Collins residents volunteer

Many students from Collins Living Learning Center are giving back to the Bloomington community through a volunteer group called Collinsites Active in Philanthropy. The group meets once a month to discuss various volunteer opportunities both on and off campus. The eight-member group meets twice a week.\nSenior and CAP director Shannon Henning said CAP members share a desire to better the community. \n"The people that live in Collins want to give back to the community because it has given so much to them," Henning said.\nHenning has had a big influence in making CAP what it is today. \n"(Henning) is able to communicate her personal dedication to community service to the group's members, which helps them stay committed and excited about the CAP projects," said Catherine Hawkes, programming and alumni coordinator at Collins.\nThe group's many activities include an annual food drive, bringing the AIDS quilt to campus and interacting with the children of The Rise, a volunteer program through Middle Way House.\nThe food drive will take place at the end of the spring semester. During the event, students may use their meal points to buy non-perishable food items at the convenient stores in the dorms. All collected food goes to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, which distributes it to non-profit organizations in various counties throughout the state. \nCAP also donated their time and money to bringing the AIDS quilt to campus. Panels of the quilt will be on display in Alumni Hall in the Indiana Memorial Union through Jan. 30. The quilt is displayed worldwide to bring about awareness of the AIDS virus. The money raised through displaying the quilt is used to help people living with HIV and AIDS.\nThe Collinsites also volunteer with the children of the Middle Way transitional housing program. The program was established to help women and children who have experienced domestic violence and poverty. \nLast semester, members of CAP took the children trick-or-treating during the fall semester. Some of the CAP members even dressed up for the occasion.\n"My friends and I dressed up like Bert and Ernie to trick-or-treat with the kids," senior and CAP member Neal Solon said. \nCAP is also planning to take the kids on mini-vacations through the state over spring break. \n"We all remember how fun it was to go on trips over spring break," Henning said. "We want them to be able to have the same experience."\nActivity fees from those living in Collins help fund the CAP activities. CAP is also supported by Residential Programs and Services. The members also participate in fund-raising activities to cover some of their expenses. \nFor more information on CAP, contact Henning at shenning@indiana.edu.\n-- Contact staff writer Paige Harden at pharden@indiana.edu.