And this year's World Relief Campaign will be...............Raising $12,500 toward building foster homes for children whose orphanage in Nicaragua was shut down by the government.  Let's all get excited about this year's campaign and start brainstorming about the project's promotion! 

Sarah led us in a devotion at the start of the meeting.  If anyone else is interested in stepping up and leading a devotion at the start of a future SALT meeting, email John.Webster@valpo.edu

Announcements:

SALT's annual Fair Trade Fair will be Dec. 7th-11th from 4:30 to 6 PM in th Union.  Volunteers needed!  If you didn't get a chance to sign up at the meeting but are interested in helping out, contact Kathleen.Parilac@valpo.edu or Annie.Stanchak@valpo.edu

-If you are involved in another organization on campus that would like to sponsor a family for Adopt-a-Family (providing gifts for low-income families), make sure to contact James as soon as possible. 

-The Fellowship House will be hosting their free monthly dinner in Guild this Sunday at 7 PM.  Anyone is welcome to attend.

-If you have extra meal card consider donating some of those extra dollars to Hilltop's food pantry.  Just talk to the cashier when you go through the line and you should be able to donate however much you'd like! 

-At the movie theatre by JcPenny a film called Living in Emergency will be shown on Monday Dec. 14th.  This film is a documentary about the experiences of Doctors Without Borders in post-conflict Liberia and War-torn Congo.  For more information, visit livingemergency.com

If anyone has any annoucements for next week, please send them to Melissa.Kariger@valpo.edu as soon as possible so they can go on the announcement sheet. 

Enjoy the rest of your weeks and we hope to see you at next week's meeting!

We opened up the meeting in song, singing "Bring Forth the Kingdom."

 

Then came announcements…..

 

-Fair Trade Fair will be Dec. 7th-11th during Chapel Break and 4:30-6:00.  Volunteers needed to run the tables. Remember to sign up when a sheet is distributed.

 

-Adopt-a-family will be coming up after break….with this project different organizations on campus are paired with families in the community that can't afford to buy Christmas gifts for their children.  

 

-At the end of the semester students will be able to donate meal card money to Hilltop Food Pantry.  If you would like to coordinate this project by contacting dining services and making signs, contact James. 

 

We mixed it up a bit this week and had one-on-ones during the meeting and found our partners by standing in like from shortest to tallest.  

 

Then we heard from Abby Lange, who is this year's World Relief Campaign chair.  She told us a little bit about past world relief campaigns.  (During the WRC in the spring semester SALT raises money for a project run by a charitable organization).  Here's an overview:

 

-2009 Shui-2-Go: Pipeline to the People.  SALT raised over $15,000 to build a pipeline to bring water to a village in rural China.

-2008 EDJakarta: Imagination in Session.  SALT worked with a moderate Muslim group to build a child creativity center in Jakarta, Indonesia, particularly aimed at street children

-2007 Mission Nutrition, in Uganda.  SALT raised money to create recipe trials tested by kids to help them gain weight.  

-2006 Operation Haiti, SALT helped bring a health clinic to a village

-2005 Project Peanut Butter, Malawi, SALT raised funds to purchase a peanut butter production line for nutritional supplements to prevent malnourishment

-2004 Book It to Crow Creek, brought new books to a school on an Indian reservation in South Dakota that only had books from a school that had shut down in 1979.  

 

 

Various SALTers then told us a bit about the three applications we have received for this year's WRC.  Our goal this year will be $12,500.  Remember, we will have a proxy from each applicant at the meeting on Dec. 1 to answer questions and will vote on which project to take on.

 

1.  CICRIN Orphanage in Nicaragua:

-We would be funding the construction of a foster home for children whose orphanage has been shut down by the Nicaraguan government.  Praxis Group is heading this up in hope that children will not be separated from the community they have spent much of their lives with and will not have to go back to bad situations at home such as extreme poverty, abuse, etc (some do not have homes to go to).  VU has sent medical missions trip to this orphanage in the past, so this could also be a source of future contact.  

 

Questions we came up with to ask:

-Will this home still be built if SALT chooses a different project?

-How many children will live in the house SALT is raising funds for?

-Why has the government this policy in effect and could housing system be affected by a similar law? 

-How many orphans are supported now?  Could more be taken in?

-How is the foster system instituted, who will be the foster parents?

 

2. Mozambican Sand Dams Project

-This project, ran by the Christian Council of Mozambique and the Mennonite central Committee, would be bringing potable water wells to about 500 people.  Currently, for water, the people in this area must dig dangerously deep holes that can easily be contaminated or travel considerable distances.  Right now they do not have access to safe water, but this project would allow for that.  They'd be using our funds to build at two separate locations, building at least seven wells in all.  Local people would help build these wells, which include pumps and covers and would be taught about upkeep.  

 

Questions about this project:

-What will happen with this project if SALT doesn't fund it?

-Does this provide for two separate villages?

-Will this encourage deforestation at all?

 

3. Project Vietnam

-For this project we would be raising funds to provide a clean water system, toilets, and kitchen for a school in Vietnam (good hygiene actually helps combat malnutrition because it prevents problems like cholera and dysentery).  Project Vietnam is ran by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod World Mission and was started in 1995 to bring hygiene and nutrition programs to communities in Vietnam.  Along with this particular project, the organization will be doing hygiene programs with teachers who will pass this knowledge on to their students who will bring it to their families at home.  

 

Question:

-Will there be other donors if SALT doesn't choose this project?

 

We closed the meeting in prayer.

 

Remember to join us next week for more on this spring's World Relief Campaign.

We started out the meeting with a devotion from John Webster who led us in some meditation and prayer.  

 

We broke into focus groups for part of the meeting to reflect on PSJS and other recent activities.  Then we came together as one big group and each focus group told everyone what they've been up to.  Here are their updates:

It's Not Easy Being Green (Or is it?) had their garbology event last Friday, assisted by a rep from Able Disposal.  They sorted through trash from the Union and Guild and Memorial and made two piles, one consisting of actual trash and the other of items that could have been recycled.  It turned about that around half the things thrown out actually could have been recycled.  This included stuff like paper boats from the union, those Pepsi cups, and freshen cups.  There isn't a market right now for products that say 6 on the bottom along with the recycle but otherwise 1 through 7 are fair game!  The group is going to try to put up signs around campus so students have a better idea of what they can and cannot recycle.  

 

Human Trafficking- They are still in the process of making a paper chain 1000 links long, each chain representing 15 people, to account for the 15,000 people trafficked into the United States each year.  They are going to put the chain up in the VUCA during chapel break tomorrow (Wednesday), so feel free to join them!  They had a nice turnout for their PSJS workshop, where they watched a short documentary from CBS about human trafficking in the United States.  A few weeks ago the group got together and watched Taken to see how Hollywood addressed the issue of human trafficking.  

 

Limelight (Mental Health) has placed dots all over the cafeteria with info about mental health (1 in 4 people suffers from a mental disorder sometime in their life) and did an on-campus survey about mental health, which about 300 people responded to.  They had a panel for their workshop at the PSJS consisting of director of the counseling center on campus, a psychiatric nursing professor, a mental health worker from downtown, and Alissa and her roommate Alex.  During the next few weeks they are planning on helping out on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Social Club at the Mental Health Association downtown.  

 

School of Americas is going to a protest during the start of Thanksgiving break in Fort Benning, Georgia.  So far about nine people are signed up.  About 20,000 people show up to this protest every year.  On Sunday there will be a memorial service for those killed by people trained at SoA.  The group also screened a documentary last Tuesday about the School of Americas and around 40 people showed up.  They had a poster at the PSJS and might have formed some connections with some people who were arrested for protesting SoA.

 

Stop the Spread: Infectious Diseases- Last week they sold pocketsize Kleenex packs in the Union for a dollar each in order to help raise money to send insecticide treated mosquito nets that cost five dollars each and last about 3-5 years to children and pregnant women in Kenya.  They are doing this through a small, grassroots non-profit called Project Mosquito nets that really emphasizes educating people about how to use the nets.  So far they have raised about 90 dollars and are still selling Kleenex, so if you are interested in buying some talk to someone who is part of this group (Laurie Kenyon will always have some in her backpack if you see her around campus).  Stop the Spread also had a workshop at the PSJS. 

 

After we heard from the focus groups we heard from Josh from Youth Works.  He told us about a summer ministry opportunity where you could work with youth groups going on mission trips at two sites in Puerto Rico, three in Canada, and many sites in the U.S.  If you are hired you are placed in a community with other college students and work with youth in a variety of contexts such as through service programs, sports programs, painting houses, etc.  Most of your expenses would be covered and you'd get a paycheck of around $2500.  Youth Works is in both rural and urban areas, as well as Native American reservations.  If you didn't get to sign up for more info at the meeting try going to http://www.youthworks.com to learn more!  

 

We ended the meeting by finding one-on-one partners…always a valuable experience!  

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your weeks and see you at next week's meeting!

If anyone has announcement for next week email it to Melissa.Kariger@valpo.edu

Before the meeting some Salters played the game "Penny Pinchers" which highlights problems with unequal opportunities.  We will be playing this game at the Peace and Social Justice Symposium. 

John opened up the meeting in prayer for us and then helped us form a massage train to de-stress. 

We then broke into focus group time for the rest of the meeting and concentrated especially on preparing for the Peace and Social Justice Symposium. 

Announcements:

-The Peace and Social Justice Symposium will be this Saturday November 7th.  Breakfast starts at 9:30 and at a 10:00 we will start playing the Penny Pincher game.  At 11:00 we will hear from our keynote speaker, John Nunes.  Lunch will be served at noon for those who signed up ahead of time for the ethnic luncheon and after lunch we will break up into workshops

-This Friday It's Not Being Green (Or is it?) will be having their garbology event during chapel break on the lawn between the VUCA and the Union.  This will involve sorting out trash from several places on campus and learning more about what can be recycled.  A representative from Able Disposa will be educating everyone about recycling. 

-All this week Stop the Spread: Infectious Diseases will be selling Kleenex packs for a dollar at the Union during chapel break.  Proceeds will go toward sending mosquito nets to pregnant women and children in Kenya in order to help stop the spread of malaria.

 

-The School of Americas focus group will be screening a documentary about the School of Americas in the Lumina Room this Wednesday at 8:00 PM.

 

-This week Put the Break on Human Trafficking will have a table at the Union and will be making a paper chain to represent victims of human trafficking

-If anyone has an annoucement they would like to see on the annoucement sheet at next week's meeting please send it to Melissa.Kariger@valpo.edu by Sunday evening.

Enjoy the rest of your weeks and see you either at the PSJS on Satruday or at Tuesday's meeting!

We started off the meeting tonight taking a group photo for The Beacon. 

Then Pastor Jim led us in a devotion about Hebrews 13 style hospitality, relating a personal story about a hitchhiking experience.  If you would like to lead a devotion at a future meeting contact John.Webster@valpo.edu

Announcements.....

Trick-or-Treat for paper goods will take place this Saturday.  We will be meeting at 5 PM in the Union at the S couch. 

This Sunday at 1:30 PM there will be a prayer walk at the Chapel.  Contact diane.marten@valpo.edu if you have any questions.

This Sunday the Fellowship House will be hosting their monthly dinner at 6 PM on the first floor of Guild if anyone is interested in attending. 

If you'd like to write for the Shaker contact Mary.Zastrow@valpo.edu Articles will be due the week following the Peace and Social Justice Symposium and need to be about half a page single-spaced.  If you didn't find someone in your focus group to write an article about what the group is doing feel free to step up.

This wasn't announced at the meeting, but everyday next week, the focus group Stop the Spread: Infectious diseases will be selling packets of Kleenex for one dollar each in the Union during chapel break in order to raise money to send mosquito nets to pregnant women and children in Kenya.  If you'd like to contribute remember to stop by the table!


After announcements:

Heidi addressed us about a potential World Relief Campaign.  In Nicaragua, the government is closing the orphanages and sending children to small group homes or back to their parents.  One orphanage would like to construct homes on their property and screen foster families for the kids so they don't lose the connections and relationships they have built or have to go back to abusive situations.

We then broke into focus groups to get some more work done for the Peace and Social Justice Symposium and group projects, research, etc. 

That was all for this week's meeting....hope to see you all next week!

At tonight's Pepper we heard a bit about this year's Peace and Social Justice Symposium and did some brainstorming. 

 

John Webster led us in a devotion and talked about a young man in the Philippines who had been sponsored by World Vision and ended up on CNN's Top Ten Heroes list for his work with children in slums and his foundation of the Dynamic Teen Company.  

 

Pastor Jim talked to us a bit about the upcoming Peace and Social Justice Symposium which will take place Saturday, November 7th from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM.  The title for this year' PSJS that we came up with during the pepper will be Genuine Empowerment; The New Social Justice.

 

This year's speaker will be John Nunes, Pastor's Jim's freshman roommate from college.  John will be speaking about genuine empowerment through economic engagement.  According to John, who recently returned from a trip to Africa, the biggest problem of children who do not get enough to eat is not that they are hungry but that they do not have futures.  He emphasizes aid that moves away from dependency and toward building capacity for the future.

We then moved into focus group time where all the groups made sure to try to discuss the possibility of doing a workshop or booth/display for the PSJS.  

 

We then came back as a group and had all of the focus groups briefly share what they have been up to and what some of their plans are for this semester.  Here is what they had to say:

 

-Stop the Spread: Infectious Diseases: This group will be focusing on malaria, AIDS, and the flu.  They are planning a fundraiser where they will sell little packets of Kleenex in the Union for $1.00 each to raise money to send mosquito nets that will help prevent malaria to children and pregnant women in Kenya.  These nets cost about $5 each.   This group will also be working with the local organization Brothers Uplifting Brothers with its work for World AIDS Day in early December.  There is talk of a walk. 

 

-School of the Americas: This group is planning a trip to Georgia during Thanksgiving Break to attend a protest there.  The trip will run from Friday Nov. 20th-Monday Nov. 23rd.  The cost will be about $50 plus the cost of food.  Contact Wendy.Mallette@valpo.edu or Michelle.Roy@valpo.edu to get more information and sign up.  

 

-Lime Light: Bringing Mental Health into Limelight:  This group will be conducting a survey about mental health and is going to make a visual display with color in bricks.  They will be putting lime dots on chairs in the cafeteria with mental health info, as well as table toppers.  For service projects they might volunteer at Whispering Pines, a nursing home, and at the Mental Health Association.

 

-It's Not Easy Being Green (Or is it?): This group has been researching wind energy and food on campus.  They are planning on doing a PSJ workshop and might distribute recycling bins on campus.  The week before the PSJS they will be having a garbology event where they dump trash on a tarp and sort out things into different categories.  Able Disposal will be helping them with this. 

Human Trafficking: They are planning to make a paper chain representing victims of human trafficking and will be bringing this chain to the PSJS.  They'd like to have table toppers with human trafficking facts at lunch at the PSJS.  This Sunday at 2:00 at either the Gandhi King Center or the Guild/Memorial Lounge they will be having a screening of the movie Taken.  

 

 

And finally, a few announcements….

 

-SALT Pumpkin Patch trip!  This Saturday, October 24th from 1:00-4:00 PM.  Meet at the orange S couch in the Union.  The pumpkin patch includes a corn maze, cider, donuts, and more!  Afterwards we will distribute flyers for Trick-or-Treat for Paper Goods.

 

-Trick-or-Treat for Paper Goods, October 31st 4-7 PM, Salters will be trick-or-treating for paper goods to donate to Hilltop.  If you are interested in participating, contact Rachel.Dahlgren@valpo.edu

 

-Human Trafficking Speaker: Monday Oct. 26 at 3 PM in Heidbrink Hall, located across from the ARC.

 

-Sustainability Conference, this Friday, October 23rd at 6 PM in one of the ballrooms.  This event will mostly focus on sustainability in the business world.

 

- Intercambio….Spanish Conversation, Every Wednesday from 7 PM to 8:30 PM at the VIC, located at 309 E. Lincolnway. Come and converse in Spanish with native and non-native speakers.

 

- Peace Corp information session, Tuesday October 27th at 6 PM in the Harre Union, Alumni Room 269

 

 

Well that was all for tonight's meeting!  Hope to see some of you on Saturday for the SALT social event and the rest of you at next Tuesday's SALT meeting!  

Focus time and social time!

Here are this week's minutes:

Senior David Lutz opened up the meeting for us with a devotion about the importance of patience.  If you are interested in stepping up to lead a devotion yourself, contact John.Webster@valpo.edu

At the start of the meeting we heard about two great social justice opportunities (we also heard about these programs during Pepper):

-Lutheran Volunteer Corp: Martha told us us about this 1 year national program where you can work at a social justice oriented organization in one of 16 different cities across the U.S.  You don't have to be Lutheran to apply. The LVC will provide your housing, a food budget, a personal stipend, and transportation costs.  You will get to live in community with other people in the program and there is an emphasis on living simply. 

-ELCA Global Missions: We heard from Eddie who told us about this one year program where you can work with an organization in one of 16 different countries.  It lasts August to August and priority applications for this upcoming year are due on Feb. 15.  The absolute deadline is March 1st. 

Annoucements:
- Sharefest, Saturday October 10th-THIS weekend.  Sharefest is a local, A local volunteering opportunity. Meet at 8:45 AM at the orange couch in the Union.   We will be painting at Spring Valley, so wear old clothes.  If you missed the sign-up sheet but would like to volunteer contact Rachel.Dahlgren@valpo.edu

-SALT Pumpkin Patch trip!  Saturday, October 24th from 1:00-4:00 PM.  SALT���s second social event of the year.  Should be a lot of fun! Admission only costs $1.00.  The pumpkin patch includes a corn maze and more.

-Peace and Social Justice Symposium.  This great social justicy event, complete with workshops and a keynote speaker will take place on Saturday, November 7th.   Focus groups will be preparing workshops for this event, so get brainstorming!

-World Relief Campaign applications are now available!  They can be found on the Chapel's webpage.  Have any questions?  Contact Abby.Lange@valpo.edu

-Trick-or-Treat for Paper Goods- If you would like to head the event up this year contact Rachel.Dahlgren@valpo.edu 


After annoucements we broke up into focus groups and worked on coming up with a clear focus, a name, research, etc.  We also found one-on-ones within our focus groups. 

After the meeting a bunch of SALTers carpooled over to Steak & Shake for a SALT social night.  It was a lot fun! But don't worry, if you missed out you can still go to SALT's next social night which will surely be just as fun. 

Hope to see you all at next week's meeting!