NEWS
October 15-28, 2009 • The Journal
NEWS BRIEFS Bookmobile comes to Webster: The Bookmobile will come to Marletto’s marketplace on Wednesday Oct. 28 from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Contact Jodie Borgerding, the reference librarian, at (314) 246-7819 for more information.
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Webster Works 2009
Senate finance committee passes health care bill: The $829 billion Baucus bill was passed by the committee on Oct. 13.
MISDEMEANORS AND MISHAPS Oct. 11:
6:52 p.m.: A vehicle parked in the Loretto Hilton center parking lot sustained property damage over $500.
Oct. 9:
6:00 a.m.: Students got into a physical altercation in the Webster Village apartments. 1:26 a.m.: A student became ill at 470 E. Lockwood Dr. and was transported to a hospital by the Webster Groves Fire Department.
Oct. 8:
9:01 p.m.: A fire alarm went off at 240 Edgar Road. 6:55 p.m.: A student fell and was injured at 175 Edgar Road. The student was transported to a hospital by the Webster Groves Fire Department. 3:19 p.m.: A fire alarm pull station was activated at 175 Edgar Road. There was no sign of a fire. 10:07 a.m.: A student became ill at 470 E. Lockwood Ave. and was transported by the Webster Groves Fire Department. 6:11 a.m.: A fire alarm went off at 230 Hazel road.
Oct. 7:
8:32 a.m.: A fire alarm went off at 230 Hazel road. 12:03 a.m.: A student requested assistance at 230 Hazel road. ResLife responded.
WEBSTER GROVES POLICE BLOTTER Oct. 4
500 Block Florence Ave. A victim’s purse was stolen from an unlocked vehicle that was parked on the street.
Oct. 4
700 Block Busch Terr. Sometime overnight a satellite radio was stolen from a vehicle parked on the street.
Oct. 6
600 Block Hollywood Place A resident in the 600 block of Hollywood had some large planting urns stolen from their front porch while on vacation.
Oct. 6
Crocket Park Someone damaged the playground equipment and the restroom at Ivory Crocket with graffiti. Police have a suspect and continue to investigate.
Oct. 7
600 Block Lohmann Forest Ln. A laptop computer, a purse and a blackberry phone were taken from an unlocked car parked on the street.
Oct. 7
300 Block S. Maple Ave. Sometime between 10 p.m. and 7:30 a.m., someone stole a laptop computer from a car parked on the street.
Oct. 7
200 Block E. Jackson Road On Wednesday between 6:45 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. someone kicked in the rear door of a home in the 200 block of E. Jackson and stole a ring and other items.
Oct. 8
400 Block Tuxedo Blvd. A radio was stolen from a van parked in the street sometime overnight.
Oct. 10
Tulip Drive & S. Elm Ave. While conducting a traffic stop ,police observed drug paraphernalia in the suspect’s car. The driver was arrested and charged with possession.
SAM DITTMANN / The Journal
A group of art majors paint a mural for Circle of Concern during Webster Works Wednesday, Oct. 7. From left to right: Mario Santander, Emily Pederson, Katie King, Ann Losche, Brian McCulloch, Shannon Piwowarczyk and Gary Pach.
More than 1,300 Webster students volunteer BY VINCENZA PREVITE Staff Writer
Webster Works Worldwide (WWW), Webster University’s annual community service day, gathered students and faculty members in teams to help those in need Wednesday, Oct. 7, at local community service organizations. At the St. Louis campus alone, there were over 120 projects and over 1,300 volunteers. “I am very grateful to be able to coordinate such a wonderful project,” said Heather Arora, WU’s special events coordinator. “It’s clear that Webster University and our generous faculty, staff, students and alums are making a difference in our communities.” Gary Passanise, a WU professor and team leader of the mural painting project held at the Circle of Concern, West County’s community charity, said he was glad both students and teachers could be part of such a wonderful experience. “It’s nice to see students get involved doing community service work,” Passanise said. “I started painting a preliminary sketch of a farmers market earlier today. Later on students came to help.” Six students, five of them art
majors, volunteered for the mural painting project. “Anyone can be part of this project,” Passanise said. “You don’t necessarily have to be an art major, you just have to enjoy painting and be able to help. Fortunately, I had the pleasure to work with students who are talented painters.” Sabrina Reveron, a junior international relations major, volunteered for WWW every year since she started classes at WU. “This is my third year doing community service work for Webster,” Reveron said. “I feel that every time I participate I’m making someone happy, even if it’s just painting doors or gardening. I’ve seen a lot of students participating in different projects, but I think we need more support. If we have time to watch TV, read magazines and hang out with friends, then we should have time to help those in need as well.” Maria Ramirez, a junior media communications student and team leader of the Midtown Catholic Charities (MCC) community services, said her team’s main goal was not only to do community service hours, but to learn more about the type of pro-
grams the charity promoted. Twelve volunteers participated in MCC project, most of whom were students at WU. The MCC community services provide help to families whose incomes are less than $10,000 per year. They also organize community programs during the whole year, including a gardening club, a walking club and many programs supporting women’s wellbeing. Each month, they offer help to over 20 new families. “The types of programs promoted by this charity are very unique,” Ramirez said. “Not only do they encourage healthy household relationships, but they also encourage a healthy lifestyle.” Ramirez said she was pleased with the final outcome of the project and to have provided joy to children. “We mainly painted the installations, we painted doors, a park and collected vegetables from their garden,” Ramirez said. “We wanted to have everything beautiful for when the kids came back.” Contact the writer: editor@webujournal.com
SAM DITTMANN / The Journal
Brian McCulloch hands a paint brush to another volunteer from Webster while painting a mural at Circle of Concern.
Wrap-up party offers sweet rewards BY KENDRA HENRY Staff Writer
Chocolate-dipped treats and ice cream galore awaited volunteers at the annual Webster Works Worldwide (WWW) wrap-up party on Oct. 8. The event, held in University Center Sunnen Lounge, was a thank you for those who volunteered for WWW service projects the day before. Heather Arora, special events coordinator for Webster University, said close to 250 volunteers came to the wrap-up party. A chocolate fountain and buildyour-own-sundae station were the main attractions of the event. Mallory Gittemeier, a senior dance and math major, and Alison Brandon-Watkins, a senior dance major, volunteered their time at St. Vincent’s Children’s Home. They both enjoyed working with the children and were glad for the sweet reward party. “We’re dancers who eat,” Gittemeier said. Krista “Kritter” Keirnan, a sophomore broadcast and digital journalism major, attended last year’s wrap-up party and said she didn’t mind that the reward was the same. “It’s still a nice change of pace from pizza,” Keirnan said. “I love the chocolate fountain and would like to see it come back.” Deja Randle, a freshman broadcast and digital journalism major, spent WWW day working in the thrift store at St. Vincent DePaul’s thrift store. For her, the treats were just an extra benefit of her experience in the service program. “It’s a good party,” Randle said. “You work for free to help people out, and that’s rewarding to you. It goes to
THEO WELLING / The Journal
Volunteers from Webster Works Worldwide reap the benefits of their efforts in the Sunnen Lounge Thursday, Oct. 8. Ice cream sundaes, fruit and a chocolate fondue fountain were among some of the treats offered to those who volunteered the day before. show that good deeds pay off.” Arora estimated that about 1,350 people volunteered through WU’s St. Louis campus. However, she said final numbers for the event would not be tallied until after all of the weekend service programs were finished.
In addition to the invitation to the wrap-up party, all WWW volunteers received a free T-shirts. “It’s all cool,” said John Davis, a freshman french major. “I really liked the T-shirts, even though mine got paint all over it. I didn’t even think you got rewarded for volunteering.”
This year’s event marks the 15th anniversary for WWW. Additional service projects will be taking place over the weekend around the St. Louis area. According to the WWW Web site, almost 1,300 people volunteered for the event in 2008. Figures indicate that 120 projects
were completed for a total of 6,490 hours worked by volunteers. Since the inception of the program, more than 18,000 people have volunteered their time to WWW in the St. Louis area. Contact the writer: editor@webujournal.com