COMMUNITY Project aids Eugene, El Salvador by Chris Penttila Emerald Contributor Volunteers landscaped apartments, cleaned houses and built aerobic steps in the VVhitrakcr neighborhood Saturday to raise money for hi Sal vadorans More than 100 Eugene area volunti>ers raised an estimated $0,000 in a project aimed .it ending poverty and oppression in both lit Salvador and Eugene "So much money is spent to fund the elite and to distribute mom s to the top levels of society, said Nick Vellu/.i, a University political science ma)or. "This project means helping people " The fund-raiser was sponsored by (II St A I*, the Committee in Solidarity with the Central Ameri can People, an organization working to end pot ertv and political oppression in both the United States and Central America The volunteers worked from H ,'H) a m. to 5 p m Saturday on various community [irojects, taking monetary pledges from friends for the nuittlmr of hours worked Th< Work A-Thon ext erded its goal of $4,000. much to the excitement of Rob Holman, an organ izer of the project "The day was very successful," Holman said, "and if .ill pledges are collected, we will have doubled our goal ” The volunteers divided tiji Into groups to work on three local projects They built a new tee ball field at the Whitoaker School in West Eugene, cleaned up a housing development and land scaped the grounds of apartments for tots to mid dle-income singles All the money raised in the Work A Thou will support much-needed development in El Salva dor. Half of the funds will he given to 1 t El Salvado ran women in an eflort to involve them in changes affecting their communities CfSCAP also will send funds to assist labor or ganizers and to train ex-combatants of the Kara tuindo Marti National Liberation front The other half of the money will l«- use.! to purchase a truck and supplies for a national t arn van that will travel to El Salvador in Mart ti MHO 7 like the concept of this Work-A-Thon because good comes not only to the people of El Salvador, but to the local community as well.' Bob Jones. tugeng resident Although the money will ho sent to |-;| Salv.t dor. the volunteers wild the Work-A-Thon 1 (- • positive local Intput! ! Ilka the cpt of this Work A then U cause good [unit's not only to the people of |;| Salvador, but to the local community .is well." said Bob Jones, ,i Kugene resident "I live in the WhiUsiker neighhorho.»l. .md that’s what altri ted me to the Work \ Thor said Susan Johnese, another Kugene resident VeliilZ/.i said he heheved the promt t yv,IS ,m. portant because it reflects not only problems tn 1U Salvador, hut also problems in the United States that haven't Ix-eii addressed by ret ml ad in in i-.tr. i tions Lisa Letke of (USU AL pointed out that (with the Reagan and Hush administrations have signify cantly slashed social spending and cut taxes on the wealthiest one percent of Americans This. I’etke said. Inis worseneil living i oiuh tions in the United States, creating an economic structure that favors the wealthy and a soi ietal structure that ignores such problems as AIDS, homelessness, unemployment and poverty i’etke said groups like (USUAL ( an play a part in reversing tins trend Money from groups like (USUAL is m i -,-..iry to end the struggle in (Kith LI Salvador and the t Inlted States." Letke said "Until the misers suffered by the poor is ended, our struggle does not end.'' she said Those interested in finding out more about (USUAL prujei ts can contact (USUAL staffer Lisa Letke at •!H,> H(> i t BLAZERS DO IT Tonight on the Big Screen TV 13th & Patterson *■ 342-1727 1 Pac-1 0 T-Shirt with inv porch*** of MO CjO of more Oregon 'Sportswear VI i JWtMX 720 I'imi 1 teh J IftrtvMS M I u*.i»v i FKI! I’AUKl\<.! ( SUBSHOP 1225 Alder • 345-2434 Attention Environmental > Studies Minors Advising is; available Mori A V\c E&j>tn» J2/2U/M2 -I i; #) New from Macmillan I\iblishing: ^ I ler first txx)k for children. The Moon Lady. by Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club r General Book Dept Only. Children's Books Holiday Books Included. Nov 16th-Nov 21st