KentNewsNet.com

Issue date: 2/12/07 Section: News

Besty Mason, sophomore Russian and pre-med major, accents her hand-made Valentine's Day card with heart stickers. ABBY FISHER | DAILY KENT STATER

Construction paper, stickers, scissors, markers and crayons lined two tables in the Honors College lobby Friday. All the utensils can be found in grade school classrooms. However, the purpose of the table was not to bring joy to kids, but to senior citizens.

The Honors Community Council set up the tables from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. so students passing through the lobby could make a Valentine's Day card for residents of Kent Way Apartments, said Kimberly Brown, Student Life coordinator and HCC adviser.

The council has been trying to not only hold events that entertain students this semester "but also to do some community service projects," she said.

Danielle Sherritt, senior middle childhood education major and the president of HCC, said she got the idea to set up tables in the lobby, instead of hanging up fliers to advertise an event, from the Mid-East Honors Association conference last year.

"When you advertise and ask people to come they don't usually show up," she said.

Because students had to pass through the lobby for class, they could make a card in just a few minutes and be on their way.

The council members worked in one-hour shifts to oversee the table and let people know why they were there, she said.

Sherritt said the event was a success because students made more than 50 cards.

"As good as the idea sounded, we weren't sure it would go off," she said.

The HCC has other events planned for this semester, including bowling with students from the Stark campus honors college and an art show.

Because HCC is still a relatively new organization and has been focusing on getting people involved, it has not had too many chances to give back to the community, said Nikki Wawrin, freshman biology and pre-med major.

Wawrin said she hopes the HCC continues to put on more community service events.

"I think it's just a great way to spend your time and get out there," she said.

Just taking a few minutes to make a card helped make someone's day better, Sherritt said.

The cards will help brighten someone's day because they let people know others are thinking about them and have taken the time out of their day to do something special, she said.

Contact honors and international affairs reporter Ted Hamilton at thamilt2@kent.edu.

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