Champlain College Tent City Raises $1,932 for COTS

• by Champlain College

BURLINGTON, VT (12/15/2009)(readMedia)-- Samantha Thatcher, a Champlain College freshman majoring in social work, spent four nights in mid-November sleeping outside in a tent on the college's green as part of the college's annual Tent City project to raise money and awareness about the needs of the homeless.

Last week, she, and several others from Champlain College walked down the hill to the offices of the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) to meet with Executive Director Rita Markley and deliver an oversized check totaling $1,932.95.

According to Ashley George, Champlain College's community service specialist, the donation was more than double what was raised the year before. She attributed the increase to strong student participation, a "Sleep-out Challenge" that set financial goals for selected staff and faculty members to join the students for an overnight stay, and a growing awareness that the needs for those in economic trouble are greater this year. "More than 105 different students participated and a total of 125 people spent at least one night out in Tent City," George said.

Thatcher recalled giving up her laptop and cell phone for the week, sleeping on a cardboard mattress outside and that she went for the full experience by not showering. "It's rewarding to get out of comfort level and get a taste of what it is like for a homeless person," she explained. Participating is also a way Thatcher and other Champlain freshmen are fulfilling part of their requirement for community service.

And, she noted, Champlain's Tent City project was one of the factors that influenced her to choose Champlain College. "I saw something about it during one of the tours and I thought it was so cool that a school would do something like that. I think it is good to have social service and justice as part of the school and not just academic. It really is at the heart of Champlain," she said.

During Tent City week, a soup kitchen was set up in the IDX Student Life Center dining hall and participants met with representatives from (COTS), the Chittenden Food Shelf, Spectrum Youth Services and affordable housing advocates. For more information about COTS, www.cotsonline.org.

Champlain College, founded in 1878, offers "Education in Three Dimensions" - a distinctive educational approach to professionally focused majors, developing life skills and leadership based on critical and creative thinking. It has nearly 2,000 campus-based undergraduate students on campus and is ranked in the top tier of Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the North by 2010 America's Best Colleges, published by U.S. News & World Report. To learn more about Champlain College, visit www.champlain.edu.

PHOTO CUTLINE

CHAMPLAIN STUDENTS DONATE TO COTS. Representatives from Champlain College presented a check for $1,932 to the Committee on Temporary Shelter recently. The money was raised during the College's Tent City Awareness week. (Pictured from left) COTS Housing Resource Center Director Janet Green, COTS Executive Director Rita Markley, Champlain College senior Kaitlyn Elias, Champlain College Director of Community Service and Civic Engagement Kyle Dodson, Champlain College freshman Samantha Thatcher, AmeriCorps VISTA Andrea Gewirtzman and Champlain College Community Service Specialist Ashley George. (Photo by Stephen Mease / Champlain College)