Perspective on Service..

Today's post is from Kelsey Caffey, Director of Service Programming for the Panhellenic Council
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My name is Kelsey Caffy and I am serving as Samford’s Panhellenic Director of Service. Philanthropy and community service are integral parts of the Greek experience at Samford, and Panhellenic hopes to continue to provide sorority women opportunities to support the Birmingham area, as well as to discover specific areas of service that they are passionate about. As a Samford student and member of a sorority, the opportunity to volunteer has benefited me and created a deep appreciation for philanthropy that has overflowed into other areas of my life. One of the most important aspects I have learned about service is that even volunteering once at a given organization for a few hours can have a lasting impact. It can give you insight, change your perspective, and help foster a lifelong commitment to service.

          At the start of the semester, Panhellenic sponsored a University-wide blood drive. Each sorority volunteered at a given time slot during the day, and Samford students were able to serve by donating blood. The goal of this project was to get the entire University involved, rather than labeling the drive as a “Greek” event. Additionally, the blood drive gave students the opportunity to give the very most with the least cost, by donating their own blood, as well as their time.

          Presently, we are working toward organizing a service project with the Foundry in Bessemer, Alabama. The Foundry is a Christ-centered drug and rehab clinic that seeks to provide constructive assistance to those in need through its recue, recovery, and re-entry programs. We are looking into bringing Samford’s sorority women together by serving a meal or sponsoring a women’s event on a Friday night. By offering conversation and a listening ear, we hope to have a positive impact on those undergoing the recovery process.

          As the emphasis on community service continues to grow within the Samford student body, Panhellenic hopes to expand on a relational level by creating lasting ties with Birmingham service organizations. Even by simply going out into the community a few times during the semester and offering our time, we aim to keep with the Samford tradition of service and to know that our effort is being combined with the efforts of other campus groups and organizations to create a lasting effect on the community. As we expand, we hope to promote service projects like the blood drive that are open to the University as a whole. We want to maintain a strong commitment to campus-wide unity and participation for a greater cause.