By: Kaitlyn Boisvert
Posted In: News
Photo credit: Stephanie Turaj
Gabby Gardner, a senior and member of Sigma Phi Sigma, stands outside of Ben&Jerry’s waving to customers in support of Heifer International.
On April 5, 2011 members of Salve Regina University’s chapter of Sigma Phi Sigma National Mercy Honor Society gathered at the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop on Thames Street. Despite the dreary weather, Sigma members still followed through with their goal, which was advertising the featured ice cream special that the shop would offer from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. The promotion was in support of Heifer International, an organization with a mission to end world hunger and poverty. Customers who purchased ice cream in between the designated times would each make a contribution to the cause, as Ben & Jerry’s agreed to the promise of donating 20 percent of each purchase to the non-profit organization Heifer International.
Gabby Gardner, a Salve senior and a member of Sigma Phi Sigma, stood outside Ben & Jerry’s wearing a cow costume and waving towards passing people, trying to lure them inside. Many people laughed jovially upon the sight of her, and returning her greeting, some passing cars even honked. The cute, cheerful display garnered both compliments and visitors who became inspired to help the cause. According to its website, Heifer International is a global non-profit organization that aspires to end world hunger and poverty through giving gifts of livestock, seeds and trees to families in need. These gifts help lift families out of dire states and give them the resources they need for effective living. Heifer also trains these families in how to take care of these resources, and then encourages them to spread their teachings throughout their communities. Other families can benefit from learning, and find a good source of food and income. Another strategy the organization supports is paying it forward, encouraging the families they assist to donate their animal’s offspring to other families in need, and spreading the mission of ending poverty and hunger throughout the world. Heifer is unique in its mission statement, aspiring to give families a source of food, rather than a short-term relief. Sigma Phi Sigma founded Heifer a few years back when they researched potential fund-raisers they could promote. When they stumbled upon Heifer, the members at the time immediately grew interested in the organization. They followed one of its suggestions for fund-raising, which was collaborating with a food business and taking 20 percent of the proceeds made on a particular promotion day and donating them to Heifer. According to Emily Sinitski, the public relations coordinator of Sigma Phi Sigma, the group made arrangements with Cold Stone Creamery to mark their first fund-raiser with Heifer International. “It was a great turnout, especially since it was so close to the university,” Sinitski said. “Unfortunately, we could not do it with Cold Stone again, as it is closed for the season. But Ben&Jerry’s was available, and loved the idea. We are very grateful for their help.” Among the 20 percent donation special, the club also displayed a charity box for additional donations and a raffle for a $20 prize. Although Sigma Phi Sigma’s second Heifer International fund-raiser may not have been as successful as the first, it still earned a good number of attendees. Some of those that came to buy ice-cream were Salve students, eager to support fellow students, give a good name to the University and promote a good-hearted organization. Salve senior Devon Legare was one of the students to attend and purchase ice cream. “I heard about this event from my friend, who is a member of Sigma Phi Sigma, and I am very happy she told me about it,” Legare said. “I feel so glad to have been given the chance to support such an important cause.”
