Back-Farms Program with Green Urban Lunchbox

We’re spotlighting our Back-Farms program with Green Urban Lunchbox, which is a program where we pair up volunteers with low income senior citizens that have the room for a garden. Volunteers learn new gardening techniques every week as well as getting to take home a third of the harvest! In all of the programs with Green Urban Lunchbox, the remaining harvest is taken to food banks around the city.

The program had 30 volunteers that rendered a collective 90 hours of service this past June. 16 gardens were maintained, and from those gardens, 200 pounds of cherries were donated to Meals on Wheels, and 400 apricots were harvested and donated! Program Director Courtney Dean reflected on the service:

“In June we harvested pounds and pounds of cherries. Most of the grade A fruit went to Meals on Wheels who delivers meals to seniors all around our city. The seniors were more than ecstatic about receiving the fresh fruit! The Green Urban Lunchbox was featured in the Salt Lake Tribune for making a contribution to senior's lives by simple providing fresh fruit for their enjoyment. Many of whom had not had fresh fruit, especially cherries in quite some time. Providing something as simple as fruit, which I buy weekly for myself, to someone who doesn't have the financial privilege to buy such things is an amazing feeling. People simply don't have access to health food, even if they wanted to live a healthier life style it cannot always be incorporated into their daily lives. Seniors have a set budget without much room for wiggle, providing them with something that is a standard for living should be a goal of every community.”

For more information on the program, check out their website here, and if you're interested in volunteering with the program, check out the link here to sign up with us at the Bennion Center! 

Welcome, 2014-2015!

Welcome back to another great year, Utes!

Here in the Bennion Center we're SO excited to get going and give you all the resources and information you need to be an engaged citizen in your communities. We have tons of awesome events to start off the year, first off which is the Service Social tonight, August 27th, at the Officers' Gazebo in housing. Here's a little video we prepared with Adobe Voice to give you an idea of what's in store!

Be on the lookout for events, updates, and information from us through our various social media sites!

You can find us on...

• Twitter: @bennioncenter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bennioncenter
• Instagram: @bennioncenter
• Our blog: bennioncenter.blogspot.com
• Our website: bennioncenter.org
• In the Union, Room 101! We have super comfy couches and tea. 

We're here to help you, and get you everything you could possibly need to be an active and prepared volunteer. Please feel free to always stop by with questions and inquires, or hit us up on social media. We'll get you what you need as soon as possible. 

Finally, THANK YOU for being awesome, and giving your time to service. Being in college is demanding, so it's incredible to have so many of you busy, engaged students part of such great efforts! 

Alumni Fellowship

The Bennion Center/Alumni Fellowship. This was one of the best experiences of my entire life. 

I got to choose where to go, anywhere I wanted and I chose Arcata, California. I got my inspiration to go here from two things: 

1. Alternative Spring Break

2. My friend who lived there for a while said, "I think you would like it here."

After these two events occurred, I researched more into the city and the organization, Friends of the Dunes. 

After the application and interview, I was excited to hear that I was being offered the fellowship, I began prepping to move for the summer.

Due to a family emergency, I had to leave just a few days after school ended and head to the Sacramento Valley, where I spent about a week. From there, I headed up to Arcata. I had previously made housing arrangements through Craigslist, Skyping them to make sure they wanted to live with me and I with them. So when I arrived, I kind of knew what to expect, but I was still extremely nervous. My new roommates greeted me with warm, open hearts.

A couple days later, I started my new position. Everyone at Friend of the Dunes was so thankful I was there and I was so thankful to be there. I worked Tuesday-Saturday, usually 40-45 hours a week. I did everything from entering contact lists to planning events to restoration. On one of the first days I was there, we had to close the nature center because of a downed cable line, but thankfully a co-worker and I found a great alternative thing to do that day, we saw the Kinetic Sculpture Race, which included gems like this:  

I helped plan Ocean Day, this is where 900+ elementary school kids came out and did restoration for half the day, did a beach clean up, then were assembled to get into formation that looked like a squid from a bird's-eye view.  

Another thing I got to do was lead weekly restoration projects, where a group of people from the community would come in and help remove invasive species for a few hours a day. It was so great to go out and do this with people who knew how important it is to keep our dunes free of invasives and were willing to commit to our environment.

Yet another exciting day in the life of my summer, I got to help save a sea bird that was tangled in fishing line with a buoy stuck in its breast.

I loved my job so much, being out in nature every single day was amazing, I could not have asked for anything more. I learned so many things this summer and was adopted into a loving new culture and was embraced by the redwood forest around me.

There is no way to fully express my experience with Friends of the Dunes, but I urge you to apply for this Fellowship because it changed my life and it may change yours as well!

More information and application available online.

P.S. I got to lick this slug, too.

-Allison Weichmann

Top Five Reasons to Volunteer with Project Youth

• It’s an incredible cause: Here you are, a University of Utah student surrounded by the best in higher education. You’re here for a purpose: to increase your skills, opportunities, and relationships for a brighter future. Project Youth exists for the same purpose, with the added importance of making the future brighter for kids who may not have considered college. Their future starts with you.

• It’s an ego boost: Think back to when you were in sixth grade. Didn’t you feel like the coolest chump in the school? You also probably had a hero that you would have given anything to meet. You can be that hero for these kids, even for just one day. From the moment they set foot on the U campus, you are their mentor, and they will adore you.

• It’s schedule friendly: As a college kid, you are juggling theoretical calculus, a lawn-mowing job, snarky roommates, car trouble and a dozen other demands, not to mention a social life. With Project Youth, you can still get the satisfaction of volunteering without the stress of a long-term and potentially draining commitment. Only have a few hours? Come to orientation and then the day of. Want to be a little more involved? Contact the Bennion Center for opportunities to help with planning and school outreach. Be warned: if you’re like me, you’ll love it enough to stay involved for your entire college experience.

• It’s a resume builder, but not just a resume builder: No employer likes it when they can tell an applicant has simply tried to pad their resume for length’s sake. But with Project Youth, you can participate in something that not only shows your generosity and involvement, but actually helps develop transferable skills like organizational leadership and public speaking. Kudos to you, kid.

• It’s all about the love: Know from day one that our visiting elementary students will love you. However, you just might find romance, too. Two years ago, two colleagues of mine from a student group met at Project Youth; they are now only a few weeks from getting married and as giddy as Opus penguin learning to fly. It’s happened before, and maybe it could happen to you too, but either way, you’ll come out of this volunteer experience with a handful of burgeoning friendships.

-Megan Gessel Brewster, Project Youth 2013 Co-Director

Rudi Zurbuchen Spotlight

BENNION CENTER 2013-2014 SPOTLIGHT

Rudi Zurbuchen: Hospice Care Program Director

                                                           

What is the best advice you have ever received?

A smile and positive attitude can make any experience pleasant and fun. Happiness and positive attitudes are contagious. You are in charge of how you experience a life event.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?

The Best Day-Taylor Swift

Do you have a recurring dream? If so, what is it?

Traveling the world with a small suitcase and living with locals.

What would you do with the money if you won the lottery?

I would use the necessary money to get back to Italy. The remaining I would give to the study abroad office to give out as scholarships.

What are the 5 things you cannot live without?

Toothpaste, my violin, frozen yogurt, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows,  and chap-stick.

What would your perfect date consist of?

Hiking to a waterfall, making pasta together, going to get frozen yogurt, and sitting in a hot tub under the stars with a root-beer float.  

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully in medical school with a small dog.

Ola Omotowa Spotlight

BENNION CENTER 2013-2014 SPOTLIGHT

Ola Omotowa: Scholars Leadership Team

What is the best advice you have ever received?

ʺLife has a few hinge moments, when your action or inaction can change your very path.ʺ I like this advice because it reminds me that every decision I make affects a bigger picture and  lets me know it that the decisions and choices I make today matter tomorrow.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?

Pursuit of Happiness- Kid Cudi

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Being around negative and pessimistic people.

Where is the furthest you have traveled?

Nigeria

What has been the happiest moment of your life so far?

On my 21st birthday all my good friends bought me an ice cream cake but they didn't have candles so they all found lighters sang me happy birthday and I got to blow them out. I could definitely feel the love.

What are the 5 things you cannot live without?

1.The internet  2. My cell phone  3. Doing something challenging (either intellectually or physically)  4.My Family  5.Good friends

What would your perfect date consist of?

My perfect date would be simple, a nice dinner on a beach with a classy lady and we would dance to music from our phones.

Mary Carambelas Spotlight

BENNION CENTER 2013-2014 SPOTLIGHT

Mary Carambelas: Social Media Specialist and Service House Resident

                                   

What is the best advice you have ever received?

“There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.” Courtesy of Buddha.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?

Keep Breathing- Ingrid Michaelson

What is your biggest pet peeve?

People eating with their mouth open/ smacking their food…Ew.  Did no one teach you basic table manners?!

What has been the happiest moment of your life so far?

Doing service work with my little sister in Costa Rica with the Bennion Center was pretty phenomenal!

What would you do with the money if you won the lottery?

Pay for college for myself and little sister, send my parents back to Ireland where they met for a wedding anniversary, travel a bit myself, and invest the rest.

What are the 5 things you cannot live without?

Coffee, my best friend, my iPod, hammock, and dogs.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully finishing up graduate school, and traveling, adventuring, and enjoying life with someone special!