|
news
Fraternity delivers
turkey and more
By Jeanne Hoffa
On-line Forty-Niner
The 22 members
of the Latino fraternity Lambda Theta Phi decided to boost
local holiday spirit this year by giving Thanksgiving dinners
to needy families. In September the group sent
applications to welfare offices and to fraternity brothers
who teach in the area and asked to be pointed in the direction
of people who could use some help.
On Tuesday they
gathered with four groups of eight to deliver turkey, stuffing,
mashed potatoes and fixings to 15 families. Sorority members
of Lamda Theta Alpha and Chi Delta Theta and faculty accompanied
the fraternity members from Cal State Long Beach's accounting
office.
"Last year,
we went through some very poor homes. Very impoverished,"
said LTP President Martin Stefen. "Some had no beds;
they slept on the floor. When you deliver the meals in person,
you get to see more than if you just sent them out from a
centralized location."
The fraternity
brothers asked applicants about their financial needs, the
number of parents and children in the home, and about any
special circumstances the family faced. They received about
30 letters.
"It was tough
reading the letters," said community service chair Fernando
Baxter, a sophomore at CSULB. "It's sad that so many
families have it so tough".
One of Tuesday's
meal recipients has breast cancer, a hernia and four kids
Baxter said. She really needed the help, he added.
Lambda Theta Phi
raised $600 with support from Lamda Theta Alpha, Chi Delta
Theta and from alumni brothers. Chapters from UC Riverside,
USC and Cal State Dominguez Hills provided dinners for families
in their areas.
"When you
go to people's homes, their faces light up," Stefen said.
"People are very thankful. They are surprised to get
help from people so young."
Lambda Theta Phi's
next charitable activity will be to wrap presents donated
to a local shelter Dec. 19. They will also collectively clean
their closets to donate clothes to churches in Tijuana.
Anyone who wishes
to participate or to donate may call Baxter at (562) 985-6879.
Other opportunities
to donate through CSULB include:
• The 4th
annual CSULB Associated Students Cherishing Children Toy Drive.
Collection boxes will be stationed throughout campus for new,
unwrapped toys until Dec. 18. For more information call Gina
Garcia at (562) 985-5221.
• Donate a
blanket. The Human Development Association will donate blankets
for the homeless of Los Angeles County and the Midnight Mission
of Los Angeles, ending today. Drop off blankets outside the
Human Development Office in PSY-205.
• Adopt a
student from residential housing. The dorms will be closed
from Thursday until Saturday. That means no meals after today's
lunch, until Monday morning. To adopt a student, call the
residence halls at (562) 985-4187.
|
