By Jenna Ulicki
For The State News
For many MSU students, volunteering while in college is as important as academics.
While the university runs a variety of community service programs, there also are other ways to get involved. Alpha Phi Omega, a nongreek coed service fraternity, provides such an outlet.
"APO is an excellent opportunity for every MSU student to be able to give back to the community that supports the university," dietetics sophomore Beth Grzesiak said. "It doesn't get old."
The fraternity raises money for cancer foundations through walks, dance contests and Relay For Life. Members also volunteer at Lansing domestic violence shelters, such as Haven House and EVE's House, by giving donations and cleaning.
Another service project the fraternity has taken on is the Ronald McDonald House Charity, or RMHC, at 121 S. Holmes St. in Lansing. The charity provides hospitality for families with terminally ill children. They are located near hospitals to provide the visitors a home away from home at affordable prices and comfortable living. The two-story home in Lansing is located directly across the street from Sparrow Hospital.
On the last Tuesday of each month, four or five out of about 80 APO members get together and travel the few miles to the house.
Jade Pearce, a sociology sophomore, says she loves the fraternity's tradition of visiting the house every month to cook dinner for the visiting families and staff. Not only does she enjoy cooking, but also helping people in her community who need it most.
"I just like doing it," Pearce said. "Working with the RMHC is one of my favorite activities for APO."
More than 245 Ronald McDonald Houses have been established in 28 countries. Since the first House opened in 1974, it has been home to more than 10 million families. Families are asked to make a small donation for each day they stay, but no family is turned away because of an inability to pay.
"Having only two staff (members) at the house, volunteers help us fulfill our mission," said Rebecca Reagan, executive director of the Lansing house. "The dinner tradition is particularly important because we don't have an on-site cook. This helps ease the families' burden and gives them a nice home-cooked meal."
Planning dinner isn't the only work the fraternity volunteers for at the house. A few times a year, members of the fraternity come and stay at the house for 24 hours, taking over daily tasks. Fraternity members also work on fundraisers and family-fun days scheduled by the house's staff.
The "fun days" are times when relatives from the visitors' homes can visit and arrange trips to the hospital, and everyone spends time together.
APO also is open to any requests to help those less fortunate in the Lansing area.
Chrissy Rodemeyer has been a member of the fraternity for almost three years. As president of service, she is in charge of the Ronald McDonald House project and organizes other volunteer activities. A political theory and constitutional democracy senior, Rodemeyer plans on doing work for nonprofit organizations after graduation.
The service fraternity gives students a taste of what helping out in the community is like by providing hands-on experience, she said.
"APO is great for any MSU student," Rodemeyer said. "Whether you can give a day or a month, every minute helps."
