Cerritos College Gives Back in More Ways Than One

Falcon Spirit Shifts into High Gear as Holiday Season Arrives

Two canned-food drives, a money drive, a blood drive and a giving tree allow Cerritos College students, staff and faculty to give to the less-fortunate.

The physical education department held their 11th Annual Turkey Trot on Tuesday, November 18.  Although there was no “trot” this year, due to the unhealthy air caused by the fires, the event was still able to collect over 1,000 cans of food that will go to the Norwalk Community Council’s Holiday Food Basket Program to help needy families in the Norwalk area. 

T-shirts were given to those that brought donations and the Spirit Award of the day went to the science, engineering and mathematics (SEM)/biology department for bringing out 165 participants. 

There were 264 participants in all. 

“I enjoy the Turkey Trot,” said Carrie Edwards, Turkey Trot organizer and Cerritos College department chair for fitness and wellness.  “It encourages our students, faculty and staff to get out and do some exercise while doing something wonderful for our community.”

The Student Activities Office is in on the giving, too.  The Annual ASCC-sponsored Student Activities Office Food Drive competition has been happening at Cerritos College for over 20 years.

Campus clubs compete to see which club can donate the most amount of food.  This year’s winner will be announced at the ASCC Awards Banquet held on Friday, December 12.

“It’s nice in these economic times that our students have shown their holiday spirit and stepped up at a record pace at this year’s food drive,” said Student Activities Director, Holly Bogdanovich.  “Whether it is one can, or like one of our clubs, about 4000 cans, our Cerritos College students are giving back to their community.”

The competition part of the drive ended on Friday, November 21, but Student Activities will continue collecting non-perishables until Friday, December 5.  The food will be donated to the same Holiday Food Basket Program that the Turkey Trot donated to. 

The Student Activities Office started a money drive on Thursday, November 20, to help local fire victims, as well.  The collections will continue through Wednesday, December 17, when the money will then be given to the American Red Cross. 

Donations to help those that were affected by the fires can be made in any of the blue piggy banks set-up around campus or in the Student Activities Office.  If anyone is interested in having one of the piggy banks in their area please contact Student Activities at ext. 2475 for more information.  

Food and money are not the only things being donated this year at Cerritos College.  The Follett Bookstore is holding its 8th Annual City of Norwalk Angel Tree Project through Friday, December 8. 

Working with the City of Norwalk Social Service Center, the campus bookstore hangs laminated angel ornaments on a Christmas tree.  Each angel has the name, age, sex, and clothing size of a local needy child.  The donator can pick which child they would like to buy for, and then return a wrapped gift of clothing back to the bookstore.   

“It is always a pleasure to help out where we can,” said Griselda Caldera, the Follett Bookstore’s merchandise coordinator.  “This is our way of helping those in need."

Staff, faculty and students were given another way to show their generosity two weeks ago when the Red Cross Blood Mobiles made an appearance on campus.

Students could be seen sitting outside the buses in plastic chairs, waiting for their turn to enter the bus and become a volunteer.    

It was Jose Campos’ second time giving blood when he stopped by the Blood Mobiles after he saw them in Falcon Square.  The 20-year-old had given blood once before at Artesia High when he was still a student there. 

“It’s for a good cause and somebody might need it really bad,” said Campos about why he decided to donate blood to the Red Cross. 

According to Elizabeth Rodriguez, the Cerritos College Student Health Center secretary, approximately 400 donors participated giving a total of 265 units of blood which will save 795 lives.

“During this blood drive it was very important to donate due to the upcoming holiday season where blood donations are very, very low,” said Rob Torrez of the American Red Cross.  “Many of these units or pints of blood that the students and others donated will be used for patients in our hospitals and they will be receiving the best gift of all, ‘The Gift of Life’ this holiday season.  Cerritos College is the greatest!”

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The Campus Connection, December 1, 2008