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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 8, 2000)
Page 4A AGGIELIFE Friday, Decent: , v Dcce THE BATTALION Fraternities and sororities break stereotypes through community servii By Hillary Gant J7je Battalion | Community service and volunteering are brobably not the first things that come to mind when people think about fraternities or soror ities. However, several fraternities and soror- Jties at Texas A&M are working to change the negative image of Greek life by volunteering {heir time and energy to a variety of causes in [he Bryan-College Station area. Some of those worthy causes are helping the disabled and spending time with at-risk children. ' Hearne resident Dawn Cobb said she did not have the money to. have wheelchair himps built for her home. Cobb said her dis- iibility insurance would not pay to have her home modified after her leg was amputated. * Cobb said she did not know what to expect when she called A&M’s Student Life office Jfbr some volunteer help, but that the project to build the ramps was underway in two days. . Sigma Phi Epsilon member Charles Mc- Jvlanemin, a senior construction science ma jor, volunteered to head the project. , “I was told she was having trouble go- Jng from her porch to her vehicle,” Mc- Manemin said. McManemin talked to Cobb about what she needed and then measured her house for a concrete ramp outside and wooden ramp inside. He said he designed a 22-fodt sidewalk to get Cobb from the front door to her car. Then the fraternity had to get almost $400 worth of building materials donated for the project. “Furrows gave me the wood and Shep- ler’s gave me the rebar,” McManemin said. “But the hard thing was getting con crete for that ramp. They were going to have to drive the mixing truck all the way out to Hearne, and that’s a big deal.” Finally, McManemin was able to con vince Transit Mix to help. “They were great because when 1 told them about this lady, they just said. Tell us when to be there,’ ” McManemin said. The volunteer project took about two weeks. Volunteers worked until until 10 p.m. some nights. McManemin said there were usually five Sigma Phi Epsilon members at Cobb's house, building forms for the concrete and preparing the house for remodeling. The day Cobb returned from the hospi tal, the concrete was poured. Cobb said the ramps make a difference and she can get around more freely. “I can be independent,” Cobb said. "I can go out to my car and do errands, when before. I would have to wait for my brother.” The ramp project is not the only commu nity service Sigma Phi Epsilon has complet ed. President Danny Ledbetter said each member must complete 15 hours of commu nity service each semester. Ledbetter said he thinks the community service requirement has been good for his fraternity. “I’ve seen the frat go from a par ty atmosphere to the guys actually caring about the community,” Led better said. Community leadership is just what Hispanic fraternity Omega Delta Phi was hoping to achieve when it began sponsoring a little league team in Bryan three years ago. Albert Mares, current president' and a member since 1997, said the project started out as a simple dona tion, but quickly progressed into a relationship between the players and fraternity members. “We gave them money from our dues, then they needed the field re-sodded, then Omega Delta Phi members practice v| teams about two hours each weekday' bers give the kids more than sports ho. 11 1 en L “We keep them off the streets,” |were stop said. “We tell them it’s good todoP, 3 m - ’ Ll homework and obey your parents.” with a 3( Mares said he thinks Omega Delta! from making a difference in the communiH K The ti ception of college students. He saitf. Brazos C and businesses regularly call hitr.v ^ cac * e jects for the fraternity. rate the i “We are proving that the typical;] Police 1 student isn’t going out and getting,w in - lon every weekend,” Mares said. K J* ie The minority fraternities and soror; 0llt ' -* 01 pecially seem to support community sfi ^ ai * H Alpha Kappa Alpha, an African-Airif|| 0 *' ce * sorority, requires members to participe 'y ere al group project and three hours of serf Ch |lslm month. President Chasidy Allen saidsJ»? e ^ ta1 RUBEN DELUNA/Thk Battalion they needed equipment," Mares said. “Final ly, we started coaching them.” Mares said that each spring semester. is the most important part of her groupi eral groups have tutored and mentoredloi "at-risk” programs in the community, i “A lot of us had to sacrifice to betel we think it’s good to give backtothe;\ m unity.” Mares said. “A lot of our parer. to work two jobs with overtime, and a | the minority kids had to get jobs to be iJ ffendei in sea A: 1 BIG MEAL DEAL $ 4.99 ^VENSEN§ IT'S ALMOST MORE THAN YOG CAN EAT! 6 oz. HAMBURGER WITH FRIES + LARGE SOFT DRINK + SUPER SUNDAE GOOD FOR UP TO 4 PER COUPON Culpepper Plaza College Station, Texas 693-6948 Exp. 12-10-00 50C extra for any other hamburger orship Directory AssemBCy ofQod Cfavrcfi of Christ • Bethel Temple Assembly of God 2608 Villa Maria, Bryan 776-4835 Sunday Worship 10:15, 6:00 pm Sunday School 9:30 ‘Baptist Try us out! You can expect... • Upbeat worship • A casual setting • Friendly people • Practical messages Living Hope Baptist Church Sunday Schedule: 9:45 AM Bible Study 11:00 AM Worship 6:30 PM Worship INFO: 690-1911 We are NOW meeting at Cypress Grove Inter. School on Graham Rd. between Wellborn and the West bypass service Road. A&M Church of Christ 1901 Harvey Mitchell Pkwy. (979)693-0400 Sunday Morning Services: 8 a.m. & 10:30 Sunday Night: 6 p.m. Aggie Class: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study: 7 p.m. AGGIES FOR CHRIST ‘Episcopal Fellowship Free Will Baptist Church College & Career Class You are invited to a Bible study especially for students. Sunday mornings at 9:45 1228 W. Vilja Maria 779-2297 For more information contact Marcus Brewer: 696-6558 m-brewer@tamu.edu http://PersonalWebs.mvriad.net/ffwb St. Thomas Episcopal 906 George Bush Dr. • College Station, TX 696-1726 Sunday services at 8:00, 9:00 and especially for late rising Ags, 11:15 a.m. Next door to Canterbury House, the Episopal Student Center Presbyterian Cathode St. Mary’s Catholic Center 603 Church Avenue in Northgate (979)846-5717 www.aqaiecatholic.org Pastoral Team Rev. Michael J. Sis, Pastor Rev. David A. Konderla, Associate Pastor Campus Ministers - Deacon Bill Scott, Deacon David Reed, Martha Tonn, Lillian Smith, Maureen Murray, Jill Bludau Daily Masses Mon.-Fri.: 5:30 p.m. in the Church Tues. & Thurs. 12:05 p.m. in the All Faiths Chapel Sat.: 10:30 a.m. (Korean) Weekend Masses Sat.: 5:30 p.m. (English), 7:00 p.m. (Spanish) Sun.: 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m. Confessions Wed. 8:30-9:30 p.m., Sat. 4:00-5:15 p.m. or by appointment. Covenant Presbyterian Church “A welcoming community of faith who reaches out, cares for one another & proclaims the love of Jesus Christ to all” Thomas W. Estes & G. Thomas Huser - Ministers Currently Meeting at Pebble Creek Elementary Sunday Service: 8:30 & 11 a.m. Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. Coming Soon (2001) to Rock Prarie & Wellborn Office: 3404 South College Ave., Bryan, TX 77802 (979) 846-5631, www.covenantpresbyterian.org First Presbyterian Church (USA) .'■'m - -. 1100 Carter Creek Parkway l M ) 823-8073 Dr. Philip W. McLarty, Pastor Rev. Kyle Walker, UCM Dir./Parish Assoc. 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