Family Weekend donations go to Hurricane Florence survivors
By Nick Bainbridge// News Editor
On Sept. 22, the High Point University Parents Council hosted its annual Family Weekend service project in the Slane Student Center. The gymnasium was filled with volunteering students, parents and other family members working together to package thousands of meals for people struggling to make ends meet.
This year the focus of the donations has been shifted from local organizations to victims who were hit harshly by the devastation of Hurricane Florence that swept over the east coast.
HPU partnered with The Outreach Program for the project, an organization that focuses on providing necessities such as medicine, water and education to people in need. The organization puts much of its attention on securing food for the hungry.
There was plenty of support from the HPU community at the event, so much in fact that more people wanted to volunteer than were allowed. Due to the arrangement of the project and the tools at the organizers’ disposal, only several dozen people could volunteer at any given time.
“There was a really long line and they even had to turn some people away,” said Andrea Schwab, a parent who had been volunteering at the event along with her daughter.
HPU’s volunteer event was regarded as a success as the packagers reached their goal of preparing more than 20,000 meals for those affected by the hurricane in a two and a half hour time span.
The HPU community’s enthusiasm and dedication were pointed out as the principal reason for the program success.
“It’s really nice seeing the community willing to help out the state,” said Matthew Meister, HPU student volunteer. “I haven’t seen something this big in a while. I’m an eagle scout, so I enjoy giving back to the community whenever possible.”
Not only was the project a humanitarian act, but it also served as a positive experience for those who participated. The volunteers were in high spirits after volunteering, many of them expressing joy at the prospect of helping others who have suffered because of the recent storm.
Some volunteers took pride in the communal aspect of the project, enjoying the opportunity to work towards a common goal alongside their peers.
“I absolutely adore stuff like this because I feel like I’m a part of something bigger, and I really like helping people in,” said Alex Schwab, HPU student volunteering alongside her mother.
The HPU Parents Council will continue to host this event every Family Weekend and will be continuing to provide thousands of meals to those in need.
Furthermore, HPU as a whole is sending further donations to the Red Cross for distribution to even more people affected by Hurricane Florence. In addition, HPU has a web page at www.highpoint.edu/HPUCares, where anyone can donate funds for hurricane relief.
Volunteers package food for Hurricane Florence survivors in Slane Gymnasium. Photo by Nicholas Bainbridge