Tara Hjermstad
BSU Helps Bemidji Community
Bags of Wishes, House of Hospitality and Beyond
This time of the year is special to many people; it’s also the hardest time of the year for others. Known as the “season to give,” it draws heavy burden on many families, especially lately with our economy being the way it is these days, with pressure to be a part of this generous, but expensive, time of the year.
BSU, specifically the Social Work Club, teamed up with Bemidji’s House of Hospitality homeless shelter to put on the 10th Annual Bags of Wishes to support struggling parts of the community from November 8th-12th. This non-profit organization puts together a drive advertising needed help for household, food and financial support, for one week usually around Thanksgiving.
Last year, over $1,000 dollars and 600 household items were donated, but sadly this year wasn’t quite as high, although the exact numbers aren’t ready for exposal yet. The Bags of Wishes was started 9 years ago by the Social Work Club at BSU and has gone on every year since.
Each year, the Social Work club sends out emails to all the students in their department asking for volunteers to help with the drive and spread the word of this community drive. Of course any students that want to take part just have to contact someone in the Social Work program.
Donation bins were placed throughout campus, along with plastic bags on the doors of faculty/staff with wish lists and any other information needed for the drive. The bins will be left on campus until Thursday November, 18 and any donation after that can go directly to the House of Hospitality. Any further information can be obtained from Cheryl Byers in the Social Work office.
Bailey Wethern, a Social Work major at BSU and also Vice President of the Social Work Club, ran this year’s drive, with the help of co-chair, Megan Schmitz, also a Social Work major at BSU, and three volunteer students. Wethern plans on taking part in the Bags of Wishes program again next year, “whether it be as Vice President or simply as a volunteer.”
All proceeds from the Social Work Club at BSU this year will go to the new addition to Bemidji’s homeless shelter, appropriately called the Village of Hope.
BSU doesn’t stop giving at the Bags of Wishes though. According to Rebecca Hoffman, Executive Director of Ours to Serve House of Hospitality, Inc./Village of Hope and who has worked with BSU for the past five years on the Bags of Wishes, says that over the years “several students volunteer with the House of Hospitality/Village of Hope projects.”
Each year she works with several students from the Social Work general practice 1, 2 and 3, and this year worked with students of Trek North for the first time. She has also worked with students in the applied psychology and marketing departments in the past as well. They work so closely that a graphic design student actually designed the logo for the House of Hospitality in 1995.
Right now they are looking for volunteers to assist with meal preparations, cleaning family units, and providing children’s activities on-site.
Any students interested can contact the Village of Hope.
The Village of Hope’s mission statement: “We promote self worth and independence through the provision of temporary shelter and supportive services for families experiencing homelessness.” Their vision is to help strengthen of families through identifying and achieving goals, with their three values being: Family, Respect and Collaboration.
BSU Social Work Club offers other community volunteer programs all throughout the year. Anyone interested can contact the Social Work program.
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