By Ashley Henderson ashlhend@iusb.edu
One of the best things about being a member of a constantly expanding university community is the plethora of clubs to be apart of and volunteer with. Some clubs are political, some are athletic, and some clubs, one in particular, is out to make a difference.
A self-proclaimed "baby club" by Red Cross Club president Elishia Welch, junior, is just getting their footing among the active and blossoming IU South Bend clubs. According to Welch, the club was started by a Notre Dame student last semester who had a graduation requirement to create a club. Unfortunately, as Welch explained, she was unable to put forth enough work and effort to maintain the club and Welch took over.
And for the sake of this club, it is a good thing she did.
Since Welch has such an impressive past of volunteer work, she has many visions for the club. She is hoping that the Red Cross Club can be not only rewarding for members, but a resource as well. The club plans to have 2 CPR training classes per semester. She said that the ability to have CPR training on campus will help out a lot more students than those in the medical field.
"We are broke college students-some of us don't have to have that health and safety class… education majors have to be certified." She said
In addition to CPR courses, Red Cross Club secretary, Kim Alford, freshman, said the club has a packed agenda for upcoming events. She mentioned plans to clean up the military honor park, sending letters to troops, and participating in various clean-up jobs around South Bend.
"I'm really just really trying to help get it going and get people involved," Alford said.
However, one cause the club has addressed has a personal impact on one IUSB nursing major. Welch explained that the club has placed a donation box on the 4th floor of Northside Hall for Amanda Key, a nursing major who recently lost her house in a fire. The club hopes the money raised by the box will help Key in this difficult time.
Although the club has a packed agenda, Welch explained that even though there has been a lot of interest in the club, not many people have been showing up to meetings.
"I thought this club would explode right away," she said "We had about 90 people on our email list, but when it comes down to volunteering there are only three or four of us."
Welch added that ideally she would like to be the club split up in sub-committees aimed at the certain interests of club members such as armed forces and refugee efforts. She also said that she urged students of all majors, not just nursing to join.
Although the semester is near its end, the club plans to do a kickoff activity in the fall to recruit new members. If you are interested in joining the club, contact Welch directly via email and come to meetings on Thursdays at 4 P.M. in the SAC Club Room.
For more information on the club contact ewelch@iusb.edu.
