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R-MC students, including Shannon Carey '13 (above, right) distributed
clothing and other items to the homeless.
Click on Monroe Park Project to see a slideshow of photos. |
On Saturday, December 4, 2010, the Randolph-Macon College Campus Ministries Council (CMC) and the Office of the Chaplain conducted a day of service for the homeless. Nearly 40 R-MC students participated in the event, which took place in Richmond’s Monroe Park.
Students served hot meals to the homeless, but preparation for the event began several weeks ago. A college-wide clothing drive resulted in more than 40 bags of clothing donated to needy families. Blankets, sleeping bags and toiletries were also collected and distributed.
“The Campus Ministries Council consists of representatives from each of the campus ministries: Ujima, InterVarsity, United Methodist Student Fellowship, Bible Study, Catholic Campus Ministries, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Greek Fellowship, and Beacon,” says R-MC Chaplain Darrell Headrick, who spearheaded the service project. “They were joined by Residence Assistants and students from Sigma Phi Epsilon and Kappa Alpha. In all, we served hot meals to about 150 people and provided much-needed clothing and basic necessities to many more. It’s especially poignant at this time of year to give to those who have so little.”
The clatter of pots and pans could be heard earlier in the day, as students prepared the meal in the Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church kitchen before heading to Monroe Park. “It was fun to cook together,” says Shannon Carey ’13. “We all worked together for a common purpose and it really showed the character of the R-MC student body.”
After the meal was served—and despite chilly temperatures—R-MC students and Chaplain Headrick gathered in a circle in Monroe Park to reflect on the day. For some, the project solidified the calling to help others. “It made me appreciate and understand how quickly things can change for anyone,” says Carey. Other students spoke of how happy they were to be able to participate in such a large, successful program of service. “Two of them said, ‘I have never been so proud of Randolph-Macon College,’” says Headrick. “Indeed, I was very proud of all of them and honored to be able to work with them in serving the homeless.”
Upcoming CMC projects include the Annual Candlelight Christmas Service on Tuesday, December 7 at 5:30 p.m. in the Campus Center
and the Spring Break Mission Work trip to Washington D.C. in 2011. In past years, the CMC has sponsored Spring Break Mission Work trips to New Orleans, Guatemala, Appalachia, and inner-city Camden, New Jersey.
The CMC meets every two weeks in the Campus Center. For more information, contact Chaplain Headrick at (804) 752-7374 or
dheadric@rmc.edu.