Campus Rec student organization gives back during the holidays

Campus Rec student organization gives back during the holidays
Campus Rec Gift Drive action
Recreation Leadership Council members wrap gifts for the family they adopted through Volunteers of America.

For the past several weeks, students in Oakland University’s Recreation Leadership Council have been working to make the holiday season brighter for individuals at home and abroad.  Prior to Thanksgiving, members collected more than 750 food items to support efforts at the Baldwin Center in Pontiac and sent nearly 150 holiday cards to military members overseas.

 

“Our goal was to give back to the community, helping those around us who are less fortunate, especially during the holiday season,” said senior education major Emma Spak. “The best way to accomplish that was through these types of outreach initiatives.”

 

The group continued its efforts by sponsoring a Christmas gift drive for a local family through Volunteers of America. To generate support, the group posted “ornament tags” in the Campus Recreation Center and invited patrons – faculty, staff, students and alumni – to take a tag and purchase the item written on the tag for the family. The group received almost double the requested number of items, which included toys, clothes and gift cards.

 

“I had no idea we would have this much success,” said Christina Luczak, a student in the Master of Training and Development program and the group’s philanthropy chair. “There’s so many generous people on our campus, and they really stepped up to support this family in need.”

 

Members recently gathered in the Campus Recreation Center to wrap the gifts, which will be delivered to the family this week.

 

“It’s great to have people come together like this,” Luczak said. “The family has two young children, and they don’t know that we’re doing this for them. It’ll be a nice surprise when they see all the presents. For us, there is nothing more rewarding than giving back and making a difference in the community.”

 

To learn more about Oakland's Recreation Leadership Council, visit their Facebook page.

 

 

Campus Rec Gift Drive ornament tags

Members of the Oakland University community took ornament tags from a display set up in the Campus Recreation Center and purchased requested gifts for the family. 

 

 

Campus Rec Gift Drive Group

 Recreation Leadership Council members with the gifts that will be delivered to the family this week.