OT students help raise food for community's hungry
Dec. 10, 2003
KALAMAZOO--Occupational therapy students at Western Michigan University put their canned food where their mouths were on Nov. 22.
That's when the Student Occupational Therapy Association collected non-perishable food and other items during the Occupational Therapy Holiday Dinner Dance. This was the first year that students collected items for the needy as part of the annual event. In all, 153 donations of non-perishable food and personal grooming and hygiene products were gathered. About 100 people attended the dance.
The donations were given to the Salvation Army food pantry on South Burdick Street in Kalamazoo.
The students plan to stage another food-raiser in combination with the dance next year, says David Orchanian, an academic career specialist and advisor to the students.
"The Salvation Army was very appreciative," says Orchanian, who credits association president Jenny Murphy with spearheading the donation drive. "We're going to try to double the goal next year."
Media contact: Mark Schwerin, 269 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu