By STEFANIE HILL

Staff Writer

For the past two years, the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity has received the community service award from the Interfraternity Council.

The fraternity continued its community service this Christmas by collecting for the needy.

On Dec. 12, fraternity members passed out 1,000 bags on people's doorsteps throughout the Ruston community.

Each bag had a note attached requesting the owners of the home to donate canned goods, coats and toys with the bags. The Kappa Alphas returned Dec. 14 to pick up the bags.

The fraternity ended up with six full-size truck beds of food, clothes and toys.

They collected 2,049 food items, 26 coats, sweaters and jackets, 54 toys and $100 donated from one Ruston family.

Jordan Rosenblath, corresponding secretary of Kappa Alpha and a sophomore marketing major, said most of their success was from the help of the immediate area.

"Most of our donations came from families throughout the community of Ruston," Rosenblath said.

Kappa Alpha donated the collected materials to Christian Community Action, a non-profit organization that assists people of lower income in Lincoln Parish.

CCA, located at 108 S. Bonner St., helps those in emergency situations with food, clothes, utility bills and other crises that arise.

Clayton Flurry, vice president of Kappa Alpha and a junior business management major, helped oversee the project.

He said it makes him feel good to be giving back.

"Not only did we do something for the community, but we also did something for ourselves," Flurry said.

David Davidge, Kappa Alpha philanthropy chairman and a junior business administration major, said the Kappa Alphas will be out in the neighborhoods again next year to collect donations.

"Not only was this a great thing for CCA, it was also a great way to build unity and brotherhood within our chapter," Davidge said.

"With all of the support that we had this year, you can count on us to do this again, but with hopes of collecting even more next year."