IU volunteer organizations provide students with service opportunities

Bloomington is a town that likes to volunteer, according to a recent study conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service in 2011, with 34 percent of residents volunteering— eight percent more than the national average. On IU’s campus, volunteer organizations give students service opportunities, as well.     

Collegiate 4-H
IU freshman Brady Bair has been involved with 4-H, a youth development organization focused on healthy living and science, for seven years, and he is now the president of Collegiate 4-H at IU. The organization tries to have youth become involved with 4-H activities. 4-H stands for “head, heart, hands and health.”     

Bair said he believes people always think of 4-H as the “cow people.” Although Bair did show sheep for one year and llamas for six, he said there’s more to it.     

“There’s a whole other side people don’t even know,” Bair said, mentioning photography and food.     

Bair said the organization has about 20 active members. Some of the collegiate volunteers judge 4-H events. This semester, the group will have a mini day camp for kids who are in second grade and younger, with crafts and activities that build teamwork.

Not all of their service is related to 4-H activities, though. The group has also helped out at RedBud Hills Retirement Community. Bair had the chance to talk to a woman who used to be involved in 4-H. The group also stuffed backpacks full of games and puzzles for kids whose parents were returning from military service overseas.
The group also has social events, such as dances and dinners.

“We’ve got something for everyone,” Bair said.

He said, as an adult, he can see how 4-H has changed his life.

“It’s not all about the competition for the ribbon,” Bair said. “It’s more about teaching leadership and responsibility.”  
    
Circle K

IU junior Mak Hozo is the president of Circle K, an international service organization that finds volunteer opportunities to bring to its members. Kozo said the club has about 15 to 20 regular members, some of whom volunteer at the Interfaith Winter Shelter in Bloomington, a place for people who need somewhere to stay for the night. The volunteers help set up tables and chairs, check the guests in, get them what they need and help watch them throughout the night.     

The organization is also involved with Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF and Hoosier Hills Food Bank. Currently, Circle K is involved with Big Ten Food Fight, a competition between seven Big Ten schools to receive the most food donations. There are collection bins at Herman B Wells Library and Read Center. IU is currently in
third place.    

Kozo has been involved with service since he was in middle school.
“I like volunteering and helping others in the community,” he said. “Being an officer has helped me be more involved. I wanted to help find service events and help the club
grow.”      

College Mentors for Kids
College Mentors for Kids, an organization that originated at IU and has now grown statewide and to Illinois and Ohio, pairs an IU student with a low-income or at-risk elementary or middle school student. The organization works with about 130 youth at Fairview, Tri-North and Arlington Heights elementary and middle schools.

The mentors meet with their students one day every week. Junior and incoming President Stephanie Kohls said they usually arrive at the schools about 3:45 p.m, give the students a snack and then bus them to IU’s campus. Throughout the years, the students have done chemistry experiments for the kids, planted flowers and
made birdhouses.

“They have a positive role model they can learn and gain experience from,”
Kohls said.

Mentors only have to sign up for one semester, but Kohls said the group encourages mentors to stay for the year.

Kohls said she had trouble relating to her mentee her freshman year, but one day they were walking along the Jordan River, and he said he loved it. After that, the two would play by the river, and her mentee would tell her different facts about it.

“It’s really a cool experience to watch them grow,” Kohls said. “It’s my favorite thing I do
on campus.”    

She said one of her favorite memories of the program occurred in a third-grade classroom. The students were throwing a ball that had questions on it, and they had to answer the questions listed where their thumbs landed. One student’s question was, “Who is your hero?”

The student answered his mentor.