Banquet to focus on poverty

An interactive hunger banquet for people to come and learn about poverty here and around the world is being held from 7 to 9 p.m. today. It's purpose is to raise money for Shelter Inc., an organization that helps people in poverty in Monroe County and surrounding areas. Since Sept. 11, donations have severely decreased. Pallav Shah, a member of the Community Education Program, said people have been donating a majority of their funds to organizations such as the Red Cross. \nThe CommUNITY Education Program, which is a program through Residential Programs and Services, and Delta Sigma Pi Professional Fraternity have come together to play host to this banquet. Collins Living-Learning Center, Read Residence Center, Eigenmann Hall and the Residential Hall Association Executive Board are all sponsoring the event, which won't be a simple speaker-dinner banquet. \n"It's like a really big surprise," said Shah, a sophomore. "It is really interactive, and it will make you see things from different angles."\nOrganizers are withholding the specific details to make more of an impact on the audience. Different activities are planned, and food will be provided by two local restaurants, The Affairs of the Sun Catering, 111 W 4th St., and Grisantis, 850 E Auto Mall Rd. The banquet is also meant to serve an educational purpose.\n"We want people to come and learn about how in most other countries hunger is something they deal with every day," said senior Drew Clark, who's also involved with the CommUNITY Education Program. "People don't understand that people are simply starving and that the hunger problem will only get worse." \nOrganizers are hoping to change the problem.\n"There is a big empathy factor involved," said junior Juhi Verma, another CommUNITY Educator. "We want people to care about (poverty) and understand that it is a huge problem and that a lot can be done if we focus on these problems. People get a chance to understand what leads to these problems and why they continue."\nThe banquet costs $5, and all proceeds go to Shelter Inc. All banquet expenses have already been paid. Organizers would like to raise $1,000 or more to give to Shelter Inc. They also are hoping to get at least 300 people to attend. The banquet will be held at the Green Leaf Room in Forest Quad.\n"We want to reach as many different kinds of people to make this a huge, educational event," Clark said.\nTickets are on sale at Box Car Books, 310 S. Washington St., and also can be purchased at the door. For more information on the banquet, e-mail hungerbanquet2002@yahoo.com. Also, if interested into looking further into the issue of poverty, go to www.oxfamamerica.org.