Newspaper Page Text
iVI PM SPAV, \( )\ IMIM R 7, 2007
PAGE 2
Achievers bring Disability Awareness Day to campus
By Ellis Smith
News Editor
ellisthered@gmtil.com
For most people, D-
Day means an invasion of
Normandy. For the Achievers,
anew group tor handicapped
students at the University
of West Georgia, D-Day
meaas Disability Awareness
Day. The event included
free food, speeches, a raffle,
and a wheelchair race across
campus.
Justin Hill, president of
the new group, was on hand to
help raise awareness.
“This day is not jast for
people for disabilities, it is to
help make people aware that
everybody is the same, we just
do things a different way,” Hill
said.
TTre gnxip was started
when Shanxi Nunnally, herself
a former Achiever, appmached
several disabled students who
University of West Georgia students take steps to "Make a Difference"
By Brittany Reid
Staff Writer
Breid2@m\.westga .edit
Did you know' that you
could make a difference in
someone's life by getting
involved right here on
campus? All it takes is one
Saturday a year to donate
time to volunteer. That
one day is officially known
across the country as “Make
A Difference Day.”
“Make A Difference
Day” is a celebration of
lending a hand to those in
need and of taking action to
improve one’s community.
Anyone can participate.
Created by USA
Weekend Magazine, “Make
A 'Frightful Read' for all
W-^Vv f
Photo by Kim Halm
English professor Dr. Jane Hill reads from a selected Halloween
text during the Ingram library’s Frightful Read event that took place
throughout the Halloween day. This special Halloween treat brought
many professors out to share their favorite spooky stories with stu
dents as they enjoyed punch and snacks.
(Fife West (Georgian
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now make up the core gnxip
of the Achievers. From that
first meeting, the gnxip began
to gain momentum.
Hill and his achievers are
trying to restart a now -defunct
program that pays students to
assist the haixlicapped with
certain tasks.
“We tire trying to
rejuvenate the anchor pn igram.
In the past, the anchor program
cost atxxit SISOO per semester.
We lost the funding, and the
students now want to raise the
funding themselves,” Hill said.
Hill also has concerns
abcxit the accessibility of some
areas on campus.
“Even though the campus
may look accessible, in some
parts, work needs to be done.”
he said.
When pressed for
specifics.Hillcontinued,“Right
in front of Roberts Drive, there
is a ramp between the sidewalk
and the street where there is a
A Difference Day” is an
annual event that takes place
on the fourth Saturday of
every October. Millions
have taken part in this event.
In2oos,3million people
cared enough about their
communities to volunteer
on that day. accomplishing
thousands of projects in
hundreds of towns.
The UWG Multicultural
Achievement Program
contributes to “Make A
DifferenceDay”through their
own project called “Move
Me!,” made specifically for
this event. The “Move Me!”
project connects children
in the community with
UWG students for a day of
educational enrichment.
difficult gap that needs to be
repaired. There is also access
into buildings that needs to be
fixed, such its in Humanities
aixl the Richards College of
Business.”
Hill is grateful to Nunnally
at Student Development mxl Dr.
Ann Phillips, Americans with
Disabilities Act uxxdinatix at
UWG, lor helping disabled
students share their concerns
with the administration.
Nunnally provided
assistance by bringing vendors
from all over the Scxitheast,
many of whom she had
worked with before, to bring
the latest technical wizardry
for students to admire.
“These vendors are here
tree of charge, iuxl have come
from Atlanta, Birmingham.
Marietta, and even further
away to help spearhead txu
first event, which we plan on
turning into an annual event,”
Nunnally said.
It is a project
specifically designed to
reach underprivileged
children in the Carroll
County area. The Associate
Director and Coordinator
of the Multicultural
Achievement Program is
Professor DeLandra Hunter.
When asked what events the
MAP conducted for “Make
A Difference Day” this year,
he eagerly recounted the
details.
According to Professor
Hunter, this year the “Move
Me!” project contributed
to the Youth Connections
Program at Live Oaks
Shelter, a shelter for abused
children in Carroll County.
The volunteers of the project
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Nunnally also talked
atxxit sixne of the challenges
the Achievers face when
attempting to navigate thnxigh
certain buildings on campus.
“We're really hoping that
the university will consider
tlx 1 students with mobility
disabilities, many of whom
arc majoring in business,”
Nunnally said. ‘The RCOB is
not accessible to them. We’re
hoping to make some gradual
changes, and there has to be
funding, and so we hope that
by raising awareness, that it
will be soinething they will
think abtxit and that we will get
the money fix eventually. We
need elevators, aixl we need
|Xish butti xis, ;uxl I kiK >w that
things have come so far firxn
since I first was here, but there
is still much to be done.”
The t+) mobility
challenged Achievers hope to
raise S2OOO per semester to
restart the anchor program.
were not only members of
UWG's MAP Mentoring
Program, but also of UWG's
Latino Cultural Society,
a student organization on
campus.
The student leaders
taught the children salsa
dancing and different
customs and fixxls of Latin
America. The children
particularly enjoyed hitting
the pinata and diving for
the candy. LCS taught
the children how to speak
Spanish as well.
M A Pmembers prepared
lunch for the children in the
shelter. The kids received
Latin American candy from
LCS members and UWG t
shirts from MAP students.
College Republicans hold first meeting
By Johnathan Davis
Staff Writer
jdavis23@my.westga.edu
UWG’s College
Republicans hosted their
inaugural meeting Tuesday
nightattheßichardsCollege
of Business’ Lecture Hall
Billing itself as "The
Best Party on Campus,”
the College Republicans
first meeting focused
on building the party
organization on campus by
connecting conservative
students and helping them
get involved.
"This is a real
important time for our
join
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David Bachman, Chairman of the West Georgia College Republicans,
stands proudly beside his organization’s hanging display
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Photo by Stephen Broome
Popular campus mascot Wolfie the wolf was at
Disability Awareness Day to lend a paw with the
festivities.
Other activities during
the day consisted of play ing
games such as musical
chairs.
“It has been years since
I have played musical chairs,
although 1 don’t recall getting
dizzy as a child playing the
game,” Hunter said.
W'hen the day was all
over, the children wished
that it didn't have to end.
“As we were departing,
many of the children asked
w hen we were coming back.
1 said soon, and LCS plans to
bring the children to campus
and give them a tour next
month,” LCS Vice President
for Activities Elyse Carid
said.
The experience was
country," Chairman of the
College Republicans David
Bachman said. "And that’s
mainly why I'm involved
with the Republican Party.”
“We’re the future
generation, so it’s up to
us to get active, make a
difference, and get behind
candidates, issues and
causes that will affect our
future,” Bachman said.
The College
Republicans were not
active until this year, and
are starting over anew.
With the goal of building
membership. Bachman
is hoping to target what
he sees as a student body
Copyright Notice
The IVest Georgian, copyright 2007, is an official publication of the
University of West Georgia. Opinions expressed herein are those ot the
newspaper staff or individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the
views of university faculty or stall
Letter Submission Policy
The IVest Georgian welcomes letters to the editor. Letters may
be mailed to: Editor, The IVest Georgian , University of West
Georgia, Carrollton, GA. 30118, or sent via electronic mail to:
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rewarding for the
cixirdinators, student leaders,
and the children.
“The children in the
shelter were grateful for us
sharing our day with them,
and I appreciated seeing our
students share their culture
with the children,” Hunter
said.
While “Make a
Difference Day” happens
only once a year, more
volunteer work is needed
throughout the year. For
more information on “Make
a Difference Day,” or other
ideas on how to donate
time to volunteer work, visit
http://usavveekend.com/
diffday/index .html.
with many whose beliefs
and ideals align with
that of the Republican
Party. For the future of
the College Republicans,
Bachman hopes to bring
Saxby Chambliss and other
elected officials to campus
and to raise SSOOO by this
time next year.
"It'll be fun, we’re still
planning a lot of activities,”
Bachman said.
Students interested
in joining the College
Republicans can join
their group on Facebook
or send an e-mail to
dbachmal @my.westga.
edu.