On November 17th I tabled for the Run Rudolph Run event hosted by the Stockton Honors Board. This event consisted of a five kilometer run for those daring enough to accept this fairly difficult but manageable run. The entry fee for this event was $20 per participant and encouraged racers to dress in seasonal apparel such as antler hats and elf hats. For those who don’t have seasonal apparel on hand they would be sold at the event as well.  This whole event took place at Stockton University on our very own scenic pineland trails, the perfect location for any event! All proceed from this event went towards less fortunate local families who don’t have the money to buy their children presents for the holiday season.

This run was not only a fun way to get out and be active with friends, but also a great way to help our local community as well. At the reasonable cost of only $20 people could enjoy a fun afternoon in good company at the most picturesque part of a great campus. For those who could not partake in the event for various reasons donations were accepted as well as every little bit helps make another individual’s holiday season brighter. While tabling for this event most of our donations came in the form of good-hearted Stockton students and faculty giving a dollar or two to a good cause. All the proceeds from this event went toward various toys and gifts that were later donated to the Stockton Police Department’s Toys for Tots program. While this is only the first year of this annual run we hope to see it gain momentum each year as volunteers such as myself help think of new ways to make this event more fun and exciting then the previous year.

On October 13th I attended Commuter on the Go Afternoon of Service with a group of friends from the honors program. This event was held in the board of trustees’ room giving ample space for anyone who chose to join. Each table had a designated craft to benefit our local community. Whether we were making birthday cards for parents who couldn’t afford to buy them for their children or dog toys for dogs in shelters with all the money available already poured into their living conditions each table had a heartwarming purpose driving them. As the holidays are rapidly approaching these gifts could be the only ones that the less fortunate receive making it all the more relevant as the holiday season is meant to be enjoyed by everyone. After the crafts had concluded the result of our work was truly incredible, tables full of gifts that would brighten up what could have very easily been a bleak time of year.

As we cleaned up our workstations we transitions into a very serious and relevant conversation. At first we jotted down three important aspects of our life and were asked to exchange our answers with someone else in the room. After this we were forced to discard one of the three items someone else had chosen and return them. This represented the loss that we all face in life and how it can affect everyone differently. This personally opened my eyes on how easy it is to lose something as dear to me as a close friend and made me appreciate what I have and all that has happened to me up to the point that I am at in my life. This event was made not only to reflect and make holiday gifts but to teach us how far a little compassion can take someone.