On the weekends, senior elementary education major Marcie Sanchez volunteers as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army, a United Way community partner.

'Tis the season of giving,
and NAU is being generous

With all of the charitable events going on this year at Northern Arizona University, faculty, staff and students are taking full advantage of the opportunities to make the holiday season a little better for someone less fortunate.

The campuswide United Way campaign is in full swing. All NAU departments and employees are being asked for donations to benefit the United Way of Northern Arizona. The goal for this year is to raise $70,000 to be distributed to the 47 designated United Way non-profit organizations.

The campaign runs through Dec. 15. For information about how to donate contact Molly Munger, director of community relations, at (928) 523-5518 or Molly.Munger@nau.edu.

Amid the stress of studying for finals students can easily lose sight of the importance of giving. But for students from the STAR program, holiday giving is an annual thing. This year the Multicultural Student Center and STAR are hosting a giving tree to support an adopted family from Catholic Social Services.

Students, faculty and staff can purchase a star for $1 between now and Dec. 15 to hang on the tree. The tree is located in the Multicultural Student Center room 104 in the University Union.

Another annual event on campus is Santa's Sleigh, which helps NAU employees who have fallen on hard times. Santa's Sleigh gives NAU employees a chance to provide holiday food and gifts to their families.

To make a donation, make checks out to the NAU Foundation and note fund #4936 in the memo section. For information, contact Don Dufek or Chris Johnson in transportation services, (928) 523-2469.

The Registrar's Office is continuing its annual food drive to benefit the Flagstaff Family Food Center. Staff members are collecting food and monetary donations from the entire campus. Donations can be dropped at the Registrar's Office in the Gammage building or by calling for an on campus pickup. For on-campus pickup, contact Lucy Hegg at 523-1081 or Kathy Reese at 523-5359.

NAU faculty and staff already displayed an outpouring of generosity at the annual President's Holiday Reception. Donations for the annual "Mountain of Giving" were collected to benefit the Northern Arizona Police Officers Toy Drive, NAU Senior Companion Program/Foster Grandparents and the Northland Family Help Center.

Organizers collected unwrapped new items including toys, clothing for all sizes and ages, diapers, gift cards other gifts. Non-perishable food donations were also accepted and donated to the Care and Share Food Bank.

"This is very important because there are a lot of less fortunate people and every little bit helps," said Sandra Castro, office supervisor in the President's Office and the main organizer of the event. "Everyone who came out contributed and we collected everything we hoped for."

The Classified Staff Advisory Council also just completed its annual Providing Warmth to the Community Drive. The drive was held from Oct. 9 to Nov. 9 and approximately 1,700 pieces of warm clothing were collected and donated to Hope Cottage, Northland Family Help Center, Sharon Manor and the Sunshine Rescue Mission.

E-mail this page