December 22, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Making Spirits Bright: College Students Deliver Holiday Joy to Local Preschoolers

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[caption id="attachment_259345" align="alignright" width="300"] UMW students and Center for Community Engagement Director Sarah Dewees hand deliver gift boxes to local preschoolers. L-R: Dewees, Sarah Hybl ’25, Emily Thomas ’27 (in front), Emily Helpinstill ’27, Matthew Cabrera ’27, Knox McKinley ’26. Photo by Karen Pearlman.[/caption]

Laughter and shrieks of joy filled Fredericksburg’s Walker-Grant Center this week as preschoolers tore into vividly wrapped gift boxes, revealing colorful hats, gloves and toys featuring their favorite characters – Bluey, Spiderman, Barbie and Hello Kitty among them. “I’ve always wanted this!” exclaimed one child, clutching a toy, while another giggled over their bubblegum-flavored toothpaste.

This scene of holiday cheer was made possible by the University of Mary Washington’s annual gift box drive, organized by Community Outreach and Resources (COAR). The event not only delivered joy to local children, but also provided UMW students with invaluable skills in leadership, teamwork and community engagement. Months of preparation led up to this moment, with UMW students coordinating every detail, from recruiting and organizing donations to wrapping boxes in festive paper. Over 300 gift boxes were filled by the campus community this year and delivered to Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania public schools, benefiting children in Head Start and Virginia Preschool Initiative programs. Each box contained essentials like hats, gloves, toothbrushes and toothpaste, as well as toys and art supplies to brighten the holidays. “The kids just light up when they see Santa and open the gift boxes,” said Megan Dougherty, health and family engagement coordinator for Fredericksburg City Schools. “That’s what makes this one of my favorite programs of the school year.” Read more.

Students Make a Difference Through ‘Into the Streets’

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From left to right, Aniya Stewart, Kaylee Deardorff and Cassidy Richardson assemble lunches for Micah Ecumenical Ministries. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

From left to right, Aniya Stewart, Kaylee Deardorff and Cassidy Richardson assemble lunches for Micah Ecumenical Ministries. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

On a balmy September morning, a group of University of Mary Washington students gathered on Ball Circle. Donning shirts emblazoned with a quote from author James Baldwin – “The world is before you, and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in” – they were ready to make a difference.

“It’s still important to volunteer and serve people in need, even in a pandemic,” said senior Elizabeth Lopez, who was among the 100-plus students who participated in Saturday’s Into the Streets. Hosted by Community Outreach and Resources, or COAR, the annual tradition provides an array of service projects, including weeding gardens, picking up trash and organizing the Eagle Resource Closet for students in need. A group also used chalk to adorn Campus Walk with inspirational messages promoting UMW’s spirit of service.

“Mary Washington students returned to campus with such a renewed sense of commitment to serve those in our broader Fredericksburg community,” said Sarah Dewees, associate director of UMW’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE). Read more. 

Blood Relative’s Injury Spurred Red Cross Club President

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Senior Cindy Ramirez plans to pursue a career in internal medicine, but the Mary Washington biology major is already putting her studies to work as an EMT and president of UMW’s Red Cross club.

Senior Cindy Ramirez plans to pursue a career in internal medicine, but the Mary Washington biology major is already putting her studies to work as an EMT and president of UMW’s Red Cross club.

Cindy Ramirez was 8 years old when her sister was injured in a sledding accident that broke her sacrum, a pelvic bone that supports the weight of the upper body.

“I was really nervous, but all I could think about in that moment was how I could help her,” said Ramirez, now a senior at the University of Mary Washington. “That was when I realized I wanted to pursue a career in medicine.”

This future physician is on her way to earning her white coat and stethoscope. An honors student majoring in biology, Ramirez has spent countless days and pulled all-nighters in the Jepson Science Center, memorizing organs, muscles and bones – like the one her sister broke – which will be essential when she attends medical school.

But Ramirez is already applying this critical knowledge. Her four-month training as an EMT wraps up in January, which happens to be National Blood Donor Month. Between rides with the Fredericksburg Rescue Squad, she heads UMW’s Red Cross club, an organization she’s been involved with since her early days at Mary Washington. Read more.

COAR’s 10th Annual Variety Show

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This winter, Community Outreach and Resources (COAR) will hold its 10th annual Variety Show on February 7th.

At this event, we showcase university and local performance groups on stage, while raising money for our Alternative Service Break program. We hold a silent auction and a raffle for various items, which we receive from donors. All the money raised funds the university’s Alternative Service Break program which allows students to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity for a week in the spring.

During service break trips, student groups travel to different locations in the U.S. and assist on a Habitat for Humanity build site.

Join us for a fun night of performances and great prizes! Any questions? Contact coarumw@gmail.com.

Ticket prices: $5 or groups of 2 or more $10 Doors open at 6:00 PM!

Get Involved in COAR’s Head Start Gift Box Drive

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It’s time for COAR’s annual Head Start Gift Box Drive! Each year we ask students, faculty and staff to fill boxes full of necessities and toys for children 3 to 5 years old in the Head Start programs in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania schools.

Boxes can be checked out now through Nov. 22 in the University Center Lobby from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or in the Center for Community Engagement (Suite 320) during normal office hours, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We can also deliver boxes to you at your office and pick them up as needed. If you would like a box delivered or picked up, please email us at coarumw@gmail.com.

All gift boxes that are checked out will need to be returned by Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 5 p.m.

Required items for the boxes are hats, gloves, scarves, small toys, coloring books, crayons and markers, and small books (all of these items will need to fit inside a shoe box-sized box).

We appreciate your continued support of service at UMW. Thank you and happy holidays!

COAR Invites Faculty/Staff Families to Pumpkin Palooza Oct. 27

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Community Outreach and Resources would like to invite you and your families to our second event of the semester, Pumpkin Palooza, on October 27th from 1-4pm. For this event we invite local children and their parents or guardians to enjoy games, fall-themed crafts, and trick-or-treat tours! We encourage both parents and children to come in costume! The event is held in the Chandler Ballroom inside the University Center, and the trick-or-treat tours will take place on campus. This event is free, but we encourage you to bring nonperishable food items for our food drive. We would be honored to see you there! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!

 

 

Into the Streets, Saturday, September 28

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COAR members make dog toys for sheltered pets at Into the Streets.

COAR members make dog toys for sheltered pets at Into the Streets.

Sponsored by COAR (Community Outreach and Resources) and the Center for Community Engagement, Into the Streets will be held on Saturday, September 28th, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. It provides the opportunity for new and returning students to get “Into the Streets.” Students can choose to participate in one of several community service projects at local agencies. Past projects have included building with Habitat for Humanity, yard work for the Fredericksburg community, walking dogs at the SPCA, making meals for the homeless shelter, doing crafts with the elderly at a local retirement facility, and helping out with Friends of the Rappahannock.

The event starts at the University Center Patio, and transportation will be provided to volunteer sites.

COAR Hosts Annual Spring Forward Festival on April 7

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Community Outreach and Resources (COAR) is hosting our annual Spring Forward Festival on Sunday, April 7th from 1:00-4:00 PM on the Brompton Lawn. We are reaching out to invite UMW faculty and staff to join us with their families for a fun-filled afternoon of crafts, games, snacks, and an egg hunt! 

The event is free to attend and parking will be available along Hanover Street. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Additionally, in the event of rain, the festival will be cancelled. 

Attached is a flier with all of the details. Any questions can be directed to (540) 654-1802 or coarumw@gmail.com. 

 

 

 

Don’t Miss COAR’s Annual Variety Show on Friday

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The Annual Variety Show will be held on Friday, Feb 15, in Dodd Auditorium. Doors open at 6 p.m.. This event, sponsored by UMW’s Community Outreach and Resources (COAR), is a fundraiser for Mary Washington’s Alternative Service Break trips. It’s also a great opportunity to see a variety of talented acts, bid in the silent auction, and learn more about the University’s excellent Alternative Service Break programs operated in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Student groups, such as Bella Acapella and One Note Stand, will perform, as will community dance/theater groups.

Tickets are $3 for students, $5 for non-students, and $10 for families of 3 or more. Raffle tickets for prizes are $1 each, and there will also be a silent auction.