On Thursday, September 24th, I attended a Circle K service project called Project Linus, an organization that provides teddy bears, blankets, and pillow cases to sick children in need. On this specific night for about an hour, a small group of Circle K members got together to sew teddy bears that will be donated to the organization.

This being my first service project as a Circle K member, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I was very happy with the outcome. Because the event was so small, it ran very smoothly and provided a fun atmosphere in which we could have a good time while giving back to the community. We listened to music, and talked to one another the entire time. Everyone was very friendly, and inviting, making even the newest members feel comfortable. Although this is a mainly individual project, we did get the chance to work together, teaching one another how to sew, and helping those who ran into problems.

Overall, participating in Circle K’s service, Project Linus, was a great experience. It was a fun, easy way to give my time to a wonderful organization. I encouraged others who are willing to get involved on and off campus to join Circle K. This club provides a variety of opportunities to serve the community. As a student, I understand that it is often hard to find time to serve, but Circle K provides many service projects that do not require much time, such as Project Linus. I am excited for Circle K’s future projects, and hope to see more students get involved with this club.

On Wednesday, September 16th, and Thursday, September 17th, the clubs and organizations of Stockton University held the Get Involved Fair. Nearly every club and organization that Stockton has to offer filled the halls of A through J wing with tables of information. It was clear that each group involved in this event put hard work into providing information as well as a welcoming atmosphere. Each table had a wonderful presentation, gave students helpful information, and warmly invited students to join in their activities. The fair provided a great opportunity to learn about the variety of ways to get involved both on and off campus, meet new people, and serve in the community.

As I approached the table for Circle K, each member was eager to inform me about the club. They explained that Circle K is a service organization involved in the community in a variety of ways. I was very interested in serving the community, so they invited me to sign up for information and attend their meetings on Wednesday nights. Although I could not attend the meeting, they made sure that I receive all the information I need to get involved with Circle K.

Overall, the Get Involved Fair was very successful in getting students to get involved. The setup of the event was so informative, helpful, and welcoming that I found it almost impossible not to get involved in at least one club or organization. As a commuter, I find it hard to get involved, and often feel out of the loop. However, the Get Involved Fair completely changed this feeling. I now feel more involved in the University, and I am excited to be a part of and contribute to the community.

On Saturday, September 12th, Stockton held the 12th annual Day of Service to inspire students to serve in the community as well as provide them with information to do so. This year, each student was able to experience every service project. This arrangement gave us the opportunity to decide what we like best, and what we would like to continue in the future.

The first project my team attended was health and wellness in which the team split up into small groups and went to different locations to learn about a variety of health related topics including CPR, green dot, suicide awareness, and prescription drugs. I chose the CPR information session which was taught by Stockton EMS. This was very informative as well as interactive. We watched short videos with step by step instructions on how to perform hands only CPR, and were able to practice these steps on dummies. After this session, I felt that I would be able to help if I were ever in a situation in which someone needed CPR.

We then regrouped and went to the hunger and homelessness session which began with an inspiring introduction from a member of Covenant House. She opened our eyes to the realities of homelessness, especially among people our age. Not only did she share some of her experiences in working with Covenant House, but she made it clear that it is possible for us to help too.

After that, the team went to the civics session where we discussed issues such as frisk and seizure, the death penalty, and student evolvement in politics. I was able to hear my teammates different opinions on these topics, making me think more in depth about them. I was also encouraged to involve myself more in politics when we learned about the lack of participation in people ages 18 to 21. Here, we also learned about the Petey Greene Program which allows volunteers to make a difference in the lives of prisoners by educating them, and helping them get their GEDs.

The day was filled with other services and organizations such as Books Without Borders, Circle K, and the Atlantic City Rescue Mission. Overall, it was a great day to work with new people, and learn about a variety of ways to serve the community in the future.