By Kyla Waldron, Staff Writer
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Photos by Kristen Hartwell
A Letter Writing tent is set up for students to write government officials to give more aid to Uganda.
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St. Michael’s held its own “Displace Me” event on the lawn in front of the library on Friday, April 20.
“Displace Me” is in support of the Invisible Children of Uganda, said senior Allison Morse, organizer of “Displace Me” on campus. The event included a barbecue from 4 to 6 p.m. where Domestic Blend played. Along with the food and music, students involved wrote letters to senators, United Nations ambassadors and President Bush, pressuring them to give more aid to Uganda, Morse said. At night the movie “Baraka” played on a big screen set up outside. In the morning, people were woken by African drumming, performed by students from the African drumming class, along with a reflection lead by Morse.
On P-Day weekend last year, there was a Global Night Commute to represent child soldiers. This year, “Displace Me” joined Green-Up’s Tent City to bring the cause to campus, said sophomore Kelly McQuade. There is a nation-wide “Displace Me” happening on April 28 in cities all around the country, McQuade said.
“It was more productive to do it this weekend instead of P-Day weekend,” McQuade said.
There was a good turn out this year with about 100 people in and out during the night.
“It was an excellent turn out. Sign ups were rough because it snowed that week and I don’t think people wanted to even think about sleeping outside, but it ended up working out great,” Morse said.
Along with the drumming and reflection, people meditated, and thought about the internally displaced
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| Caution tape surrounds the tents set up on the library lawn for students who participated in the “Displace Me” on Friday, April 20. |
camps in Uganda where thousands of people die each week because of lack of food and medical attention, Morse said. The United Nations World Food program, which was giving food and aid, had to cut funding recently, Morse said. People wrote letters asking for more aid, she said. Along with the letters, about $300 was raised during the event, Morse said.
“It was more effective to get 100 people involved here on campus than to send 10 people on a bus down to New York City,” Morse said.
Junior Tina Shantz of Common Ground set up a tent along with other clubs on campus.
“The music, videos, and people were great. We went to bed in the tent, but eventually it got too cold and we had to call it a night,” Shantz said.
It’s the time of year where a lot is going on and it’s difficult for students to give time and money, however the turn out was excellent, Morse said. A lot of people stopped by after the Parent to Parent walk and the MLK talent show as well, she said.
“The turn-out and events of the night proved that a good amount of SMC students can have fun with out partying,” Morse said.
Contact Kyla Waldron at kwaldron@smcvt.edu
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