying for fancy. And it succeeds 99.9% of the time. No, food was bad. What we get at Englar Din- Glar also it trying to do better. When it is not like eating in the finest restau- ing Hall is not bad at all. I got the raw hamburger I posted a mes- rants of France. But did anyone really I have to honest here, Glar does serve sage on the Gtar message board. Glar expect that it would be? mediocre, cafeteria-style food. But, that's replied within a day and I have never I guess what I am saying here is give because Glar is a cafeteria! The food they received a badly under cooked ham- Glar a break, This ridiculous sport of serve is mass produced, almost "industrial" burger since. I am not taking credit for G1ar-bashing has gone far enough. The food. Of course it is not up to the standards this, I am sure other people complained food really is not that bad. Glar provides of a fine restaurant or home made. And a too. It is an example of how Glar will standard, cafeteria-style fare, and most mass produced Model T is not up to the listen if students bother to speak. Too of it is pretty good. Their steaks on steak often when a students encounter a prob- night are very nice, and I love it-when- "...a mass produced Model lem they mumble among themselves and ever they serve the fried clam strips. to try T is not up to the standards don 't~ tell anyone or do anything of the Glar is not perfect, but who is? Stop correct and the staff it. Though of a Rolls Royce. But, you dining hall have many talents, I am sure complaining And about Glar unless you have a reason. a rea- do have you when can't make a Rolls Royce mind reading is not numbered among son, take advantage of the many oppor- them. How can students expect anything tunities available to you to let Glar know for everyone. " to be done when they keep whatever is there is a problem. Become part of the bothering them to themselves? Most of solution for a change. standards of a hand made Rolls Royce. But, the problems that do occur with Glar oc- you can't make a Rolls Royce for every- cur because no one was aware there was Adam Dean is a senior political science one. a problem. major. Trying to feed hundreds of people is not It is not in Glar's best interest to e-mail at agdOO1@wmdc,edu