Press Release
March 2, 2011
Cowley Activities Awareness Team raises cash, food items to help fight hunger
Spending 24 hours in a box to raise homelessness awareness, the Cowley
Activities Awareness Team (CAAT) raised $1,121 and had 325 food items
donated in support of their cause.
The event was held from 4 p.m. Friday to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Cowley
College Athletic Complex. The money raised was donated to Five Loaves
Meal Ministry through the First Presbyterian Church in Arkansas City,
while the canned goods were delivered to the Manna Ministries Food Bank.
Charlee Wilson, CAAT sponsor, took part in a similar homeless initiative
while as a student at Emporia State University. The group of students
and Cowley staff jumped at the opportunity to be involved in the community
project, which consisted of staying the night in a 11 foot long, six
and a half foot tall, and seven foot wide box.
“It was a great group effort,” Wilson said. “It was a cold,
rainy weekend, but that added to the experience and gave the students even
more respect for what the homeless have to go through.”
Along with Wilson, Cowley College employees Sue Saia, Landon West, and
Heather Allen also helped with the event. While, Cowley students Jordan
McDowell, Sam Nolting, and Andrea Sweetwood took on leadership roles
in the planning process.
McDowell and Wilson plan to attend the Kansas Hunger Dialogue March 10-11
in Overland Park, where they will share information on what the Cowley
College campus is doing to fight hunger.
Wilson said the Cowley Activities Awareness Team is looking for ways
to become more involved in the community.
The groups next scheduled event will take place March 16 in the Earle
N. Wright Community Room as a special guest speaker will present “News
on Booze”, which will include a personal story about how alcohol
can adversely affect a college student. Following the presentation, students
will have a chance to play games and win prizes in the Nelson Student
Center as part of the Cowley Activities Awareness Team’s March
theme “Don’t Drink or Die”.
Pictured, from left, Charlee Wilson, Katelyn Edwards, Andrea Sweetwood,
Price Allen, Jordan McDowell, and Heather Allen.