Sophomores Donate $4,247 To Local Shelter; Largest Gift from College Students for The Haven
On Friday, Dec. 7, members of the student-led Crescent organization at Converse College presented officials of The Haven with a check for $4,247. According to Cindi Goodin, director of The Haven, the check equals approximately two percent of the organization’s annual operating budget and is the largest monetary gift the organization has received from college students. The funds from Crescent will be used to remodel a children’s playroom and a bedroom for a single female.
"I normally have to write grants for amounts of money that are this size," said Goodin. "My jaw literally dropped when I saw the check. Converse women are serious about leadership and service."
Crescent is a sophomore organization at Converse devoted to leadership and service to the college and the surrounding community. Each year Crescent works on a service project and additional monthly projects. Crescent also contributes a minimum of $200 each year to the general scholarship fund at Converse and sponsors the Crescent award, given to an outstanding sophomore outside of Crescent. Located at 458 Church Street in Spartanburg, The Haven provides shelter and supportive service programs for intact families—with or without children—single mothers or single fathers with children, and single women.
Crescent members were able to raise the funds in late October during the traditional 1889 Week, a fall celebration of the college’s founding. “Earlier this year, Crescent spent a few hours doing community service at The Haven and we were told that organizations can sponsor the remodeling of a room,” said Tiana Pires of Charlotte, N.C. and president of Crescent. “We actually raised the funds through a coin war, a competition between the classes to see who can raise the most money in coins, while using dollars to cause the other classes to lose points. Crescent has been in charge of the coin war in previous years and we get the honor of choosing a charity or organization to donate the money raised. We never imagined that $4,247 dollars would be raised!”
Crescent members will design the rooms after January Term.
According to Goodin, The Haven is usually filled to capacity throughout the year. “We’re very busy here and that’s not a good thing. We can house 30 individuals, and when a room becomes available it is normally filled within 24 hours,” she said.
In thanking the members of Crescent, Goodin noted the cruel irony that a lack of education is often times a contributing factor to a family in financial straits. “We’ve got a lot of friends at Converse College who do so much for us and the Spartanburg community. A lack of education is certainly a contributing factor for many of those who need our services. Because many of the parents do not have an education, their children are not made aware of the importance of it.”
Members of Crescent are:
Morgan Anderson of Hoover, Alabama
Arlyn Baer of Spartanburg, South Carolina
Chelsey Boggs of Blythewood, South Carolina
Carly Bryan of Augusta, Georgia
Sarah Caroline Burnette of Summerfield, North Carolina
Morgan Byrn of Nashville, Tennessee
Nicole Dumouchel of North Charleston, South Carolina
Emily Hanna of Lexington, South Carolina
Anna Lockamy of Spartanburg, South Carolina
Gina McBride of Spartanburg, South Carolina
Tiana Pires (President) of Charlo