The Optimist

Media Credit: Emily Smith

For the first time at ACU, students had the choice between eating lunch or donating their meal plan, Bean Bucks or money to the hungry and starving people all over the world.

Between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 25 more than 200 students participated in the Fast to Fight Hunger and raised at least $575 for Oxfam America - the non-profit organization, which started the campaign more commonly called the Dining Hall Fast.

Oxfam America is a branch of Oxfam International based in Oxford, England, and, according to its Web site, is an organization "that works to end global poverty through saving lives, strengthening communities and campaigning for change."

Kelly Dennis, junior English major from Houston, first saw the "Dining Hall Fast" on the Oxfam America Web site last fall. The Web site encourages students to start their own "Dining Hall Fast" at their university, and Dennis, having known about it since studying in Oxford during her study abroad experience, decided to do this at ACU and called it the Fast to Fight Hunger.

Dennis said she was torn between conducting a hunger banquet or a "Dining Hall Fast" but ended up going with the fast after researching it more on the Oxfam Web site.

Dennis was very enthusiastic about students participating in something during lunch that would jar them out of what would otherwise be a normal day.

Dennis said she had been thinking about the "Dining Hall Fast" for about two months and really wanted ACU to participate in a fast in order to help students better understand the constant hunger some feel throughout their entire lives.

"One of the main purposes of the fast is for people to go without something, for us to experience not being completely full," Dennis said. "We won't be starving or in terrible pain, but we may be a little uncomfortable, and I think it is good to not always be comfortable, especially because in our society so much emphasis is placed on instant gratification and always doing and getting what you want. But God calls us to something different; he calls us to be counter to our culture, to be sacrificial, to consider the needs of others, to not stuff ourselves while others are going hungry."

While trying to organize the fast, Dennis was in contact with Anthony Williams, director of retail and The Campus Store manager; Shannon Wallis, assistant to Williams; and Andre Allen, interim food service director, to discuss how students could use their meal plans and Bean Bucks in the Fast to Fight Hunger.

There wasn't instant approval by the administration, she said, but she refused to give up, and after a great deal of effort, she was finally given permission to hold the fast.

Dennis said it took about six weeks from the time she started talking to administration for her to get permission to actually hold the fast.

"In the process of trying to get permission I called Dr. Williams several times a day, every day to get information and ask questions. I'm sure him and Shannon Wallis - whom I spoke to when I couldn't get in touch with Dr. Williams - were really sick of me calling, but in the end I was very appreciative that they approved the fast."

Aramark and ACU agreed to donate $2 each from every meal plan donated to the cause and proportioned that same percentage to students who donated whatever amount of Bean Bucks they wanted to give.

"This event was totally dependent on the students," Dennis said. "I hope that the act of students sliding their ID cards and not receiving food will be a reminder for them of the things they take for granted and the people who are not as fortunate. I hope that they will take that opportunity to pause in their day, to interrupt their typical rhythms of eat, school, work, sleep, eat, etc. to remember that there is more to life than routine."

She said 192 people donated Bean Bucks and meal plans, while about 30 students donated $175 in cash.

This money will go directly to Oxfam America who will use it in its battle against hunger.

"I think that every little bit counts," Dennis said.

Lisa Etchison, junior marketing major from Houston, slid her card on fast day, but instead of getting food, she skipped lunch and let her Bean Bucks go to Oxfam America.

"I felt like my Bean Bucks were going somewhere. I felt like I was making a difference, even the smallest difference, to contribute to social justice," she said.

Kyle Trafton, who also participated in the fast, helped oversee a prayer room in the Teague Special Events Center where students could go during their lunch hour and pray for the 850 million people in the world who suffer from malnutrition and have grown accustomed to missing meals.

Trafton, junior marketing major from Amarillo, said he and other students helped set up stations representing different continents in the prayer room that displayed the injustices of each like poverty levels and enslavement numbers.

"We showed them what's really going on and why we're doing this," he said.

Dennis said through the Fast to Fight Hunger, ACU students proved they could come together and reach a goal without the backing of an organization.

She said Aramark said this will be the only time it donates Bean Bucks and meal plan money, but she still hopes to do the fast again.

To show appreciation, Dennis said during the fast there were three cards available to be signed to express thanks to those who made the fast possible.

"We encouraged everyone to sign the thank you cards to express our gratitude for allowing the fast to take place," Dennis said. "I want to make sure that everyone involved in approving the fast know how much it's appreciated. I'm hoping enough positive feedback is seen that we'll be allowed to continue with the fast each year and allow other events such as this to take place."

Email the reporters at: optimist@acu.edu

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