The University Program Board (UPB) hosted the annual Seasons of Giving event in the Smith Student Center Ballroom Thursday, where organizations came together to create stations that revolved around the holiday season.
Director of University events and junior public relations major, Mallory Milberger, said the event started off very small a few years ago, and this year she decided to make it even bigger by collaborating with organizations.
Different organizations in the CSIL Suite including Student Government Association (SGA), Black Action Society (BAS), SPARK, different Greek life groups and CVC all participated in the event
“We didn’t want to go with any Christmas themes, we wanted to keep it holiday neutral because so many students here celebrate different holidays,” Milberger said.
Milberger said the groups went with winter themes and things that one could donate to people or give to each other.
Senior public relations major, Chuck Brace, said he was supposed to be working the event for UPB, but had more fun participating. Brace said the main attraction of the event was the iceless ice skating rink.
The event also featured a photo booth with the pictures put in snowglobes, cookie decorating, a project Christmas Elf and blanket making for dogs in animal shelters.
The club SPARK, which stands for strengthening positivity and reinforcing kindness, created a station where people could make cards for Children’s Hospital and people in the military to be delivered during the holiday season.
Sophomore early childhood special education major and member of SPARK, Kelly Lane, said she thinks this event is important because it brings the university together and puts a universal meaning with the winter and holiday season coming up.
No matter what holiday one supports, it gives a connection and unity to the campus and everyone has a positive vibe, Lane said.
Lane said SPARK asked their members what they wanted to contribute to the event and everyone agreed on their idea to make the cards.
“I hope students take away the positivity and that there are other people that are struggling or that people are experiencing things that you’re not,” Lane said.
Lane said that by sending these cards, she hopes the children can get better and the military can come home safe.
There was also a beading table where people were able to make a piece of jewelry out of beads for themselves and make one for someone else too. SGA brought a stuff-a-van for people to donate toys to Toys-For-Tots.
“The holidays aren’t all about the presents, it’s about giving to people who you love and this event is to raise awareness about giving,” Brace said.
Milberger said she began planning the event over a month ago and asked the other organizations if they would be interested in getting involved.
She said every week they had a meeting to discuss what they could do to make this event big. She is hoping in the future the event will be a huge event that everyone knows about on campus.
Milberger said this event is a way to celebrate the time of year because she thinks it is very important. She said there are several unique aspects that people will like and it gives a sense of how important giving, community service and love is.
“It’s the whole idea of giving and a sense of community for this event and I think that’s the most important thing about it,” Milberger said.
