- Community feeds body, soul this holiday season
Volunteers will gather
to spread Thanksgiving
cheer this Thursday at
the Whiteaker School
By Emma Juhlin
Freelance Reporter
The 15th-annual free
Thanksgiving community din
ner at Whiteaker School has
been being prepared for
months, and it's still not quite
done. The event is organized
by nonprofit group Whiteaker
Community Dinners, and the
community comes together
every year to make the dinner
happen.
"Our slogan is neighbors
helping neighbors," said Bever
ly Farfan, the head organizer of
the dinner. "It's run totally by
volunteers — I'm a volunteer."
A group of 10 people, head
ed by Farfan, gets together at
the beginning of November to
start planning the dinner,
which generally serves more
than 2,500 people. Different
businesses in the community
donate to the meal. Some local
businesses that donate food
are Emerald Fruit and Produce
Co. Inc., Organically Grown
Co-op, the Korean Presbyter
ian Church of Eugene,
Lochmead Dairy, Fenton and
Lee Confections and Full City
Coffee Roasters. Many bakeries
also provide rolls. Most of the
cooking is done ahead of time
by the students of the Culinary
Arts Program at Lane Commu
nity College.
The 210 turkeys needed for
the event are provided by the
Teamsters Union Local 206 in
Springfield, as well as other lo
cal unions. The Teamsters
Union has been working with
the Whiteaker School for eight
years, donating manpower and
money to the Thanksgiving
dinner cause. According to
Stephen Ostrach, a local Team
sters Union representative,
each year the group transports
an average of 2,100 pounds of
turkeys from Cash and Carry to
the Whiteaker School. Ostrach
coordinates the Teamsters' in
volvement with the dinners
each year.
"It seemed like a good way
to do something for the com
munity," he said.
Other groups that con
tribute to the cost of the
turkeys include the Amalga
mated Transit Union, the Na
tional Association of Letter
Carriers, die Carpenters Local
1273, the Eugene Newspaper
Guild, and the Lane County
labor Council. This year, mon
etary contributions totaled
$1,638.
The monetary donations are
not all that keep the Whiteaker
School filling hungry stomachs
each Thanksgiving. There are
about 600 volunteers each
year, and most of them are as
signed two hour shifts, which,
according to Farfan, gives peo
ple an opportunity to meet
each other and help on an
emotional level.
"The dinner feeds the body,
but we want to feed the heart
and soul," Farfan said.
Student Chris Gamman vol
unteered in 2001 and plans to
go again this year.
"It's one day of the year of
service, and I think maybe as a
good community member I
should be doing more of that,"
he said. "I think Eugene is, for
a lot of students, a place where
you come to school and
maybe make contributions to
the University, but don't think
about the community in
which all of us live and work
and study."
Courtesy
Members of the Teamsters Union Local 206 lent a helping hand preparing for last year’s Thanksgiving community dinner at the Whiteaker School
Many students who are
from out of town and away
from their families come to
the dinner to volunteer, Far
fan said.
who have no place to go," Far
fan said. "People who have
money come. I've had people
who are homeless call from pay
phones who want to volunteer. *
"We have quite a few people
who have no place to go."
Beverly Farfan
Organizer, Whiteaker Thanksgiving dinner
People come to the dinner
for many reasons, whether it's
to volunteer, eat a hot meal or
have company during the
holidays.
"We have quite a few people
Throughout the dinner peo
ple enjoy live music and chil
dren's games and activities.
Two nurses from McKenzie
Willamette Hospital also at
tend the dinner to give flu
shots. There is also a room
where people can look
through clothes, sleeping bags,
tents, tarps and other items
that people and businesses in
the community have donated.
"Last year somebody
dropped off buckets and buck
ets of roses," Farfan said. Accord
ing to Farfan, one of the volun
teers who was talking to a family
saw the roses and gave one to a
little girl. The girl said she had
never been given a flower be
fore Farfan said that is the kind
of thing that compels her and
the other organizers of the event
to get together every year and
start planning the next dinner.
This year's dinner is Thursday,
Nov. 27, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
at the Whiteaker School, located
at 21 N. Grand St. People who
need a ride can either call in and
be picked up by one of the
many volunteer drivers, or they
can go to the Whitebird Clinic
or St. Vincent DePaul Service
Station where a shuttle will
come every hour. For more in
formation contact Whiteaker
Community Dinners at 485
8179 Donations can be
dropped off Wednesday, Nov.
26 from noon to 7 p.m. at Win
dermere Real Estate at 1610 Oak
St and 525 Harlow Rd., or at the
dinner.
Emma Juhlin is a freelance
reporter for the Emerald.
AMIGOS
continued from page 5C
nandal counseling and more
"Signing a peace treaty does not solve the
problem," said Nieto-Maquehue referring to the
aftermath of war crimes.
"We try to recreate the feeling of a family for
those who no longer have one," said Ruth Fore
man, the organization's clinical director.
Amigos de los Sobrevivientes is the only or
ganization of its kind operating out of a residen
tial location. The building is a two-story house
where members can do anything from work in
the garden to participate in weekly group thera
py sessions. Foreman said the intent of such a
setting is to allow participants to feel that they
are in a community, not an institutional estab
lishment.
"Everyone here has a voice," Nieto-Maquehue
said. "We are very alternatively organized. I may
be the 'executive director,' but we make sure that
decisions are made by everyone."
The organization relies solely on volunteers,
many of whom come from the University. Two
weeks ago, students gathered in the EMU with
Amigos members and helped set up an art
gallery for El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of
the Dead). The holiday honors family mem
bers who have passed away in the Hispanic
community, an important occasion for Ami
gos members who have had no closure for
their past. Students come to the program to
improve their Spanish, and in doing so end up
helping a lot of people according to Nieto
Maquehue.
"They help us, and we help them," Nieto
Maquehue said. 'This is the beauty of reciprocity. ”
Athanasios Fkiaras is a freelance reporter for die
Emerald.
Break yields needed rest
Despite the possibility of Thanksgiving
away from family, students laud
a little free time before final exams
By Kyle Harris
Freelance Reporter
With Thanksgiving just around the comer,
some University students are dealing with the
stress that comes with knowing that they won't
be able to go home for one of the most family
oriented holidays of the year.
Many out-of-state students find that it is too
hard to make it home for a long weekend with
the family. Some students say they can't afford
it, and others say the turnaround time is just
too quick.
Staying in the residence halls during Thanks
giving can be quite a lonely experience.
"The residence halls are pretty empty," said
Keisha Janney, a resident assistant in the Bam
hart/Riley Complex. "Many residents live close ,
enough to Eugene to travel home easily."
For many freshmen, especially those who
dealt with homesickness earlier in the year, the
Thanksgiving holiday is a welcome respite — an
opportunity to relax and see family before finals.
Kim Wilshire, who won't be able to go home
for Thanksgiving, isn't looking forward to a long
weekend in H.P. Barnhart Hall.
"I have no idea what I am going to be doing,"
she said. "I don't know Eugene at all. I'm pretty
sad."
Turn to RESPITE, page7C
Plan Your Duck Football & Holiday Parties Wit!
Eugene's Largest Selection Of Kegs
Located Just Minutes From Campus!
Pump Rentals, Cups, & Ice Available At Time Of P
Call Today To Reserve Your Keg!
Convenient Campus Location
1417 Villard — 2 Blocks East Of Campus
541.338.0334
f Emerald
Laundromat
l
ALWAYS CLEAN
165 E. 17th St.
(Behind Safeway & Hirons)
Open: 7am-llpm daily
1
All
front loader machines with
18-50 ib. capacity!
Come to the most energy
efficient laundromat in Lane County.
We've installed the best washers ever made with reverse action
to provide you the cleanest, brightest, whitest wash ever! When
you want the best wash, use our coin laundry, our special
washers and our dryers!
Always Low Prices
• All “Cold Water” washes reduced 250. That’s only
$1.25 per wash for the double loaders.
• Fully attended. Clean restrooms.
• All dryers 250 for 10 minutes.
• All Wascomat washers FREE extra extraction
cycle (normally 250).
—^ w