Operation Green Helps Kansas Chapter Score a Homerun with Community
Recycling and beautification are a hit with members of the Phi Theta Kappa
chapter at Labette Community College in Kansas and their community. The
chapter organized a softball tournament with members of their college
and community to help promote Phi Theta Kappa's new
International Service Program, Operation Green: Improving
Our Communities.
Since the introduction of "Operation
Green" at Phi Theta Kappa's International Convention in Seattle, the chapter
has been active in encouraging environmental awareness in their area.
The softball tournament was not only a fellowship opportunity but a perfect
time to start a recycling effort in their community.
The chapter
invited local businesses and schools to register for the tournament and
the teams that registered received two labeled recycling bins. An option
was also given to individuals to receive bins if they wanted to start recycling
rather than play in the game. The chapter distributed four recycling bins
to area businesses and six bins were placed on campus.
Three
separate teams were formed of students from the college and employees from
a local repair shop and a hospital.
The chapter was involved
with every aspect of the tournament including keeping score and operating
the concession stands. Chapter members also played on the college's team.
While the turnout for the event was smaller than expected, advisor
Tammy Fuentez says that doesn't slow the chapter's efforts for next year's
game.
"For our first year, it was small but we also got a lot of
ideas of how to make it better," said Fuentez.
In addition to
organizing the softball tournament, the chapter has also been active with
other initiatives involving "Operation Green."
In the spring,
the chapter worked with "Operation Bright Touch," a local organization
responsible for the upkeep of flower beds around the community. Both groups
came together to participate in Labette Community College's Clean Up Day
and the chapter plans to work with the organization again on another beautification
project.
Fuentez says that they want to be involved in "Operation
Green's" four areas of emphasis: education and awareness, recycling,
beautification and clean communities.
"We are starting with
small projects and have been developing each project a little more. We look
at the four areas of emphasis and see what we can do do, even it is something
small," said Fuentez.
Located on a commuter campus, the Labette
Community College chapter has been able to maintain involvement with several
Phi Theta Kappa programs including Project
Graduation, Relay
For Life and Better
World Books.
They are currently in the planning stages
for Voice Your
Vote and Good
As Gold Week.
Learn more about Operation
Green: Improving Our Communities and other Phi Theta Kappa civic engagement initiatives
online.
