Many SAL chapters come up with creative ideas to bring the members together to do something fun. Members and Officers at the University of Texas Austin Chapter formed a volleyball team through their school’s volleyball program. They played a total of four games against various groups in the program. The members really enjoyed playing together as it was a way to get to know each other while doing something active.

The Chapter President, Brittany Castaneda, also played on the team. She said, “Helping each other out on the volleyball court really did bring us all closer as an organization. It was a ton of fun playing with each other, one of the best social activities to do!” Because the team was made up of both officers and members, it was a chance for the officers to meet other people within SAL and for the members to get to know the officers. Because of this, many members became more active within SAL.

For more information on the University of Texas Austin Chapter, click here.

The ING Miami Marathon is an annual race with almost 20,000 participants. Volunteers are essential to the success of the Marathon. It takes over 2500 volunteers to make the day run smoothly. This year, members from the FIU chapter came out to volunteer at the race. They arrived as early as 4AM to help set up the water station they would be volunteering at.

Throughout the race, the members handed out water and Gatorade to the runners while cheering them on. Another volunteer at their station, Cheryl Scully, an employee of AutoNation, Inc in Fort Lauderdale, wrote a letter to the chapter thanking them for their efforts. She said, ”they cheered and distributed water throughout the race with an energy level that those of us over the age of 25 could not fully muster!” After the race was over, volunteers were needed to clean up the cups and debris left on the course of the marathon. SAL members stayed longer than they had anticipated to help rake up and bag the trash.

As volunteers, SAL members were a part of making the marathon a success. This event gave them a chance to get out into the community and help out while developing their teamwork and organizational skills.

For more information on the Florida International University Chapter, click here.

To find out more about the ING Miami Marathon, click here.

SAL members at SDSU participated in Making Stride Against Breast Cancer, a 4 mile walk to raise money in support of breast cancer awareness and research. Each of the members that participated raised money individually and then came together to walk as a team. Our team raised over $1000! The team was awarded a blue ribbon for the amount they raised.

This event was a great way for SAL members to come together for a great cause. It was for something that hit close to home, as several of the members who walked had a family member with breast cancer. This made raising money and walking even more meaningful. Everyone had a great time walking together and getting to know each other better.

Members who raised over $100:

• Shea Ohlendorf- $360
• Lauren Sullivan- $270
• Stephanie Davidson- $145
• Angela Kozak- $145

To learn more about the San Diego State University Chapter, click here.

For more information about Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, visit their website.

The UNL chapter got together to assemble boxes for Operation Christmas Child. This is an annual project put on by Samaritan’s Purse where groups and individuals fill shoeboxes with small gifts which are delivered to needy children all over the world. The UNL chapter members worked hard to make this project successful. They got together with their boxes and small gifts such as toys, hygiene items, school supplies and hard candy. They worked together to wrap the boxes and fill them. They were able to put together 23 shoeboxes!

To get everyone in the Christmas spirit, cookies were served and Christmas music played as they assembled the boxes. This project was a great way for the chapter to make a difference around the world.

For more information on the University of Nebraska Lincoln Chapter, click here.

To find out how you can be a part of Operation Christmas Child, click here.

Every year at Christmas time, the University of Akron Chapter volunteers for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s Polar Express. This is an event where childen can ride the train in their pajamas. They are told the Polar Express story while they enjoy cookies and hot chocolate. The train makes its way to the “North Pole” where SAL members had volunteered to dress up as elves and gingerbread men. They danced around and waved as the children passed by on the train.

Ashley Gordon, Chapter President at the University of Akron, said, “As a volunteer at this activity, it was a very memorable experience to see the children’s excited faces, smiles, and looks of astonishment as their faces pressed up against the windows and they obtained a glimpse of the North Pole with Santa and his helpers. We enjoyed helping to make another Christmas memory for those children on that cold, snowy evening.”

To learn more about the University of Akron Chapter, click here.

At a recent meeting, UNL members brought canned goods for their canned food drive. All the goods collected were to be given to Matt Talbot Kitchen, a local food pantry. A guest speaker from Matt Talbot Kitchen came to talk to the group about “Huskers Helping the Homeless,” a fundraiser they were doing before a UNL football game.

The chapter was able to collect 47 cans of food for Matt Talbot Kitchen. Incorporating a food drive with a meeting is an easy way for a chapter to do a little more to help out the community.

For more information on the UNL chapter, click here.

To learn more about the Matt Talbot Kitchen, click here.

Many SAL chapters will hold food drives throughout the semester, but the Emporia State University came up with creative and fun ways to raise canned goods. These two events were ways that both members and students could raise money and canned goods while having fun.

The first event was an 80′s Dance party. The event was open to all students and their friends. An entry “fee” of 3 canned goods per person or 5 per couple was charged. The dance included lots of 80′s music and games and a contest for the best 80′s costume. The SAL Secretary at Emporia, Amanda Archer, said, “I enjoyed the dance because it was something different and original. It was great to see SAL put on an event like this not only to benefit DECCA (our local food bank) but also the students because it gave them an opportunity to do something different and have some fun!” Through this event, the Emporia Chapter was able to raise 50 cans of food and $62.69 which was all given to DECCA.

The next event was SPLASH. SAL members set up a booth on campus where students could buy water balloons with either money or canned food and “splash” a SAL member. It was a cold day but it turned out to be successful! The chapter raised nearly $40 at this event, which was also given to DECCA.

To learn more about the Emporia State University Chapter, click here.

Groovin’ Out Cancer Theme

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Between April 25 and 28, an historic tornado outbreak took place across much of the Southern United States as well as parts of the Midwest and Northeast.  With over 300 confirmed tornadoes and 322 fatalities, the outbreak ranks as one of the worst in United States history.  One of the hardest hit areas was in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and in the direct vicinity of the University of Alabama.  In the days following the storms, members of the UA community and the local SAL chapter reached out and contributed in countless ways to assist the Tuscaloosa community and help with relief and recovery efforts. The UA Acts of Kindness Fund was formed to provide financial assistance to employees and students who were directly impacted.  The fund helps to pay grocery bills, rent or mortgage payments, electric, gas and medical bills for those in need as a result of the tornadoes.

In response to this great need in Tuscaloosa, Sigma Alpha Lambda made a contribution of $2,660 toward the university’s Acts of Kindness Fund.  As the area continues to rebuild, the UA SAL chapter also remains committed to helping through volunteerism with organizations such as the West Alabama Food Bank and many others.  In the first picture on the left, UA’s SAL Advisor Dr. James McNaughton and Chapter President Benjamin Langsam were on hand as the chapter presented the final installment of the donation to Karen Baldwin, who serves as the Associate Vice President for Advancement on campus.

The SAL Chapter Representative for the UA Chapter, Stephanie Skipper, travelled to Tuscaloosa shortly after the tornadoes and teamed  up with other volunteers at various relief sites and food banks to help out during the time of need.  The remainder of the pictures are of the wreckage left behind by the tornadoes and the work that was done to help get basics such as food and water to people in need.

For more information on the University of Alabama Chapter, click here.

.         Winner, Small Chapter Division:  University of Wisconsin Whitewater

.         Winner, Medium Chapter Division: University of Central Oklahoma

.         Winner, Large Chapter Division: University of Tennessee

.         Fundraising Chapter:  Georgia Southern University

This year, 36 chapters worked hard to collect more than 11,500 canned goods! Congratulations, SAL chapters; that is over 5,000 more than last year! Items were donated to local food banks and will help hundreds of families. Our Chapters also worked hard and raised more than $1500 to help local food banks and soup kitchens.

Some of our SAL chapters were extra creative in seeking ways to get donations.  One chapter held a movie night where canned goods served as an admission price.  Other chapters went beyond collecting food by volunteering in homeless shelters where they cooked and served the hungry people who came there for a meal.  Many chapters promoted www.freerice.com to help those in other countries as well.  To everyone who participated and worked hard to accomplish our goal, THANK YOU!  You truly showed leadership and commitment to service by providing for those in need.  We are very proud of the work that you have done to help fight hunger.