Southwestern College students participated in a Homecoming service project on Sunday, Oct. 2.  The event was planned and hosted by Leadership Southwestern, Discipleship, and Green Team Southwestern.  A total of 331 SC students filled 1,500 bags for the Backpack for Kids program.

The bags included 11 non-perishable food items, two athletic passes for SC events, and a hand-written note from an SC students on a postcard. The handwritten postcards were printed on recycled paper donated by Jason Speegle and the Green Team.

The backpack food programs provide a bag of non-perishable food to children when school meal programs are unavailable.  Students from Winfield, Arkansas City, and Wellington who have been identified as living in food insecure homes will receive the bags. 

USD 465 Superintendent J.K Campbell says that this project will help a lot of area youth. 

“Southwestern College student's service learning project will have a major impact on food insecure children,” Campbell says. “Their efforts will provide over 120 children with weekend food backpacks for a significant period of time - aiding in their ability to focus and learn, and providing much needed food security to the children served through this vital program.”

“I love that the SC experience is about the whole person,” says Brae Wood, director of Leadership Southwestern.  “We challenge students to contribute to their community through their knowledge and talent. Southwestern balances expertise with experience for students. Having a school-wide service project as a kick-off to Homecoming is a great example of that. My favorite part is walking around listening to students reflect on the service.”

Financial donors include: Wal-Mart in Winfield, Arkansas City, and Wellington; First United Methodist Church in Winfield; and Southwestern College service learning, athletics, student life, and performing arts.  

“Being a Builder is about being dedicated to things that are bigger than yourself,” Speegle says.  “On Sunday, we were able to join forces and make a real, tangible impact on hunger in our community. Seeing over 300 SC students serving together makes me proud to be a Builder.”