Recently, the residence hall opened up its doors to children of the Bloomington community to trick or treat on floors 13 and 14 Wednesday in a friendly and safe environment in the fifth-annual Walk of Fang.
Children were also invited to take part in numerous crafts that were all lead by volunteers and the Community Outreach Council.
President Deaven Elliott said the council does a lot more than organize Halloween activities.
Its main goal is to build a relationship between the students of IU and the non-profit organization South Central Community Action Program.
SCAPPS is an organization that helps citizens who are below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Eigenmann helps with their Circles initiative, which works with families below the poverty line to help them provide a better life for themselves.
The Eigenmann COC also works with the Headstart program through SCAPPS, a family-centered child development program.
Their mission is to enhance the social and cognitive development of children through a variety of ways, such as educational and social services, in order to promote school readiness.
“We want to make it known that we care about the residents here in Bloomington,” Elliott said. “What we want to do is give back to the community and create a better relationship between students and the ?community.”
Walk of Fang is just one of several events of which the COC is involved. Around the holidays, they partake in Angel Tree Donations, which involves trying to provide families in need with the gifts they request for the holidays.
Read Across America is another event thrown in Eigenmann for the children of Circles and Headstart. The event celebrates the birthday of Dr. Seuss and teaches the kids to love learning and reading.
“I think COC has a great affect on the community of Bloomington,” Vice President of Public Relations Serena Singh said. “It gives the families and the community a chance to do things that they wouldn’t normally be able to do or have time for.”
Singh said that a lot of these parents just want to make sure their children are happy, but it is sometimes hard to fulfill their ?expectations.
That is where the COC comes in to give them a hand.
The COC not only has an affect on the community, it has an affect on the members and volunteers ?involved.
Elliott worked in the organization in a different executive position last year. The experience she had made her realize how much she loves giving back, and this caused her to become a nonprofit management major.
It’s an incredible experience, Elliott said, and she said that she thanks the people of Eigenmann for providing many opportunities for the residents to explore all the possibilities IU has to offer.
“COC has become a huge part of my life and has been an amazing opportunity here at IU,” Elliott said.
