MIT toy drive
MIT is holding its annual toy drive until Thursday, Dec. 18. Unwrapped, nonviolent gifts for children 12 and younger may be dropped off in Walker Memorial, Lobdell Food Court in the Student Center, the Dome Cafe (fourth floor of Building 7) or the MIT Police in Room W31-215. Those who make a donation in Lobdell on Tuesday, Dec. 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. can get a free coffee and dessert, courtesy of Lobdell and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.
As part of the MIT Toy Drive, the Parking and Transportation Office will sponsor its "Toys for Tickets" program. Bring an outstanding parking ticket (regardless of date) with an unwrapped toy whose price is equal to or greater than the parking fine, plus the toy's receipt, to the Parking Office in Room E32-105 from Dec. 1-18. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Phi Delta Theta fraternity makes wooden toys
For the 19th year, members of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, with the help of Ken Stone, director of MIT's Hobby Shop, have been making hundreds of wooden trains, cabs and race cars for underpriviledged local children. Toys will be sent to local charities including the Salvation Army and the Boston Family Shelters as well as community centers.
Community Giving Campaign sponsors clothing drive
The Community Giving at MIT Campaign is sponsoring a clothing drive from Dec. 15 to Jan. 9. Clean items may be dropped off in bags marked "men's" or "women's" in the lobbies of buildings 13, 34, E18/E19, E23/E25, E52, NE43, W91 and the Student Center, and rooms NW16-205 and NW21-104. Winter clothes of all types for adults are needed, as well as new underwear, new socks and toiletries. The drive benefits CASPAR, the Salvation Army, On the Rise, and Shelter, Inc.
The Giving Tree
The MIT Giving Tree allows students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends to provide gifts to needy children in the Cambridge and Boston area each holiday season. The Public Service Center (PSC) and the Panhellenic Association work with 16 local agencies to collect gift requests from hundreds of children. Each gift request is then individually matched to a Giving Tree participant.
To participate: pick up gift labels in the PSC (Room 4-104) up to Dec. 12, or in Lobby 10 until Dec. 5. Each label has the name and/or gender, age and gift request of a child, along with the sponsoring agency. Purchase a gift, wrap it, attach the label. Gifts must be dropped off by Dec. 15 at the PSC or the Office of Special Community Services in Room 50-005. Both are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gifts should cost from $10 to $25 (no toy weapons or war games).
Monetary donations are also accepted. For more information, go to http://web.mit.edu/mitpsc/programs/givingtree, call 253-0742 or e-mail psc@mit.edu.
Salvation Army bell-ringing
The annual MIT tradition of bell-ringing and collecting donations for the Salvation Army today (Dec. 10) on the steps of 77 Massachusetts Ave. from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Meridian Singers will sing from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Ceramics sale
The Student Art Association will hold a holiday ceramics sale today and tomorrow (Dec. 10 and 11) in Lobby 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pottery of all types will be offered, such as vases, bowls, bottles, jars, dishes, pots for plants, etc.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on December 10, 2003.
