By MONICA KELLY

mak012@latech.edu

 

While most students were heading home for the winter break, Ashley Wedderburn, a member of Kappa Delta and a sophomore family and child studies major, was on her way to Memphis, Tenn. Wedderburn did not mind the excursion away from her home of Spring, Texas—her only concern was giving a little boy at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital one of the best Christmas’ he has ever had.

The individual compassion of Wedderburn only skims the surface of what her sorority sisters accomplish with their efforts each year.

“St. Jude is something that really touched my heart,” Wedderburn said. “To change one’s life and truly make a difference is a genuinely rewarding experience.”

Alyssa Marie Andres, a member of Kappa Delta and a junior architecture major, said it is wonderful to work with local children as well as put a smile on a child’s face.

“All of our philanthropies are centered around children, so it kind of hits home,” Andres said. “Every year for rush we have all of the girls make a teddy bear that we deliver to the children at the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home and we also raise money with other fundraisers each year.”

Maegan Loupe, a member of Kappa Delta and a senior kinesiology and health promotion major, said every year Kappa Delta donates 80 percent of their Shamrock Run proceeds to the Children’s Home, which last year was about $8,000.

Loupe said the sorority is gearing up for this year’s run which will take place March 24 at Lincoln Parish Park.

“We have also already made plans for next October to help the home with their annual Fall Festival where we’ll set up and run a game booth,” Loupe said. “We are also going to be donating calculators to their girls who are getting ready to take the GED.”

Kappa Delta is hoping to get even more involved with the home because the kids are really amazing, Loupe said.

Apart from the Children’s Home, Kappa Delta also helps with the promotion of events such as the recent presentation of Invisible Children.

Loupe said Invisible Children began with two guys who were traveling through Africa making a movie when they were suddenly trapped in Northern Sudan. While trapped, the men were introduced to the internal problems going on such as rape, murder and children being kidnapped in the middle of the night and forced into the armies.

The men came to Tech to show their documentary in an attempt to promote change, thanks in part to the efforts of Kappa Delta.

Loupe said making a change is vital to the sorority, no matter what area it is in.

Loupe said, “It’s very fulfilling to be able to do something to make a difference in someone’s life that might not have been as fortunate as you.”