The University of Wisconsin-Superior invites the community to celebrate Red Cross Day with multiple free events Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the Yellowjacket Union. Volunteers from the local chapter of the American Red Cross will join UW-Superior staff from various departments throughout the day.
Mail Call for Veterans, an opportunity for letter writing and learning about becoming a Red Cross volunteer, will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Yellowjacket Union Shippar Atrium. Attendees are invited to write notes of appreciation to local veterans. To help reduce social isolation among veterans living in care settings, the Red Cross collects more than 10,000 messages each year and distributes them to local military units and veterans.
Individuals can support The Giving Tree through the Veterans and Nontraditional Student Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the atrium. The Giving Tree program supports UW-Superior student-parents by helping provide holiday gifts for their children. Any UW-Superior student with children younger than 18 is eligible to apply. Members of the campus and greater community are invited to purchase gifts for participating children and return them to the Veterans and Nontraditional Student Center, where parents can pick them up in time for the holidays. Whether participating as a parent or a donor, community members can help make the season brighter for local families.
The atrium will also host a pop-up from the Jim Dan Hill Library from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. featuring a selection of books about the lives and experiences of refugees and immigrants.
Additionally, UW-Superior students will lead an interactive exhibit titled “Refugee for 50 Minutes,” where participants can learn about refugees, international humanitarian law and the work of the Red Cross. The exhibit will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Yellowjacket Union Great Room, with sessions available on the hour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The exhibit uses an interactive model to help participants better understand both the technical aspects of refugee issues, including the legal definition of a refugee and protections under international humanitarian law, and the human realities refugees face, such as limited access to food, housing and personal safety.
Red Cross Day is hosted by the Link Center’s Academic Service-Learning program, Veterans and Nontraditional Student Center, Jim Dan Hill Library and Political Science Program.
