Hark! Ripon Students Learn to Serve...with Shakespeare

On Tuesday, April 24th, in partnership with the Ripon Public Library and the Ripon College Office of Community Engagement, RC Professor Ann Pleiss-Morris and the ENG 300: Shakespeare and Modern Pop Culture class hosted a celebration of William Shakespeare’s Birthday for approximately 150 freshman students at Ripon High School.

The event provided a meaningful, educational experience for the freshmen students by teaching them in different mediums and forcing them to look at Shakespeare and the text in different lights. The results of the event will, hopefully, be that the freshmen came away from this experience better educated about Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare and how to examine a text through different means.

As a cohort of 13 students, Professor Pleiss-Morris' ENG 300 class teamed up into groups of two or three to prepare and present educational activities aimed at enhancing the Ripon High School freshmen students' exposure to and education of Shakespeare and in particular, Romeo and Juliet.

Divided into 6 stations, these activities included: 

1) Elizabethan Pop Culture 

The Elizabethan Pop Culture station gave students an idea of the time in which Shakespeare lived and wrote by enhancing the students' knowledge of the Elizabethan atmosphere in which he resided and created the masterpiece, Romeo and Juliet. This station focused specifically on examining Elizabethan culture, food, and fashion as they appeared in the Capulet's party scene in Romeo and Juliet. 




2) Acting/Staging

In order to teach and solidify the students' understanding of the relationship between the original Shakespearean text and the staging of a work, students broke into groups to prepare a scene from Romeo and Juliet using different styles or interpretations based on a variety of different settings, time, etc. Students were encouraged to change the language/dialogue of the scene to better fit their chosen theme. Although challenged by the restrictions imposed by the fifteen minute time limit, high school participants flexed their creative muscles to came up with some interesting and surprising interpretations!


3) Shakespeare in the Media

The Shakespeare in the Media station used a multi-media presentation to show students how Romeo and Juliet has been portrayed and adapted in various forms of media. Participants had the chance to take part in two activities during this session. The first was a song activity in which the group played popular songs with allusions to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was meant to encourage students to find connections between the songs and the play, and then to determine wether the songs were accurate portrayals of the play. The second activity was to theoretically re-cast Romeo and Juliet with a modern cast of popularly recognized members of today's pop culture. The hilarity of casting, say, Justin Bieber as Romeo helps students to think about the characters in a new light and makes them more easily relatable to this young audience. 

4) No Fear Shakespeare

At the No Fear Shakespeare station, students had the opportunity to view a movie clip from a modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet (Gnomeo and Juliet) as well as an adaptation that is more true to the original Shakespearean text and compare two adaptations before breaking into smaller groups to review different scenes/lines from the No Fear Shakespeare version of Romeo and Juliet for comparison to the original text.



5) Shakespearean Taboo 
(a Romeo and Juliet version of the game)
Romeo and Juliet themed Taboo? What better way to test your knowledge of this well known play while interacting with the text in a new and interesting way!

6) Birthday Cupcakes and Shakespeare Trivia
Students had a chance to sit down and relax with a cupcake in honor of Shakespeare's birthday while playing a short Shakespeare trivia game directed by two librarians from the Ripon Public Library--Linda DeCramer and Amanda Canovan. The librarians also brought a number of books from the public library that featured Shakespearean themes or were adaptations of Shakespeare's plays for the students to browse.

 

Props from the Red Cross

April 25, 2012

Ripon College

300 Seward Street

Ripon, WI 54971

Dear Ripon College, 

Each and every day someone needs blood. And, just like the Emergency Room of a hospital, the American Red Cross needs to be prepared to respond to patient emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We couldn't do this without the everyday support of blood drive sponsors and blood donors. 

This winter, we asked you to work to exceed your blood drive goal by 10 percent to help ensure the Red Cross could carry on its lifesaving mission. Because of your determination and commitment, Ripon College achieved 117.5 percent of its blood drive goal on 2/20/2012. Thank you! 

The Red Cross is truly grateful for your everyday support of your community.

By partnering with the Red Cross you have helped ensure adequate blood supply is available for those in need and shown your community, as well as the entire nation, that Ripon College cares. Thanks for being an everyday supporter. 

Sincerely, 

Marianne Timm

Director Donor Recruitment 

CBC Blood Drive a Success!

The Office of Community Engagement and the Community Blood Center would like to say thank you to all who participated in the blood drive this Tuesday, April 17th. Ripon College recruited 49 donors (18 NEW donors!) to sign in to the blood drive, and helped collect 37 good units!

2012 Excellence in Service Award Recipient

The staff here at the Office of Community Engagement would like to congratulate Senior Katrina Schauland on her commitment to pursuing social justice and ethics, and her outstanding contributions in the field of community outreach and service!

Notable service contributions include: 

• OCE Public Relations-Written Word Intern 
• OCE Grant Writing Intern 
• All About Ethics: Social Justice in Our Society (Radio Show Moderator/Director)
• Ethical Leadership Program: Green Lake Co. Correctional Facility 
• SAVE Program 
• Miss. Ripon Pageant
• ...and many more.

To find out more about Katrina's service journey during her time here at Ripon College, CLICK HERE!

To hear new episodes from All About Ethics: Social Justice in Our Society, CLICK HERE. 

To read Katrina's "This I Believe" statement, CLICK HERE.

For Ripon College Campus Community members only: To find out more about how to get involved in your community, contact the OCE at oce@ripon.edu or call 748-8153.

Volunteer Appreciation Week

It's Volunteer Appreciation Week and the 

Office of Community Engagement would like to say 

THANK YOU 

for your 

Time...

Compassion...

Service...

Dedication...

Skills...

Commitment to making the world a better place...

and the difference you make every day by volunteering!

Older Americans Week at Ripon College

Since 1963, Older Americans Month has been celebrated in the United States each May as a way to honor and recognize older Americans for the contributions they make to our families, communities and society. Ripon College is recognizing the achievements of older Americans and showing our appreciation for the the older adults in our community through a week-long series of events aimed at forging a mutual connection between all generations!

Schedule of Events

Monday, April 16 (Campus-wide) 

Identify an elder in your life whom you respect, and tell them how much you appreciate them..."just because!" Don't talk to your grandparents as much as you would like to? Set aside some time today to call them, write them, or even visit them! Keep your eyes peeled for posters hung around campus today featuring "If you were alive in..." fun facts! They might spark a lively discussion with your loved ones!

Tuesday, April 17 (Mailroom)
11:00am-1:00pm

Stop by the mailroom to write a message and/or take a picture to send to the residents at the Prairie Place Assisted Living facility here in Ripon or to another special older american in your life! The Office of Community Engagement will be providing cards, paper, and writing materials; all you need to do is show up! 

Wednesday, April 18 (MLK Lounge) 

1:30pm-2:30pm

Students, staff and faculty are invited to join residents of the Prairie Place Assisted Living facility for a short campus tour, followed by a small reception in the MLK lounge for refreshments and conversation.

Thursday, April 19 (Prairie Place Assisted Living Facility) 

10:00am-11:00am  

Residents of the Prairie Place Assisted Living facility would like to invite the Ripon College community to come and decorate cookies with them. The decorated cookies will be sold on in the commons today (during lunch and dinner) to raise money for a very special Arbor Day plant exchange between Ripon College and Prairie Place.

Friday, April 20 (Damm Heritage Room)
5:30pm 

An informational film provided by the National Alzheimer’s Association will be shown, followed by a discussion of the many ways that Alzheimer’s disease affects patients and families. Swipe through the line for dinner and join us! 

Adopt-a-Grandparent: A Mutually Beneficial Relationship

“How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” –Satchel Paige

I never expected that some of my best friends in college would be over four times older than me. My participation in the Adopt-a-Grandparent program has been full of surprises, and I can honestly say that I’ve learned an unbelievable amount from the three ladies that I visit every week. Each week, I gain insight into what life was like when in the Ripon area decades ago. What I find surprising is that the local history shared by these ladies reveals both unimaginable differences and unexpected similarities to what life is like now in our community – and even on campus! For example, I have learned alternative means of overcoming deep snow while commuting to school, such as ice-skating along the ditch or riding a thrasher through the fields, but I have also learned of the constancy of the unique relationships between Ripon College students and members of the community.

More than anything else, however, I have learned the mutuality of a program such as Adopt-a-Grandparent. When the program is described, it seems that the mission of volunteers is to offer a service to older adults by providing them with company and social stimulation on a weekly basis. In actuality, however, the program benefits both older adults and volunteers. My experiences with the program have provided me with a sense of friendship, purpose, and solidarity. To be perfectly honest, I look forward to our weekly meetings just as much as my residents do. My participation in the program has brought me the opportunity to share stories, joy, and experiences with three lovely women in particular, as well as with the greater population of residents of Prairie Place. Through weekly conversations and large events, such as the Christmas party and Sweetheart Dance, I have earned a greater respect for older Americans, as well as a deeper understanding of the similarities that we all share as a part of the human experience.

                                                                                      --Andrea Slosser, Elder Empowerment Intern
                                                                                        Ripon College Office of Community Engagement


Want to Know More? RC Students Share Their Experiences: 

RC volunteer Rachell Pachniak delivers
halloween treats to the residents at Prairie Place

Rachell Pachniak
I started volunteering at Prairie Place to get philanthropy hours for my sorority; however, speaking with the residents has turned into a highlight of my week. I have learned so much about the history of Ripon from my residents, and I have begun to truly care about them. I make a point of visiting one of my residents especially every week. She looks so pleased to see me and have company. We play double solitaire or find a few words in a word search. She lets me know about her family, and as I am about to leave she makes sure I take some of the caramel popcorn or pretzels that she enjoys making. I even got a call from her son, a coach at the local high school, thanking me for spending time with his mother and claims she is always talking about "that college girl" who visits her. I can't wait to continue my time volunteering at Prairie Place next semester.

Sherri Krier
I just started as an Adopt-a-Grandparent intern at Prairie Place a couple of weeks ago. When I first saw the inside of the building, it was very comfortable and welcoming. Every Wednesday afternoon, our group of Ripon college volunteers go together to Prairie Place assisted living to visit our assigned residents. The volunteers talk to their resident and have a nice visit with them before we leave. This brings happiness to everyone involved and brightens everyone’s day. I do not yet have assigned residents, but I look forward to next week having my own group of people to visit and to look forward to seeing every week. So far I have been going to visit the residents with our coordinator, Andrea Slosser. It seems like a wonderful volunteer opportunity for anyone who loves to be around other people and has extra time on their hands to give back to their community. 

Rachel Groff visits with a friend at Prairie Place

Rachel Groff
Visiting Prairie Place has been a wonderful experience. We are able to visit with residents from different areas of Wisconsin and even some residents that have worked for our college. They have wonderful stories to share (such as knowing Harrison Ford when he went to Ripon College) and are fun to visit with.

Rachel Wedeward
I started volunteering at Prairie Place regularly this semester. I come almost every Wednesday, to meet with my residents. However, the moment that I would like to reflect on was my first time ever coming to Prairie Place. The first time I came to Prairie Place was for their Sweetheart’s Dance, celebrating Valentine’s Day. It was one of the cutest events, I think Prairie Place could have put on. They had an old big band and swing band there, and they invited families of residents to come. I thought it was really sweet that a lot of residents wanted to dance with me, even if they were wheel chair bound. A majority of the residents and parents thanked me for the taking the time to come to their dance. I thought everyone was so heart-warming, I thought the staff was excellent in planning the event, as well as their passion for the residents. Seeing everyone, from the families to the staff, made me want to continue volunteering at Prairie Place.

Eric Seiler 

When I first decided to volunteer with the adopt-a-grandparent program I did not know what to expect. I'm not the most talkative person so I feared that a lack of conversation was imminent. After my first visit I learned that I really didn't have anything to worry about. All of my residents were, and still are, incredibly social and never seem to run out of things to say! It always makes me smile when they tell me how much they appreciate "those college kids" that come in to visit them. You can tell how much they enjoy our company and that our visits are a highlight of their week. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the adopt-a-grandparent program is having the residents tell you about their lives. It truly is an eye-opening experience hearing about what they had to overcome in and what they still hope to do in their lives. I never anticipated how much fun this program could be, and I am incredibly grateful that I took advantage of this opportunity to meet some of the most interesting and caring people I now know.

Want to Participate? 
If you're interesting in taking part in the Adopt-a-Grandparent program or finding out more about how you can get involved in your community, contact Andrea Slosser at slossera@ripon.edu or the Office of Community Engagement at oce@ripon.edu.

Crossroads Academy and Ripon College Team Up. Literally.

On Thursday, April 12 and Thursday, April 19, 2012, students from the Crossroads Academy and Ripon College teamed up to play some Ultimate frisbee on the Ripon College Harwood Memorial Union patio lawn.

Ripon College and Crossroads students play frisbee 
on the lawn behind Harwood Memorial Union.

Meet Crossroads Academy, a  school here in the Ripon area that provides project-based-learning (PBL) approaches for interested students. Due to the nature of their class work (online classes in the morning and project work in the afternoon), the students of Crossroads Academy do not usually have a chance to participate in regular physical activity during school hours. 

Seeing a need in this area, Ripon College Office of Community Engagement Alternative Education Intern Dulce Andrade came up with the idea to team up with a group of Ripon College students, carrying on an age old tradition of playing informal pick-up games of Ultimate Frisbee around campus. The RC students jumped at a chance to interact with new friends while playing their favorite game!

Ripon students raise their hands to signal start of play.

Exercise at all ages, but especially during the child, adolescent, and young adult years has been shown to improove memory retention and learning function, as well as creating a more focused, attentive, and productive environment to learn in upon return to the classroom. What more perfect union than to join together high school students stuck in a classroom for most of the day and college students gearing up for the academic rigors of finals!

This is just one example of how RC students are utilizing ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) to interact with our community. Asset Based Community Development looks at assets already present in the community as a first step of sustainable community development. Utilizing the existing skills, strengths, and motivating power of local residents, associations, and institutions, Asset-Based Community Development aims at build stronger, more sustainable communities for the future. This interaction between the two schools utilizes strengths on both sides to create mutually beneficial relationships, as well as making great use of the physical asset of green space provided by the college for the frisbee field. 

For more information about the benefits of exercise to the learning process, check out this article by Vanessa Richardson on Edutopia, "A Fit Body Means a Fit Mind."

Senior RC student Katrina Schauland guards a Crossroads student on the opposing team.

President-Elect Messitte Talks Service

This semester the Office of Community Engagement has a new radio show,

All About Ethics: Social Justice in Our Society

All About Ethics is a bi-weekly show that explores relevant issues of ethics in our community and how they relate to social justice not only around the nation but also right here in our neighborhood. With topics ranging from immigration and modern day slavery to the Ethical Leadership Program’s Ethics Bowl, from the Aktion Club to prison reform, the discussions cover a wide range of interests.

**The final show of the semester will feature

 guest speaker President-Elect Dr. Zach Messitte**

Tune in to Ripon College's student run radio station, 90.1 WRPN FM on

Thursday, April 19 at 5:00pm

To hear the final broadcast of the semester, or check out past broadcasts by going to http://doingmoretogether.blogspot.com/p/radio-broadcasts.html

This is one show you're not going to want to miss!

Holocaust Survivor and Author to Visit Ripon College

Photo: Wisconsin Historical Society

RIPON, Wis. – Henry Golde, a Holocaust survivor, will share his remarkable life story at a special Golden Hour presentation by the Office of Community Engagement, 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 17 in Todd Wehr 104 on the Ripon College campus. The public is welcome to attend.

Born in Plock, Poland in 1929, Mr. Golde was forced to live in two different ghettos with his parents before being separated from them in 1943. He was forced to work at a slave labor camp at Czestochowa, Poland before being transferred to Bruchenwald, and then Colditz, Germany, ending up in Theresienstadt, Czechoslovakia where he was liberated by the Russian Army in 1945. His parents were not so lucky. 

After being liberated, he spent seven years in England before moving to the United States. Today he lives in Appleton, Wis. and for the last several years has been dedicated to sharing his story with the communities around him, including talks at area schools.

Photo: Wisconsin Historical Society

Social justice can be understood through education and activism; Mr. Golde's story acts as a catalyst to begin the journey towards achieving justice in our society and world by sharing his firsthand knowledge and personal reflections of the Holocaust.

Through speakers like Mr. Golde, the Office of Community Engagement seeks to bridge the gap between those who have experienced a social injustice and those who are in a position to be activists alongside them: Solidarity of the human race starts with knowledge and education. The ensuing compassion we have and share with one another after becoming aware of an injustice spurs activism to work towards community solidarity around an issue. As we share our stories and viewpoints with one another, our understanding of each other increases and helps us bridge our differences and find a common connection.

Mr. Golde’s self-published book, Ragdolls, will be available for sale from the author directly after his speech.
For more information about Mr. Golde’s upcoming speech at Ripon College, please contact the Office of Community Engagement at 920-748-8153 or OCE@ripon.edu.

For a more complete biography of Mr. Golde, or to hear a recorded version of his oral history, check out the Wisconsin Historical Society's website. 

For more information about his book, Ragdolls, click HERE. 

Not able to attend the presentation on Tuesday but would still like to purchase a copy of the book? Not a problem! Books can be purchased online from Biblio.com for $17.00 including shipping. 

Don't Dump It, Donate It!

Spring is in the air, and it's time to start sweeping out the winter BLUES....As you start to prepare to move out of the dorms or (in the case of staff and faculty) spring clean your offices in the next month or so, the OCE invites you to use the list below to help reduce your carbon footprint and leave our campus and community sparkling clean and better than we found it! 

The Office of Community Engagement Presents: 

Don't Dump It, Donate It: A Spring Clean-Up Series

Dates of Note: 
Earth Day is Sunday, April 22
Arbor Day is Friday, April 27
May Day is Tuesday, May 1


Ripon College Steps Up (Sponsored by the OCE) 
Tuesday, May 1 (12:00pm-1:00pm)
If you have participated in one of the activities listed below, you've taken steps to reduce your carbon foot print! Join us in front of the Commons at 12:00pm with bare feet and a willingness to get a little messy--to leave your "green" footprint in place of your "carbon" footprint! 

PLANTING FLOWERS/TREES

Need a gift for Mothers Day? A goodbye present for a favorite professor? A thank you gift for a staff member who has gone above and beyond? A memorial for a friend or relative who will be missed? Just want to help out the planet? Check out the Arbor Day Foundation's website to see what they're all about and check out some sweet deals.  Did you know that a membership is only $10.00 and you get 10 free trees to plant in your own backyard or to be planted in a national forest for you? You get to choose where your impact is made!

TRASH PICK UP/WINTER DEBRIS CLEAN-UP

Bowen's Woods Clean Up (Sponsored by EGOR) 
Sunday, April 22 (Time TBD) 
Join EGOR for an Earth Day treat: Assist in cleaning up the trash that collects in Bowen's Woods (the wooded area that runs between Thorne Street and Linley Lane) over the winter. Many interesting treasures have been found over the years! Trash bags and gloves will be provided; all you have to bring is yourself. Please contact Ariel Beres-Green at BeresgreenA@ripon.edu if you are interested in participating!

FUN FACT: Did you know that Bowen's Woods were named for Jehdeiah Bowen, a founder of the college and member of the Board of Trustees from 1851-1882? His home was located on the western edge of the woods, on the present site of Scott Hall. Today the woods are enjoyed by campus and community members, as well as a host of area wildlife, and Biology professor Bob Wallace is fond of taking students to Bowen's Woods to use as a living laboratory. As campus residents know, it is not uncommon to see a deer run across the path from one section of woods to another, or to other spot interesting wildlife flitting among the tree branches overhead. 


Day of Good Deeds-Helping Hands-Giving Hearts-Ripon 2012 (Sponsored by the Volunteer Center of FDL Co. & Ripon Roteract Club)
Saturday, April 21, 2012 (8:45am-noon)
Meet at the Band Stand on the Village Green across from the Ripon Drug Store by 8:45am to help rake and clean up yards for seniors and disabled citizens of Ripon! It's fun, a great way to spend time with your family and friends, and lunch is provided! If you have a rake, bring it along, but rakes will also be available for use at the event. To volunteer to clean up winter debris or to have your yard cleared of winter debris (for the elderly and disabled) call 926-1414 or email volunteer center@fdlvolunteer.com.

CLOTHING DONATION

The NEARLY Naked Mile (Sponsored by Sigma Chi)

Friday, April 27 (7:30pm)
Join the brothers of Sigma Chi for the Nearly Naked Mile, a fun alternative to traditional clothing drives, set up to benefit the Ripon Community Thrift Store. Description: Donors pile on layers of clothing to be donated (over a swimsuit or other appropriate layer of clothing which will stay ON during the entire run: underwear is not acceptable if visible) and head down to the start line in Storzer's back lot to put their clothes in the donation boxes. The clothing donations will be followed by a run/walk through the Ceresco Prairie. APPROPRIATE attire is required underneath the donated clothes. All donated clothing will go to the local thrift store. For more information contact philanthropy chair and event organizer James DeCleene at DeCleeneJ@ripon.edu.

Prom Dress Recycle (Sponsored by the Miss Ripon College Charity Pageant)
April 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 (5pm-7pm, Pickard Commons)
Allow another girl to feel like a princess! Donate your old formal or prom dresses and accessories! The Miss Ripon College Charity Pageant Committee is collecting gently used, clean dresses, accessories and shoes of all sizes and styles for Ripon High School's upcoming prom. Dress collections include Thursday and Friday (April 5-6) as well as next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (April 9-11) during dinner at the Pickard Commons. Contact Pageant Director Chelsea Gawlik at GawlikC@ripon.edu or Amanda Mueller at MullerA@ripon.edu if you have any questions or would like to schedule an alternative dress collection time. 

Business/Professional Clothing Drive (Sponsored by the Ripon Girl Scout Troop 6170)
April (Dates unspecified. See below)
If you've got business casual or professional clothing hanging out in your closet looking for a good home, put to good use by donating it to the Ripon Girl Scout Troup 6170! Please donate only gently used, professional clothing. Women's and Men's Clothing accepted. "The Ripon Girl Scout Troop 6170 will be collecting business attire to be donated to the Ripon Thrift Store. It will then sell the clothes at a discounted rate or give them away to those in the community going to job interviews to try to better themselves. The scouts wrapped boxes and have placed them for one month at Alliance Laundry Systems, Immanuel United Methodist Church, Ripon Printers and Ripon Medical Center."-Ripon Commonwealth (Thursday, March 29, 2012)

HOUSEWARES

Ripon Community Thrift Store 

Do you have high quality, gently used home good items laying around that you never use anymore? The Ripon Community Thrift Store would be happy to take them off your hands between the hours of 10am-5pm Thursday through Friday and between 10am-3pm on Saturdays! How? It's easy! Just gather up your gently used clothing, housewares and artwork and walk it down to the thrift store, newly re-located to the old Tracy Porter building beside the Police Station at the end of Watson Street. The proceeds from the thrift store go towards making sure that the Ripon Community Food Pantry is always stocked and running smoothly. The Food Pantry serves hundreds of individuals every month, and no person in need of food is ever turned away. Check out their website at http://www.communitythriftstoreandfoodpantry.com/ for more information.

Large Furniture/Home Fittings and Appliances 
The Oshkosh Habitat for Humanity ReStore would be happy to accept your unwanted large furniture, household appliances and household fittings such as toilets, bathroom and kitchen cabinets and sinks, doors, windows, flooring, hardware, lighting fixture and ceiling fans, and much more. To check out a complete list of accepted donations and guidelines on what is NOT accepted, go to http://www.habitatoshkosh.org/ReStore.php.

FUN FACT: Ripon Alumna Katie LaViolette ('11) currently serves as Volunteer Coordinator at the Oshkosh Habitat for Humanity ReStore. If you're interested in volunteering at the Oshkosh ReStore, shoot her an email at klaviolette@habitatoshkosh.org! 

BOOKS 
Do you have a pile of books that you're dreading packing up to take home at the end of the year? Instead of throwing them out, consider one of the following options:

• Donate them to people who desperately need them at the International Book Donations Program web site.

• Give them to the Lane Library book sale: The library's Annual Book Sale is coming up (April 10th) and we welcome your donations of unwanted books! Just drop them off at the circulation desk and specify that they are for the book sale. All proceeds go directly to funding the college library so that YOU have great reading and research material at your fingertips! 

• Drop them off at the Public Library for the Ripon Public Library Friends of the Library semi-annual book sale. Donations for the Used Book Sales are accepted throughout the year and can be left in the book sale donation bin, just inside the library's front entrance. We cannot accept moldy/mildewed books, encyclopedias or textbooks. To find out more, check out the Ripon Public Library WEBSITE.

CHEMICAL WASTE/BATTERIES 
Clean Sweep 2012
Saturday, May 5 (9am-12pm)
The UW Extension will be collecting hazardous chemicals at the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds. Businesses, Farms, and Schools need to pre-register. Visit www.fonddulac.uwex.edu/cleansweep for more information.

FUN FACT: Next time you need new batteries, consider getting some rechargeable ones. Two AA Ni-Cad rechargeable batteries can replace up to 600 single-use batteries!

ELECTRONICS 

Cell Phones 
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has teamed up with ReCellular, Inc. to collect and recycle old cell phones. A portion of the monies that come from the sale of these refurbished cell phones goes to the NCADV to support programming that helps stop violence in the home. Roughly 60 percent of cell phones will be refurbished and resold, and the remaining cell phones will be recycled to the highest environmental standards. To print off postage paid labels to ship your phones, visit the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence online.

Printer Ink Jet and Toner Cartridges for Homes
Don't pitch those old personal printer cartridges. Drop them off at the Habitat for Humanity office or ReStore and help the organization generate funds that help build homes. Find out more HERE.

MISCELLANEOUS 
Cans for Homes
Don't just recycle your aluminum cans, donate them to Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity will exchange the cans for cash that helps fund building in our community. Find out more HERE.

Donate a car to Cars for Homes and help build houses!
Your vehicle donation can help a family build a home, and the hope of a better life! Car, truck, boat, and RV donations help Habitat for Humanity build houses in partnership with families in need of decent, affordable shelter. Donate a car, truck, boat, RV or other vehicle to Cars for Homes TM, Habitat for Humanity's official car donation program, by calling 1877-277-4344 toll free or click HERE to donate online. 

What is Health Literacy?

Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate decisions regarding their health.[1]

Levels of health literacy are dependent on individual and systematic variables:

· Communication skills of lay persons and professionals
· Lay and professional knowledge on health topics
· Culture
· Demands of the healthcare and public health systems
· Demands of the situation and context

Health literacy affects people’s ability to navigate the healthcare system, share personal information, and understand mathematical concepts such as probability and risk. It affects one’s understanding of proper dosages and health risks of lifestyle choices and medications. Adults with low levels of health literacy can affect their children’s health and future literacy skills.

Numerical literacy is at the heart of health literacy skills. For example, calculating cholesterol and blood sugar levels, measuring medications and understanding nutrition labels require basic math skills. Ask yourself this, could you choose the best health care plan if you could not conceptualize nor make critical decisions about choosing between plans? Prescription and drug coverage requires calculating premiums, copays, and deductibles. Having advanced numeracal skills will promote higher levels of health literacy.

Beyond the basic mathematical aspects of health literacy, health literacy requires greater knowledge on health topics. People with limited health literacy often lack knowledge and information about the body as well as the nature and causes of disease. Without this knowledge, the relationships between diet, exercise and one’s lifestyle choices are misunderstood or ignored.

Health literacy is not an issue of the marginalized or the illiterate. Health literacy is an issue for everyone that uses modern medicine, has a health insurance plan, visits a doctor or depends on either an alternative or mainstream health care system.

THE FACTS are PLAIN and SIMPLE: HIGHER levels of HEALTH LITERACY can SAVE LIVES. According to the Partnership for Clear Health Communication, literacy skills are the strongest predictor of health status, more than age, income, employment status, level of education or racial/ethnic groups.

LISTEN 

Listen to this podcast on Health Literacy by Helen Osborne available at: http://www.healthliteracyoutloud.com/2009/10/01/hlol-23-why-health-literacy-matters-a-podcast-with-many-voices/

GET INVOLVED 

Health Literacy Wisconsin is a division of Wisconsin Literacy, a nonprofit coalition representing a membership of 62 community-based literacy agencies. They raise awareness of the importance of health literacy skills and foster two-way communications between health care consumers and health care providers. Visit their website at http://www.healthliteracywisconsin.org/ to learn more about what is being done in Wisconsin to advance health literacy, how you can become involved, and have your questions answered.

Blog Post Prepared by OCE Literacy Intern Casey Riesing.

 [1] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2000. Healthy People 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Originally developed for Ratzan SC, Parker RM. 2000. Introduction. In National Library of Medicine Current Bibliographies in Medicine: Health Literacy. Selden CR, Zorn M, Ratzan SC, Parker RM, Editors. NLM Pub. No. CBM 2000-1. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Poverty Awareness Egg Hunt

Thank you for participating in the Office of Community Engagement's Poverty Awareness Egg Hunt! 

For those of you who missed it, here's what happened:

200 brightly colored eggs were scattered around campus with information about poverty in the Ripon area inside them. Students were invited to pick up an egg, read the information inside, and return the enclosed entry form and egg to a box in the mailroom for a chance to win a pair of Coby Digital Stereo Headphones. For every egg students dropped in the the box in the mailroom, an anonymous donor has donated 25 cents to the Ripon Area United Way. Now that's a valuable egg! 

If you didn't get a chance to find an egg, no need to worry...you can read the information included in the eggs below:

Why United Way? 

• United Way envisions a world where all individuals and families achieve their human potential through education, income stability, and healthy lives. 
• As many as one-third of working Americans do not earn enough money to meet their basic needs. Wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of housing, healthcare, and education and currently, 40 million Americans are working in low-paying jobs without basic health and retirement benefits. For families walking a financial tightrope, unable to save for college, a home, or retirement, United Way is here to help.
• The Ripon Area United Way is proud to support 21 fantastic organizations within the Ripon Community. 
• The money collected for the Ripon Area United Way benefits Ripon Area residents. Each organization that we fund provides services to the Ripon Area. 
• Information taken from the United Way of America website. 

MODELS OF POVERTY

Absolute Poverty is a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to social services. 

Relative Poverty refers to deprivation that is relative to the standard of living enjoyed by other members of society. Even if basic needs are met, a segment of the population may still reconsidered "poor" if they possess fewer resources, opportunities or goods than other citizens. 

DID YOU KNOW? 

In 2008 Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services--one of Ripon College's valued community partners--served 271 shelter clients equaling 9,334 days of care. They received 12, 426 helpline calls and assisted  622 clients in completing safety plans--which includes a safe housing plan. It is estimated that one in four women will experience domestic violence at some point in their lifetime, which means that adding extenuating circumstances like poverty, housing insecurity, and unemployment means the Ripon area has a great need for assistance. 

DID YOU KNOW? 

In Fond du Lac Co. 8.2% of people are living below the federal poverty line. With a consistent 4.6% unemployment rate from 2006-2008 the average rate base steadily increased to 8.1% in some areas. The median home value hovers at $141,000. However 64% of homeowners and renters have housing costs that are more than 20% of their household income--an indicator of losing one's place of residence. 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Food insecurity is one dimension of the multi-dimensional issue of poverty. The Ripon area is not immune to food insecurity but the innovative ways in which it is looking to solve the problem prove to be unique. In Ripon, the average household income is 16% below the state average ($35,630 vs. $42,371) with 9.2% of families living below the federal poverty one and 12.4% of individuals living below the federal poverty line. In Fond du Lac Co. it is estimated that 11.9% are single-mother households. The research also confirms that food insecurity is not limited to the unemployed. 

POVERTY ISN'T COOL. WHAT CAN I DO? 

• Volunteer! Contact the Office of Community Engagement at ice@ripon.edu for more information about volunteer opportunities that will help you build skills and utilize your knowledge and talents while addressing poverty in the Ripon area and around the world. 

• Talk about poverty issues. There are some pretty hot button conversations going on in Congress that affect everyone's financial futures. What's YOUR take? 

• Educate yourself on the issues. Check out doingmoretogether.blogspot.com for a place to start.