From human rights and blood donations to recycling and feeding the homeless, Marshall?s variety of service clubs offer a wide selection of causes to join.
“I think it?s nice to have so many options,” junior Rayn Eperemian, press secretary for the Amnesty International Club, said, “they are able to be specific and you can join whatever club [focuses on your interests].”
“It?s important to have a lot of service clubs,” vice president of Amnesty, junior Shannon Minor, said, “the more the merrier I guess. Even if they are doing it for [IB] CAS hours at least they are volunteering.”
When CAS, or Creative, Action, Service, hours are needed, the many service clubs can come in handy. “I think most definitely that [the ability to get CAS hours is] one of the appealing things about the club besides the good hearted people that are in it,” sophomore Brandy Allen, President of the Octagon Club, said. “It gives people a chance they wouldn?t otherwise have to reach out to the community and get those hours in CAS hours are most definitely there for the taking because we try to do something every month.”
Some of the opportunities include the Octagon club?s canned food drives and pumpkin donations to welcome in new teachers. “Octagon club is more dedicated to our community, improving the Marshall community both inside and out,” Allen said. “Our club isn?t about designating our club to one individual thing, it?s more about trying to improve the entire community in any way we can.
Eperemian believes that the main draw to her club, Amnesty International, isn?t the CAS hours, but the interest of the members in the causes they advocate for. “If people join the club, I think it?s because they have an interest in human rights. Not all of our members are even doing the IB diploma.”
Amnesty, who?s focus is human rights, writes letters to governments around the world. They try a letter a week on varying topics from Darfur to gay and lesbian marriage rights in DC, often sending them to representatives and senators.
“You can?t have too many service clubs,” senior Max O?Beirne, President of Amnesty International, said, “some are more focused than others, but you can?t have too many volunteering options. It gives you more opportunity to volunteer or express yourself.”