Alpha Beta Gamma's Blog
President- Audrey Savage
VP Service- Sierra Knechtel/Kim Cozzi
VP Membership- Adam Iona
Treasurer- Amanda Mitchell
Secretary- Casey Patrick
Alumni Relations- Hannah Fidoten
Pledge Marshall- Kate McManus
Sergeant At Arms- SPECIAL ELECTION
Risk Management- Amanda White
Historian- Dan Johnson
PR (Public Relations)- Katie Harte and Maddie Davis
Recruitment- Akiko Rutledge
Book Co-Op- SPECIAL ELECTION
Blood Drive- David Fundakowski
Run-A-Thon- Rozie Smith and Aimee Pepple
Formal- Claire Turner
President- Adam Iona, Audrey Savage, Hannah Fidoten
VP Service- Chloe Bohm, Hannah Fidoten, Sierra Knechtel/Kim Cozzi
VP Membership- Adam Iona, Hannah Fidoten, Priya Sharma
Treasurer- Amanda Mitchell, Audrey Savage, Danny Kizior
Secretary- Casey Patrick, Emma Beyer, Rup Sarkar
Alumni Relations- Adam Iona, Hannah Fidoten, Kate McManus
Pledge Marshall- Amanda White, Chloe Bohm, Edel Vaca, Kate McManus
Sergeant At Arms- Hannah Fidoten
Risk Management- Amanda White
Historian- Amanda Mitchell, Dan Johnson
PR (Public Relations)- Emma Beyer, Katie Harte, Maddie Davis
Recruitment- Akiko Rutledge, Akiko Rutledge/Jackie Stillmaker, Maddie Davis
Book Co-Op- Adam Iona, Amanda Lee
Blood Drive- David Fundakowski
Run-A-Thon-
Formal- Akiko Rutledge/Jackie Stillmaker, Claire Turner, Emma
Beyer, Erin Majewski, Jackie Stillmaker, Maddie Davis
As Former Blood Drive Chair for Alpha Phi Omega, I helped plan and coordinate the blood drive that we hold each term. It is one of our biggest philanthropy events every term, and we usually get an excellent turnout, as many people on campus seem to look forward to it. My Red Cross contact Amy Simmons is incredibly helpful and supportive. She coordinates with the Red Cross about arrival times, talks to Papa John’s to get pizza provided for people to eat after they’ve donated, and checks in with me after every drive to see if there are any improvements that can be made. This past term she even raised our goal because we had so many people sign up to donate originally. When the numbers were in, we had 89 total donors, including five people who did double-red cell donations.
LFS,
Casey Patrick
As many of you know, I am not at Knox this term. I am in Hawaii right now, doing a “study abroad” at a school called University of the Nations. University of the Nations is a school operated by Youth With A Mission, a worldwide Christian missions organization dedicated to using abundant resources in the world to care for and empower people and nations that are under resourced.
The program I’m doing here – called PhotoGenX/Voice for the Voiceless – is focused on two things: coming alongside people in the world who cannot speak out against injustice for themselves, and using photography to be a Voice for the Voiceless people of the world. For 12 weeks this summer, I will be with the PhotoGenX team serving and photographing people who have been marginalized. We will probably be in Central and South America, but this has yet to be finalized.
The Voiceless people we are advocating for include children forced into prostitution, people with HIV/AIDS, refugees, women who have suffered genital mutilation, and victims of war and rape. Working against injustices and coming alongside the Voiceless in partnership is wonderful and everything. But allowing these precious people to have a face is radical. No one profiting from prostitution or slavery or war wants the victims to have a face for the world to see. No one trying to keep a woman in a place of powerlessness wants anyone who can do something to see the pain in her eyes and speak up for her.
So caring for the Voiceless of the world, giving mercy, pouring out generosity, allowing the broken to share their pain with us, and then telling their stories through pictures and writing, just might start to change the world and bring justice and restitution - if individuals and communities will make the choice to use freedom of speech for people who are Voiceless and to do the possible, then the impossible will follow.
Alpha Phi Omega is founded on the principles of Leadership, Friendship, and Service. I am so happy and grateful I get to be part of PhotoGenX, a program that exemplifies the values of APO. I believe it is extremely important for us as Brothers in Alpha Phi Omega to keep seeking jobs, schools, training, and lives that build on the foundation of Leadership, Friendship and Service. I can barely believe I have this amazing privilege to use my freedom and voice for something greater than myself. I want to encourage you all, whether seniors going on to something new, or those considering what to do with your life, to ask how you can be a leader, friend, and servant.
LFS,
Chris Wolf
LFS, Colleen
