Social Work Club

One goal brings a few wellintentioned hearts together for the greater good of the community. For such a large and noble cause, one would be surprised to know the Social Work Club is only a small group of people.

Junior social work major Jessica Perry said, “I’m trying to get us to grow.”

Members do not have to be social work majors. Perry said all majors are accepted. All they have to do is attend meetings.

Social Work Associate Professor Shirley Walker said, “The club is a major responsibility and takes a lot of time, but I enjoy seeing the results in my students’ lives, and over the years (and) seeing how nonsocial work majors, typically nursing students, participate, enjoy and work hard in our club.”

Everybody is able to bring something to the table. Different people and majors bring different contacts.

Perry said the contacts are “always changing depending on who is involved in the club.”

Last year a club member had a contact with Family Promise, which had just started that September. The organization, in turn, provided the name for the club’s Christmas family. Every year the club is given the name of a needy family in the community. Different organizations, such as Communities in Schools also contribute names of needy community families.

Perry said her favorite memory was the Christmas of her first year with the Social Work Club. She loved shopping and providing the family with a full meal and Christmas tree. She also enjoyed helping decorate the tree with the family and sitting in the living room interacting with the children.

Perry said what she loved most was the club’s “willingness to spend time with their family. It’s not charity. It’s more being there and providing a service for the family.”

Senior social work major Sarah Beaty said she loves Social Work Club because “we do a lot of activities that help the community.”

Beaty said that while the group completes many activities on campus, its main focus is the community.

The club works with many campus organizations and on projects such as Habitat for Humanity, Hope for the Hungry, Campus Activities Board, the Student Government Association and the campus-wide Community Service Day.

In past years they have worked with the Resident Housing Association to help build playhouses for families in the community during House Cru.

They are also involved in many community activities, including Texas Relay for Life cancer walk and Great Strides cystic fibrosis fundraiser walk for children and their families.

Walker said, “I especially would like the campus community to become more knowledgeable about the profession of social work and what we contribute to society.”

March is “National Social Work” month. During that time, the Social Work Club keeps a table in the SUB to help create awareness and to recruit.

Walker said, “Expanding our activities on campus during this special time would be great.“

With its many activities and so much good will, it is a surprise to many that the club has few participates.

Members stay because it is their major as well as the fact that they love helping the community with the work they do.

Perry said she hoped people would have a heart to do things and get involved.

More information is available at the club’s bi-weekly gatherings.

Meetings are held on the first, third and, if applicable, fifth Tuesday of every month at 12:30 p.m. in Room 125 of Hardy Hall. Perry said anyone is welcome.

She also said there was an email list where people could get the information.