Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Roommates:

DIANA ASHJIAN STAFF WRITER DA725@CABRINI EDU

Tonight, countless Americans will scope out a public, wooden bench as their place to sleep or maybe a big cardboard box that once housed someone’s brandnew refrigerator. They’ll wake up in the morning and desperately hope that some kind stranger will pass by and provide them with some spare change so they can maybe get a bite to eat.

Freshmen Christopher Mindnich and Cheyne Roland could never fathom such living conditions for themselves, but if they were faced with an organized opportunity to help those who do, Mindnich and Roland would be very much obliged, to say the least.

This year’s Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Campaign is an attempt to further “give hope to a world in need,” which is the slogan of Catholic Relief Services, an international relief organization, that has teamed up with adviser Laura Gorgol and co-chairs Meghan Hurley and Kristine Jennings, both sophomores.

The campaign members have organized specific events that will aim to raise food and money for Malawi, a very small country in Africa that is run down with poverty and disease. Also, there will be different events throughout the campus that will promote activity and awareness for the benefit of those less fortunate liv- ing closer to home in nearby cities such as Norristown and Philadelphia.

The campaign begins Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. in Jazzman’s café with Cabrini’s own chef, Rodney Stockett, who will speak to students about what they can do to help as well as hang out and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that will be sent to different food banks in Philadelphia.

Colleen Small, a freshman member of the community outreach program and promoter of the campaign, will be there and is looking forward to meeting others who are interested in participating. “It’s amazing to think that in doing the smallest things to help people you’re actually having such a strong impact in the grand scheme of things,” Small said.

Wood Dining Services will donate favorite platefuls of the meat du jour and other side dishes, but the amount depends on how many Cabrini students are willing to sacrifice a meal and “fast in solidarity.” All that students have to do is give their meal plan ID numbers during lunch on Nov. 12, in the cafeteria and in doing so, will make a huge difference in the life of someone who really needs it.

“I’ve been extremely fortunate throughout my life to come from affluence and arrive here to a campus that cares so much about humanity,” Mindnich said. “I’ve decided to follow that emphasis on the humanities and major in history, which will enable me to concentrate on what has shaped this country so that I can help make a difference in shaping it further. For right now though, I can start with just sacrificing one meal so that someone else won’t go hungry and I think that’s incredible,” Mindnich said. The meals will be distributed to various shelters in Philadelphia and the drive will end with a hunger banquet inside the Mansion on Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m., which all students are invited to sign up for at the Wolfington Center to attend.

Cheyne Roland, English and communications major, thinks that Cabrini’s efforts to provide food for the surrounding communities is very commendable.

“One of the reasons I chose Cabrini College was because of their programs, like Habitat for Humanity and even babysitting. I knew I’d continue to learn about myself by staying involved in things that involved leadership collaborative and that’s part of why I’m here,” Roland said. Roland will be part of the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Campaign and its efforts to help educate Malawi about the spread of HIV/AIDS as well as agriculture to help their people with malnutrition. Roland and friends can donate whatever they can spare to the donation box that will be present at all of the events mentioned as well as outside The Wolfington Center Campus Minister Laura Gorgol, who is also advising the campaign, knows that it doesn’t always take the commitment of a crime to render arrest. Arrest can also be strong conviction or compassion. Gorgol is a total advocate of the entire campus’ arrest in and for hunger. If students find an “arrest warrant” inside their mailboxes they should turn them in to Hunger Court, which will be held on Nov. 18, in Jazzman’s café, where their “bail” will be decided.

“Bail” can be collected by making phone calls around the campus to people who don’t want to see anyone go hung ry anymore than they’d want to see a Cabrini student behind iron bars. The proceeds collected out of care will be donated to local and international outreaches. “It is so important for students to realize the issues that exist in the world around them. I think that Cabrini does a great job at emphasizing and highlighting not only academics, but also hunger and homelessness,” Gorgol said.

Any student interested in participating in the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Campaign can call 610-902-8225 or email Laura Gorgol at leg722@cabrini.edu, Meghan Hurley at mlh722@cabrini.edu or Kristen Jennings at krisj613@yahoo.com. Most of the contributions received will be given to families in need this holiday season, who would be undoubtedly touched by any kind of extended gratitude even if all you have to give is time and prayer.

Winter car survival: is your

SARAH

As the season shifts into full fall-mode, now is the time to take precautionary measures to ensure automobiles makes it through the tough winter months. Cold weather can be disastrous to even the newest of cars and snow and ice can cause unforeseen pitfalls. It is important to prepare a head of time to prevent cars from getting stuck out in the snow come winter.

Contrary to popular belief, warming up the car in the morning is not a good idea. Letting the engine run while scrapping the windows is fine, but if it exceeds 5 minutes the chances of overheating increase dramatically. Stewart Simmons, a mechanic at Hub Tire in Norristown, suggests starting the car as usual and driving slow for the first few miles. This will give the engine a chance to warm up while the car is in motion.