Features

5th annual event to help local families with food, toys, clothing

by De-Ann Smith

Campus Life Marketing Committee and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will host the fifth annual Red & Black holiday benefit Nov. 14 in the Thompson Center.
Inspired by alum Jovian Palmer in 2008, the benefit helps the city of Winston-Salem families and Winston-Salem State employees
during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
The event features a dinner and entertainment that includes spoken word, musical performances
and a live band.
A total of 25 registered student
organizations
are participating.
“It is a time for organizations on campus to become selfless and give to those who truly need,” said Joi Holliday, senior mass communications
major from Las Vegas.
The non-perishable food, turkeys and hams will be delivered
to the families Nov. 16.
Greek Life will provide the turkeys and hams.
Holliday has been involved with the event for three years and is responsible for selecting the families through Family Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters, faculty members and students.
Selected families are asked by CLMC to provide a “wish list” that is given to a student organization sponsoring a family.
The wish list may include a variety of items from toys to iPods to clothing.
Holliday said that choosing
families is not an easy job because some people are up front about their situation and say they need help, while others
are too proud.
“You never want to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but once they [families] hear why we are doing it and where our hearts are, they become more open,” Holliday said.
Senior mass communications
major from Washington, D.C., Zuogwi Reeves said he is contacting the local media to cover the event.
Danielle McClammy is the president CLMC.
She is a senior accounting
and management
Information systems major from Durham.
“We are trying to help families for the holidays,” McClammy said.
“I really want the students to get involved. There are a lot of individuals on campus that need help that people don’t know about.”
So far, 13 families have been chosen — two more families more than last year’s total.
McClammy said because of the room size the event is not open to everyone.
Three representatives from each organization will be permitted
to attend, and approximately
100 people are expected.
Edited by David McCoy