November 16, 2007
Two recent service projects involving Hesston College students raised a total of $1,855.
The first service project raised $935 for Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) and ongoing tornado recovery efforts in Greensburg, Kan. The western Kansas town was leveled by a tornado on May 4 of this year.
Two MDS workdays, Saturday, October 27, and Saturday, November 3, were organized by Russ Gaeddert, director of the Disaster Management Program, a program begun in the fall of 2005 by Hesston College and MDS. Twelve students worked on those two days, serving 10 people in the college and Hesston community. According to Gaeddert, the students raked leaves, cleaned and sealed gutters, washed windows, painted, built shelves, and did housework.
Meanwhile, another $920 was raised when 183 Hesston College students skipped a meal in the college dining hall Wednesday, November 7. The money will be sent to Heifer Project International to help purchase water buffaloes to be used in overseas countries for plowing and farming. According to Campus Pastor Kevin Wilder, each water buffalo costs $250.
Wilder said Zach Hurst (sophomore, Glenmoore, Pa.), Heidi Gingerich (sophomore, Parnell, Iowa), Sarah Hooley (sophomore, Filer, Idaho), and Abby Kline (freshman, Schaefferstown, Pa.) did most of the work for the event sponsored by the college’s Peace and Service Club.
Disaster Management Program