2008 Woodie Awards
Miss-a-Meal program aids Alternative Spring Break program
Diana Storch
Issue date: 3/26/08 Section: News
As a result of the Miss-A-Meal program last month, Chartwells Dining donated $1,500 to the UA Alternative Spring Break program, a UA Housing official said.
About 619 students signed up outside of residential dining centers - Brough Commons, the Northwest Quad and Pomfret - to skip a specific lunch or dinner meal during the last week of February, said Felisha Perrodin, assistant director for community engagement in UA Housing.
Chartwells then donated the food cost from the unprepared meals to the ASB program.
"I was hungry," said Amber Widdowson. She gave up a dinner but decided to eat at a restaurant instead.
"It was a good excuse to get off campus and spend time with good friends," she said.
"University Housing and the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, as well as our students who are participating in the Alternative Spring Break trips, are appreciative of Chartwells' support of the ASB program," Perrodin said.
She also noted this year was the first time in several years that the Miss-A-Meal program occurred.
"ASB was established by University Housing and students at the University of Arkansas in 1996 to give back to communities by volunteering for service projects during spring break," she said.
This year, students participating in ASB traveled to the Hope/Texarkana area of southwest Arkansas, the Wynne area of northeast Arkansas and other students traveled to New Orleans, La.
The students performed community service in those areas and took time to think and talk about the importance of giving back to communities, Perrodin said.
Participants in the program also developed leadership skills because the trips are initiated and organized by students, according to the UA Housing Web site.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper mentioned ASB during his speech at the UA Friday, March 7. Cooper acknowledged the efforts of previous UA ASB participants in the hurricane-devastated New Orleans area.
UA volunteers have made past ASB trips to Tampa Bay, Fla.; Kansas City, Mo.; Dallas and San Antonio; Washington, D.C.; southern New Jersey; Boston; and the Hope/El Dorado area of southwest Arkansas, Perrodin said.
"I participated because I think it's a good cause," Widdowson said.
"I would do it again, because Alternative Spring Break is definitely something worth giving money to," she said.
About 619 students signed up outside of residential dining centers - Brough Commons, the Northwest Quad and Pomfret - to skip a specific lunch or dinner meal during the last week of February, said Felisha Perrodin, assistant director for community engagement in UA Housing.
Chartwells then donated the food cost from the unprepared meals to the ASB program.
"I was hungry," said Amber Widdowson. She gave up a dinner but decided to eat at a restaurant instead.
"It was a good excuse to get off campus and spend time with good friends," she said.
"University Housing and the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, as well as our students who are participating in the Alternative Spring Break trips, are appreciative of Chartwells' support of the ASB program," Perrodin said.
She also noted this year was the first time in several years that the Miss-A-Meal program occurred.
"ASB was established by University Housing and students at the University of Arkansas in 1996 to give back to communities by volunteering for service projects during spring break," she said.
This year, students participating in ASB traveled to the Hope/Texarkana area of southwest Arkansas, the Wynne area of northeast Arkansas and other students traveled to New Orleans, La.
The students performed community service in those areas and took time to think and talk about the importance of giving back to communities, Perrodin said.
Participants in the program also developed leadership skills because the trips are initiated and organized by students, according to the UA Housing Web site.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper mentioned ASB during his speech at the UA Friday, March 7. Cooper acknowledged the efforts of previous UA ASB participants in the hurricane-devastated New Orleans area.
UA volunteers have made past ASB trips to Tampa Bay, Fla.; Kansas City, Mo.; Dallas and San Antonio; Washington, D.C.; southern New Jersey; Boston; and the Hope/El Dorado area of southwest Arkansas, Perrodin said.
"I participated because I think it's a good cause," Widdowson said.
"I would do it again, because Alternative Spring Break is definitely something worth giving money to," she said.
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