Earlier in the semester, students taking the Group Communication class taught by Max Grubb, an assistant professor at Youngstown State University, were required to participate in a community service project. Some students from the class decided they would use the project as an opportunity to spread goodwill to deployed American soldiers.
These students spearheaded a fundraiser they called Boxes for Soldiers and collected nonperishable items to be sent to soldiers serving overseas. The two-day collection took place in the basement of Maag Library last week.
Allyson Allwine, YSU student, helped organize the event.
“The items we collected were granola bars, crackers, candy of all kinds, dental floss, hand sanitizer, contact solution, nuts, rice crispy treats and a few other items,” Allwine said.
Fellow group member Anntonette Avery said she thinks that for a two-day class project, the fundraiser was a success.
“The fundraiser only lasted two days, and it was held in Maag Library during our Group Communication class time. We collected a little over $50 and a couple items off of our list. We really appreciated what was given to us in that little amount of time,” Avery said.
Allwine and her group collaborated with a local church to help see the fundraiser through.
“I created flyers to handout around campus and I brought all food donations to a local church, who actually did the packing of the boxes. And [with] any money that we collected, I went to the store and bought food items for the boxes,” Allwine said.
She said that although she doesn’t haven’t any family or direct connections currently serving overseas, she was delighted to have participated in the fundraiser and would like to do it again.
“I am so happy that I got an opportunity to be a part of something such as this,” Allwine said. “It was an amazing feeling to be able to give to those overseas who have done so much for us. It is something that I would be interested in being a part of again and I hope next year to get more people involved as well.”
