Archive for February, 2008
February 11th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Western Kentucky University got out and got public in a big way this weekend to win last week’s challenge: off campus outreach. They did everything from tabling at a movie theater to simply banding people at cafes and coffee shops.
It can be intimidating to get out into the community and talk to people about ONE, but it can also be highly effective. Congratulations to Western Kentucky and all the other schools (like College of Charleston and Sacred Heart) that got off campus this last week and engaged even more people in the fight against poverty.
February 11th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Katharina Weihmann at UT Austin slapped on more ONE Bands than anyone has ever attempted to before and snapped this picture to win photo of the week.
February 11th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
This week’s episode of OCC TV turns to something that we should all be doing, making more phone calls to Congress. It only takes a moment (as we show in these simple dramatizations) and it really does make a difference.
If you have 5 minutes between classes or have a couple of extra minutes in the morning then you have time to make a call and help to save lives. So why wouldn’t you?
You can report phone calls on the handy call reporting page.
February 11th, 2008 at 10:23 am
This Summer, the Student Government Association at the College of Charleston started a committee that we called the Cougar Spirit Initiative (CSI, clever aren’t we?). We knew that CofC would be a ONE Campus at the start of the semester but we wanted to extend this into every part of campus life. The best way to do this was to make it the theme of the biggest event during the year, Homecoming.
From the CSI we developed ONE Pride: ONE House, our 2008 Homecoming theme. It was going to be a blitz-build of a Habitat for Humanity House in downtown Charleston. This was our way to “think globally and act locally”. But we wanted to take it one step further. We wanted to extend this effort to the continent of Africa and our students performed.
So here’s the plan: for two weeks in February, 2000 volunteers from the College of Charleston and the surrounding Charleston community are building a Habitat home for the Nelson family in downtown Charleston. And we’ve already started! Two months ago, Project Harambee, a student group, traveled to Kenya and built an orphanage for community outside of Nairobi. We’ve linked poverty as a global problem. We’ve built a home in Kenya, and a home in our own back yard.
And we’re still building our Habitat House! We need to raise $60,000 and we’re only $10,000 short- so feel free to donate at cofc.edu/blitzbuild . The house will be presented to the Nelson family on Feb. 16th at both an on-site ceremony and our homecoming basketball game.
Together, we’re uniting as ONE to show our pride with the true idea of a homecoming. ONE Pride: ONE House at the College of Charleston.
-Seaton
www.cofc.edu/blitzbuild
www.cofc.edu/homecoming
http://www.cofc.edu/news/storyDetail.html?id=674
February 9th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
As University students, the members of the Sacred Heart ONE Campaign have realized one thing; the positive correlation between education and being able to make a difference in the world. So naturally, when the weekly challenge was to integrate ourselves further into the community, we turned to local (very wealthy) Frenchtown Elementary School.
Our target audience consisted of three 2nd grade classes, so we didn’t want to terrify the kids with the over simplified facts that many ONE members are familiar with. So like any intelligent, free thinking individual, we turned to Dr. Seuss for a little assistance. ONE had previously won a poster design contest here at SHU and our prize was a $50 AMEX gift card, so with our “prize money” we bought three copies of “Have I Ever Told You How Lucky You Are?” and a few extra ONE bands.
Ten of our students and staff arrived at the school at about 1:30 on Friday, armed with the books, bands, and a few packets of construction paper. We went into the classes and introduced ourselves, stating that we were with the ONE Campaign, whose goal was to make life a little bit easier for those less fortunate than ourselves. We had a very informative few minutes, asking them how many meals they ate that day, where they were going after school (most said ‘home’), etc. Then we told them that not everyone was as fortunate; some people don’t get to eat every day, let alone 3 full meals. Cue Dr. Seuss. We read and afterwards passed out the construction paper. We asked them to trace their hands, and inside, to write one thing that they learned. A few selections:
I learned not to waste food. – Breanna
I learned to keep the environment clean – Katie
I learned that I am very lucky to have toys to play with. – Zachary
I learned that if you have extra clothes you can give them to the poor – Annie
I learned that I want to help others – Paul
Anyway, after spending a little more time with the kids (who were adorable, mind you) and taking a few more group pictures, we forced ourselves out of the school because we still had more work to do. We have a surprise for them that we’ll be giving them on Monday morning; a giant ONE poster made up of all their hands with the fingers locked together! It was a colossal effort that we pulled off in a very short amount of time; and there is no doubt in our minds that our devotion to the principles of the ONE campaign have sparked a few future-grassroots activists to join in the fight against poverty. Huzzah!!
~ Mike Fazzino, Sacred Heart University
February 9th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
So where were you last Saturday? Perhaps just chillin in your dorm room and getting excited for Super Tuesday by watching MTV’s ‘Presidential Super Dialogue.’ Well Lucie and I from ONE Seton Hall University WERE THERE!!! Thanks to a hook up from the ONE office, we represented ONE at this event sponsored by MTV, Myspace and the Associated Press which brought together four presidental hopefuls (via satellite) to let young voters tell them whats on their minds.
Unfortunately Lucie and I weren’t able to ask Obama, Hilary, Huckabee, or Ron Paul any questions or even wear our ONE shirt, but we did load our arms up with ONE wristband and made sure that a majority of the audience got a band. The highlight had to be hearing both Obama and Clinton mention that HIV/AIDS would be one the biggest challenges that the would take action on. ONE by ONE we are changing the debate in this country and we can ensure that whoever is going to the White House come November, that they are ready to tackle the issues of extreme poverty and disease.
February 9th, 2008 at 10:05 am
There’s no question that music is a universal language. It can tie generations across cultural and geographical boundaries together. So, what better way to unify and mobilize supporters of a cause to action and awareness than a benefit concert, inspiring others to sing for an end to poverty?
UF’s 1st Benefit Concert was held on Saturday, February 2nd 2008 at the Civic Media Center in Gainesville, Florida. Around 75 students packed into this social library/reading room to support the 4 local bands, who agreed to perform for free. Organizing the show lineup and convincing the bands to perform was probably the most difficult part of planning the concert, but definitely possible. First of all, it really helps to enlist the help of any band groupie friends you may have- they usually have a pretty good idea of which bands would draw a big crowd among college students. Once you gather a list of potential bands, contact them (preferably in person, but by phone is a decent alternative) and make your pitch. The proceeds from our concert specifically went to local services for the homeless, but no matter what your cause is, be sure to clearly outline what message their voices and instrumentation will be spreading. Drop the name of ONE and eradicating poverty. At the sound of ONE, they will more than likely perform, no questions asked (if not for the cause, at least so they can imitate their rock star idol Bono and feel as if they are on the path to humanitarian stardom as well). All of our bands were kind enough to even incorporate a poverty awareness theme to some of their songs, keeping a socially open message the entire night.
It was a night of education through music. At the concert, ONE had its own table with a display board on domestic and international homelessness and poverty, as well as ONE Vote ‘08 pamphlets to give out. Furthermore, the $5 admission fee raked in nearly $400 for local Gainesville homeless services! It was a spectacular demonstration of the power of music, uniting all those who want to end poverty, one by ONE.
February 8th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
When we had our all OCC conference call last week we issued a special challenge to everyone on the call: make a video telling us why you fight extreme poverty with ONE. Each entry was worth 20,000 points, and the winner – Kansas State – is getting 40,000 points. Check it out.
February 6th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Whoa! Bet you didn’t think that there would be any more ROA’s for you to meet here on the OCC Blog after last semester when we profiled 10 of the regional outreach ambassadors. But now, at long last, is the final installation in the series: Kaytee, the new ROA from Hofstra.
Hey guys, my name is Kaytee Lozier and I’m the new ROA for Maryland, West Virginia, and D.C. I’m a junior Print Journalism major at Hofstra University and I am co-president of the ONE Hofstra Chapter. I’m originally from New Milford CT, and before that I lived in Fontana CA.
Until I began college I never really paid attention to politics. I didn’t feel personally attached to it in any way because I didn’t feel that I played much of a role in our political process. I have always been interested in international affairs and the state of third world countries, and I had done some volunteering for Invisible Children, but I have always felt there wasn’t much I could do about the state of the world in general. That was before I happened to find the ONE Campaign last summer. I realized that this could be the perfect opportunity to make a difference with a stronger voice, the voice of 2 million others who feel as passionate about these issues as I do.
Once I became involved with the ONE Campaign, the Campus Challenge was the perfect way to rev my engine. Finally I had a way to reach out to people and make this movement grow! After the Power 100 summit, I feel more prepared than ever to unite Hofstra students under this cause. If you go to school in any of my regions and you want to start a chapter at your school, please contact me and I’ll help you get started!
Aside from battling extreme poverty, I like to play tennis, play video games, and.. actually battling extreme poverty is pretty much my favorite thing to do nowadays, with Guitar Hero as a close second!
February 6th, 2008 at 1:42 am
When the first Super Tuesday occurred back in 1988, it was supposed to be a regional primary that would unite the South and give it more influence over the Democratic nomination. Now, twenty years later, the primaries are more evenly distributed and more states have taken part than ever before. The spin doctors are working their magic on TV and the candidates are declaring victory in states across the country.
Both there is one thing that unites all five candidates who won a primary or caucus tonight: Hillary Clinton, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Barack Obama, and Mitt Romney ALL went “On the Record” with ONE last year. Students in the ONE Campus Challenge placed over 1600 calls to these (and other) candidates asking them to do so and they did.
Now cynics might say these candidates went “On the Record” and have been sucessful so far for the same reason: they have run strong, well organized campaigns. But maybe its something deeper, that the candidates who want to do the right thing tend to go “On the Record” and do well in elections. Either way, we can safely say no matter who wins the White House at this point, the next President will have a plan to fight poverty.
Check out the election results.
In other news President Bush released his proposed budget for fiscal year 2009. ONE’s policy director wrote up a summary available here.
TAGS: COFCH, SHU, WKYU