'Feeding Children Everywhere' Event April 14

This semester at PBA never stops rolling with student events and activities. 

Last weekend at the Refresh Leadership Retreat put on by Palm Beach Atlantic University's Center for Campus Connections at the Life for Youth Camp in Vero Beach, I learned about a food packaging event coming to PBA Saturday, April 14. A food packaging event is where volunteers package raw food products to create nutritious meals to feed the hungry.

As stated on its website, Feeding Children Everywhere “...is a social charity that empowers and mobilizes people to assemble healthy meals for hungry children.” According to PBA student Matthew Langford, who spoke about the event at chapel this week, the goal is to pack 50,000 meals that will be sent to churches and orphanages in the horn of Africa, where there is currently a huge drought.  Each meal contains rice, lentils, vitamin blend and dehydrated vegetables, and costs only 25 cents.

The campus as a whole is really getting fired up about helping out from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Mahoney Gym at PBA's Greene Complex for Sports and Recreation.  In a listserv e-mail to students, Matt shared, “We have roughly 1,000 students that live on campus…if each student on campus gave $10, which would be $10,000.”  However, not only is this event for students who live on campus, but for commuter students and the community of West Palm Beach. 
It is amazing to think that at least one thousand PBA students as well as residents of West Palm Beach will have the opportunity to practice servant leadership. Matt also wrote, “The number one thing I want to happen through this event is for the heart of our campus to break for the needy in this world.”

Watch the video below "What is a Packing Event?" to see exactly what will be going on at PBA Saturday, April 14. Will you be joining?

PBA Alumna to Show 'Garbage' Glam April 19

It's not difficult to "go green" and practice sustainability at Palm Beach Atlantic University. I found my way into the green theme when I first started working with the company Garbage Gone Glam.  When I learned about the company, I didn't know that I'd be working for a cause that would eventually make a huge impact around Palm Beach County and other parts of the country. 

Earth Day Fashion Show downtown WPB 2011

Garbage Gone Glam is a company founded by PBA alumna Kristen Alyce, who studied Fine Art and Education.  I met Kristen while she was working at a CityPlace store. She came up to me and asked me if I would be in the first fashion show in 2009 at the Braman Motorcar Porshe dealership. Her latest show in the area was in February of this year at the E4 Sustainability Summit, put on by the City of West Palm Beach at the weekly Saturday Green Market. The next show will be minutes away from campus, featured at the Norton Museum of Art's "Art After Dark" on April 19. And following that, a showcase in downtown Palm Beach Gardens at the Green Energy Council's annual "Earth Day."

Kristen's bio on GarbageGoneGlam.com states, "Being a true artist, Kristen knew her collection of Vogue & Elle magazines along with large amounts of plastic grocery bags could be put to use again."

That is where the concept of Garbage Gone Glam began, and it has been growing ever since. Kristen makes her creations out of donated or recycled materials.  The main focus has been creating dresses to promote "bettering the environment and saving the earth one piece of art at a time," according to the site. Her dresses are exhibited live by girls who walk down her "magazine cover" runway, modeling creative works of art.  What I love about this cause is the inspiration it shows not only by recycling ordinary and odd materials, but turning them into works of art.

"My designs and shows are meant to do more than make you look beautiful," Kristen said. "They are meant to make over a community and set trends that will last forever. After-all, green really is the new black."

When I walk down the runway during these events wearing the recycled dresses, I love being able to advocate how a little change can make a big difference.  I especially love the time during the fitting appointments for actually making the dresses, where I watch Kristen use material deemed "garbage", and piece by piece use it to form a creation to fit my body.

Check out how to join the cause and attend the events here: http://www.garbagegoneglam.com/

How are you making a green impact?

The Benefits of PBA 'Workship'

With the days getting warmer down here in South Florida, it's time to get your plans heated up for completing your Workship hours for this semester at PBA.

Workship has always been a great tradition at Palm Beach Atlantic University, ever since its founding as a college in 1968.  PBA's Worship department has many opportunities for students to complete their required community service work.  For instance, the Workship department online has tools to narrow down your service search to fit your interests.  They conveniently advertise work with local nonprofit organizations, schools and churches.

I usually complete my community service hours with various organizations and add up the amount of hours by the summertime.  However, since Workship is requiring hours to be completed by May 1 instead of August 1, there is an increased need to complete community service.  Most students who are going on mission trips this spring or summer feel more confident with this change.  Though, a lot of students who do not have extensive plans for volunteering are stressing about the deadline.


Volunteering at Christ Fellowship's Children Ministry with friends Jessie and Talley

In order to not get stressed about getting 45 hours due at the end of the semester, I began to volunteer with Christ Fellowship's children ministry.  This church is conveniently located in walking distance from PBA by CityPlace.  As a volunteer at the children's ministry on Sundays, I care for babies and toddlers while parents attend the services.  I really feel a purpose with volunteering, besides for the practical reason of getting hours.  What is more, I am able to volunteer with fellow PBA students at the ministry, which creates a sense of community when we're back at the school.

I've always enjoyed volunteering and serving in the community ever since high school when I volunteered with my church's ministries and work regarding mission trips.  There is such a nice, intrinsic value in community service I'm always able to find.  Though, as a busy college student, it is easy to forget the importance of putting others before yourself.  Overall, PBA's Workship tradition not only benefits the community, but benefits the character of its students.