Sept 25, 2000 Over The Edge Page 3 Reciprocity Shelf Expands What is the Reciprocity Food Shelf? Student loan still not in yet? Summer savings disappear- ing faster than the last bus down the hill? The reciprocity food shelf was created in 1998 by PIRG student volun- teers who wanted to address student poverty issues. Knowing that students often live on dwindling savings, part-time jobs, and _ not- always-generous _ student loans, these students set out to do something about it. The result was the reciprocity food shelf. The purpose of the reciprocity food shelf is not free food for all students (sorry guys). It works exactly as the name implies: stu- dents who are in need of food are welcome to take what they need. As it is a reciproc- ity shelf, students who have extra food bring it to the shelf for others. Bring whatever you can spare - cans of beans, rice, veggies, cereals, etc. This program is run entirely by volunteers, and the food shelf is the responsi- bility of everyone; if you see a mess, please help clean it up, if you see food going bad (veggies, bread, eggs) please put it in the compost bucket under the PIRG table. If you have any questions please drop by or e-mail us!! What is the Reciprocity Clothing Shelf? The clothing shelf began its life several years ago as a small cardboard box outside of the Northern Women’s Centre. Over the years men and women from across the campus fed ‘clothing box’ with their favorite old t-shirts, shorts that have survived through planting season, pants that fir through fall and winter, but not spring! When ‘clothing box’ had some par- ticularly attractive items Mary or Bob would wander by and take some shorts or sweat- shirts home with them. Sometimes they too would bring old clothes to feed ‘clothing box’. ‘Clothing box’ soon grew too big, and like a hermit crab, needed to find a new shell. Today ‘clothing box’ has become the ‘Reciprocity Clothing Shelf’, located next to the Reciprocity Food Shelf. Featuring over five shelves of clothing, ‘clothing — shelf’ awaits your visit! Grab some kooky klothes, or bring in some krazy khakis for some karma. This shelf is also run entirely by Women’s Centre and PIRG volunteers - if the shelf is messy please stop by and fold a couple things. If you have and question, please drop by the Northern Women’s Centre (if you are a les and herbs grown et g residence) often end up on the reciprocity shelf. woman) Rm 7-213 or call the Northern Women’s Centre @ extension 5632. PGPIRG need one or more volunteers o help with the food pick-ups from St. vincent de Paul on Fridays. If you can spare a couple of hours to help please drop by the PIRG office Rm 7-234A (next to NUGSS) or email us at: pgpirg@unbc.ca PGPIRG would like to extend a special thanks to St. Vincent de Paul and UNBC CUPE employees for their continued support of the reciprocity food shelf. We appreciate your help! PIRG REFUND If you do not agree with/support the PIRG mandate please bring your student ID AND proof of registration to the PIRG office Tues- Thurs between 10:30-3:30. (pirg mandate: To bring together students, staff, faculty, and community groups to organize around issues of public interest such as the environment and social justice. We promote and conduct research, education, and action in these areas.) Student Ambassadors: A Perspective o There is a program on cam- pus that many students do not even know about. The year long program, which runs through the University Liaison Office, involves both prospective students and stu- dents already attending the University of Northern British Columbia. The Student Ambassador Program (not to be confused with the University of Northern British Columbia Ambassador Program) is part of a larger program called Student-For- A-Day. It gives prospective students a chance to talk with a student who has already completed part of the pro- gram that the prospective stu- dent is interested in. This gives the prospective student a chance to find out informa- tion about their prospective program that they might not learn through regular tours, and high school visits. . Volunteers are recruited once a year during the first week of the fall Semester. This year a small table was set up in between the other clubs competing for students attention, and approximately 20-30 students signed up to become student ambas- sadors. Ryan Matheson, the university liaison officer who coordinates the program, “contacts volunteers to meet with prospective students once or.wice a year’. Matheson stresses that stu- dents who volunteer to become student ambas- sadors are do not require any special training for the pro- gram. All they need is a will- ingness to share their experi- ences with the prospective student and give a perspec- tive on “what being a student is really like”.willingness to share their experiences with the prospective student and give a perspective on “what being a student is really like”. There are no restrictions on what can be discussed, so prospective students can get information on anything from what classes are fun to the best ways to buy and sell text books. Matheson is very enthusias- tic about the Student Ambassador Program. Of the n UNBC | seventeen prospective stu- dents who participated in the last year’s tours four were ineligible to become UNBC students this semester because they were in grade eleven and seven are current- ly registered. More than half of the eligible students who attended received tours are now UNBCstudents. If you are interested in becoming a part of the UNBC Student Ambassador Program you can drop by the Student Success Center to sign up.