Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Its Not Too Late to Sign Up for the Bed Races!

Hello Enthusiasts of Service Learning and Engagement!

This is a friendly reminder that there are still a lot of spaces left for the upcoming Bed Races coming up in February!

The Bed Races requires a team ( of 5 people, 4 who push the bed and 1 who rides as a passenger) and a 50 dollar registration fee that supports Denver's Road Home and the Denver homeless community.

The rules for the bed race are as follows: The bed must be pushed down the driveway, where the passenger must dismount the bed, don pajamas ( and button them fully), get back on the bed, which is then pushed back to the original start line.

If you have any questions about this event, do not hesitate to visit http://pjday.org/ or come into our office, The Center for Urban Connections at Tivoli 243 or call (303) 352-7129.

Have a wonderful day!


Rachelle
Media/Events Assistant
Center for Urban Connections





Monday, January 24, 2011

MLK Peace Breakfast: A Reminder to be a Social Activist in the Community

Black and white decor and old timey vintage newspapers covered the bare tables in the Turnhalle, as a layer of awareness struck the individuals on Friday January 18th. This day was the 20th anniversary of the MLK Jr. Peace Breakfast.

The 300 people in attendance varied from students, faculty to numerous community activists who believe in the ethic of social justice and peace. The breakfast started out with social advocates within the school, then moved onto musical acts, storytelling and a wonderful vocalist who was a Metro alumni.

This breakfast honors 4 unique individuals who believe in social equality and equal rights, in the community with a peace award. This gives awardees , an item of applause and appreciation , for all of the work they have done in the Denver community to bring awareness to diversity and equality among all individuals.

Master of Ceremonies, donnie betts, believes that bringing the generational gaps inward and to a close, would make room for open discussions and a plethora of ideas to promote action in the community.

He stated that if community organizations, but most importantly Auraria Student Organizations interweave to create a sense of connection and deepening of a progressive movement, there would be more togetherness to bring allies in support of each other, together to take action.

betts said, " We must find out how we all can now , like the 60's and 70's, come together and work for a common good."

As much as our school and community can, we all should work on being positive, helping out each other reach our dreams, and be able to go through all social justice with an open mind and heart.

The highly popular " I have a dream..." speech gave individuals of all race, sex, religions and beliefs a dream of understanding. Now, we need to re-invent that dream to balance the chaos of everyday life. We need to have dreams and not be afraid to do so, and lastly we need supporters like friends, family,and the community to give us the ability to make it possible and believe in us.

To find out more about our center or volunteer opportunities, please visit us in Tivoli 243 or call (303) 352-7129. Our website is:http://www.mscd.edu/urbanconnect/

Thanks for reading!


Rachelle
Media/Events Assistant
Center for Urban Connections



Thursday, January 20, 2011

Some Reasons Why Volunteering Is Awesome!


What is a green festival? A Green Festival, http://www.greenfestivals.org/ promotes environmental awareness, fair trade and sustainability. The organization that puts on this festival, recently put out an article that lists the top ten reasons to volunteer. I found that this is an essential to have with all of our students, faculty and staff because we all have busy lives, and sometimes volunteering for something is not our number one thing we need to do, although it should be integrated into our weekly schedules.

There is a lot of promotion for Green Festival Volunteers. I know from volunteering at the Green Festival in Denver in 2009, that this a legitimate organization and one with a lot of passion and dedication to what it means to be green.

I also want to mention, on the subject of green, that the Auraria Campus is composting! This is our first semester of having compost and composting classes available to all students, staff and faculty! The green bins are located all throughout the Tivoli. If you could please be mindful and look out for them, our center, as well as Compost Auraria would greatly appreciate it and our campus could be one of few, who composts in an urban community.

Here is what Green Festivals aka Global Exchange and Green America Say Why Its Important to Make Time to Volunteer:

1. Joy of Giving

Involvement in a cause steeped in creating a better life for the world and all of its inhabitants brings a joy that is unlike any other. It will give you a unique feeling of purpose and power that will feed your spirit, expand your mind and boost your self-esteem.

volunteer_green_team_12. Networking and Career Advancement

Volunteering can contribute to your career in a number of valuable ways. It strengthens your resume, boosts your visibility in the community and can connect you to valuable references. Plus, listing your volunteer experience on a resume demonstrates to prospective employers that you are conscientious, engaged in your community and able to manage your time to include giving back.

3. Fun with Friends and Family

Rewarding experiences are best shared, and volunteering is certainly more fun with two, four or six. Many of the volunteer roles at Green Festival can be shared with friends or family. Bring a youngster to partner with you; those who begin volunteering during their youth will typically become life-long volunteers.

4289211847_4e725122d44. A Step out of your Normal Routine

Volunteering is a great way to learn a new skill, explore new interests, discover untapped talents and meet new people. You may have social skills underutilized in your daily life that can be a valuable tool as an educator on the Green Team, or you may be a real kid-magnet, perfect for the Green Kid’s Zone. Find a hidden strength!

5. Make a Difference that will Reach Around the World

When you volunteer for the Green Festival, you are contributing to an event that promotes sustainability, human rights and environmental responsibility in the U.S. and around the world. By contributing your time, you are ultimately participating in promoting responsible energy sources, changing the life of a coffee farmer in Mexico or opening the door of opportunity for an African seamstress or an Indian jewelry-maker.

6. Connect with your Community

Volunteering is a powerful tool that brings together individuals with similar goals and ideology. Share the day with hundreds of like-minded volunteers, and you could meet your next boss, the love of your life or a magnetic new friend.

7. Gain Valuable Service Hours76354_495329857237_36915682237_7038027_428178_n

Most high schools and some universities now require a certain number of service hours be earned before graduation. Have a great time fulfilling your school’s requirement; there are so many volunteer roles and shifts at Green Festival that, if you were so inclined, could earn you upwards of 20 hours in a weekend!

8. It’s Healthy

Volunteering gets you up, out and moving. It improves your mood with feelings of joy and optimism which relieves stress, boosts your immune system and slows the aging process. Invest your time in a healthy pursuit while making a real difference in your community.

4127534684_c9da6d95039. Free Admission and Great Benefits

Let’s be frank, one of the reasons to volunteer for Green Festival is to gain that Free Admission all weekend! Plus, you get the exclusive, organic cotton, sweat-shop-free event tshirt, free memberships in Global Exchange and Green America for one year and access to food, relaxation and a free coat check in the Volunteer Lounge all weekend.

10. It Saves Resources for your Cause

Volunteers at the Green Festival save us up to $40,000 in staffing costs at each event. That means there is that much more funding to spend on promoting social justice and environmental responsibility. Though your service is more valuable than money, we recognize this is a piece of your contribution that is tangible and measurable.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Celebrate and Honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
























Today is the 25th Anniversary of MLK Jr. Day. It is a day of peace, remembrance and social justice. In honor of this day, here are some links that I found interesting in case you would like to re-read or re-visit what Martin Luther King Jr. has done for human rights.



2) I Have A Dream Speech http://tinyurl.com/y4acg5

3) Marade 2010 Slideshow in Denver http://tinyurl.com/47sylq9

4) A Day of Service Opportunities http://tinyurl.com/46tz66r



Thanks for reading!



Rachelle
Media/Events Asssistant
Center for Urban Connections


Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities!


Hello All!

Are you thinking about volunteering this semester? We have some great opportunities coming up, so look no further than our office, Facebook page and our monthly newsletter!

This upcoming Friday and Monday, there are two volunteer opportunities for Martin Luther King Jr. Day that are quite fun and a great opportunity to meet fellow Metro students!

If you are attending the MLK Breakfast, please join us afterwards outside the turnhalle, to create signs and banners for the MLK Marade on Monday. We also hope you will join us for the Marade, on Monday January 17th, 2011 and wear red! We are meeting on Monday just north of the Thatcher Fountain located just north of 17th on the City Park Esplanade. Participants will congregate at the Dr. King memorial site in City Park at 9:00 a.m. The Marade begins at 10:00 a.m. with participants marching together to Civic Center Park, where cake will be served. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. yearbook will be signed again this year at the Colorado State Capitol Building, and program festivities are expected to end at 1:00 p.m. If you have any questions please contact Kumella Aiu, our Office Coordinator at kaiu@mscd.edu or (303) 352-7134
or come to our office located in Tivoli 243.



Coming up in February, The Center, a non-profit organization that is a community center dedicated to providing support and advocacy for Colorado's gay, lesbian,bisexual and transgender ( GLBT) population, has two events in February that are opportunities of fun to get involved with the community!



These events and the contact information is listed below:

Artopia will be a night of art, food, music and fashion. It is on Saturday February 19th at 7pm until February 20th at 2am. All volunteers must be 21 years or older. Proceeds benefit the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans gendered Community Center of Colorado.


Volunteer and help out with LGBT Community Lobby Day on Monday February 21st from 8 to 3 pm. You will be volunteering by doing various workshops throughout the day!


For more information on these volunteer opportunities please contact Juli German, Community Engagement Coordinator at jgerman@glbtcolorado.org or at (303) 733-7743.



Thanks so much for reading and have a great day!


Rachelle
Media/Events Assistant
Center for Urban Connections



Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Volunteer to Help Understand Our Community!

Are you interested in understanding populations or community surveys?

Help and volunteer with Denver's Road Home for the Point in Time Study on Tuesday, January 25th! They need volunteers to administer surveys in order to collect data and identify needs and trends of the homeless population in the Denver Metro Area. The data that is collected is used by community, faith-based and local government organizations.

If you have any questions about this volunteer opportunity, please contact Rebecca Mayer at mdhi@unitedwaydenver.org or call her at (303) 561-2194.


( copy and paste this link onto your browser)


Thanks for reading!



Rachelle
Media/Events Assistant
Center for Urban Connections

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Changing the Communication of Giving Through Social Networking



















Hello All!

Hope you are enjoying your winter break and doing some volunteering too!

As social media has developed into widespread communication over the past couple of years, these sites have woven donations into a social mainstream way of giving. Through applications on Facebook, formed-websites specific to donating to a non-profit, and accessible buttons for individuals to click on so that they may do a one time donation to a cause or organization.

When I search for content to write for these blogs, I search for things that are of popular interest to the college student who is interested in volunteering. I try to not overload a person on too much social change content, that I would have interest in, but is boring to the "average" college student.

Social media has evolved into a array of individual opinions as well as a new form of communicating via writing on a wall and personal messaging. These tools can sometimes be used in a non-effective way to instantaneously share something that you may regret in the future.

Although I may fall into a haze with Facebook at times, I do admit, I keep going onto this networking site because I feel like it makes it easy to learn about giving and social change.

An example of this, is the application Willie's Sweet Shop. This application created by Facebook, has grown its popularity because of the combination of using a product and giving profits to a organization. This creates what is called social entrepreneurship, which is a intention that a business has to socially give while creating a business plan.


This easy way to access forms of giving makes it accessible for students, like you and I, to be able to give to something we feel passionate about or find volunteer opportunities via social media.

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle
Media/Events Assistant
Center for Urban Connections