Jackson County Residents Learn About Crisis in Darfur, Promote Fundraising and Education
College students giving up something they love for a bigger cause? It happened right here in Cullowhee, as students, faculty and staff at Western Carolina University pledged themselves to a day of "fasting" to help members of the conflict-stricken area of Darfur in the African country of Sudan. Each participant agreed to forego something for the day -- perhaps a meal or even just a snack -- and then donate to the cause the money that would have been paid.
The Fast Day was held on Wednesday, December 5, the day that Darfur's case was presented to the United Nations, where advocates asked for UN and African Union peacekeeping troops in Darfur. The conflict in Darfur is a politically charged, long-running strife between factions of Sudan's government. Millions of persons have been killed, wounded or rendered homeless.
The movement, begun by WCU freshman Katy Elders, attracted prominent members of the community and campus. Their organized effort is pursuant to international guidelines for a "STAND" club (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur). STAND's faculty adviser is Steve Carlisle, who is Associate Dean of the Honors College and Director of the Humanities Program.
Students staffed an information booth on Fast Day on the front lawn of WCU's University Center. Already the effort had generated more than $600 through collections on campus and at booths that were set up by WCU students near Ingles and Wal-Mart in Sylva.
Elders says the focus of the group in the future is to provide information, outreach and education, with fundraising as a secondary but still important goal. Future plans include educational programs in local schools, including Smoky Mountain High School, advocacy initiatives, a student movement to write federal congressional representatives and senators, advocating for genocide education in public schools, and working with the student-run Last Minute Productions group at WCU to put on a benefit concert in the spring.
For more information about Darfur, STAND recommends www.standnow.org or www.savedarfur.org. Also, stories about Darfur have been featured recently at www.bbc.com, www.usatoday.com, and www.msnbc.com.
For more information on pledging or donating to the WCU effort, contact Elders at cullowheesavesdarfur@gmail.com.
The Fast Day was held on Wednesday, December 5, the day that Darfur's case was presented to the United Nations, where advocates asked for UN and African Union peacekeeping troops in Darfur. The conflict in Darfur is a politically charged, long-running strife between factions of Sudan's government. Millions of persons have been killed, wounded or rendered homeless.
The movement, begun by WCU freshman Katy Elders, attracted prominent members of the community and campus. Their organized effort is pursuant to international guidelines for a "STAND" club (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur). STAND's faculty adviser is Steve Carlisle, who is Associate Dean of the Honors College and Director of the Humanities Program.
Students staffed an information booth on Fast Day on the front lawn of WCU's University Center. Already the effort had generated more than $600 through collections on campus and at booths that were set up by WCU students near Ingles and Wal-Mart in Sylva.
Elders says the focus of the group in the future is to provide information, outreach and education, with fundraising as a secondary but still important goal. Future plans include educational programs in local schools, including Smoky Mountain High School, advocacy initiatives, a student movement to write federal congressional representatives and senators, advocating for genocide education in public schools, and working with the student-run Last Minute Productions group at WCU to put on a benefit concert in the spring.
For more information about Darfur, STAND recommends www.standnow.org or www.savedarfur.org. Also, stories about Darfur have been featured recently at www.bbc.com, www.usatoday.com, and www.msnbc.com.
For more information on pledging or donating to the WCU effort, contact Elders at cullowheesavesdarfur@gmail.com.
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