Friday, September 28, 2001

TCU LEAPS lacks funding, but still running
By Erin LaMourie
Staff Reporter

Insufficient organization, leadership and funding could not prevent Saturday’s community service event, TCU LEAPS, from taking place, Brian Wood, co-director of TCU LEAPS and Student Government Association president said.

Instead TCU LEAPS was combined with the University Retreat to help students get connected with community service agencies, represent TCU in the Fort Worth community and pursue opportunities for community service throughout the academic year, Community Service Coordinator Robin Igleheart said.

The success of other campus leadership programs led to the decision to combine the retreat with LEAPS, Wood said.

Mark Lewis, co-director of TCU LEAPS, said the retreat and LEAPS were combined to make it an experience where people are first impacted as leaders and then they can impact the community.

“Our ultimate goal is for people have the desire to continue to volunteer,” Lewis said.

Wood said the entirely student-planned community service event, was previously supported by the TCU Leadership Center and TCU Women’s Resource Center, but the $10,000 cost of the program will be covered by Student Development Services, SGA and University Ministries this year.

LEAPS lacked funding this year because it did not have enough support from sponsoring organizations.

Igleheart said they have been saving money because some supplies and refreshments were donated by community organizations including the TCU Bookstore. The money is mainly used for transportation and free T-shirts provided to every participant.

Wood said LEAPS initially lacked leadership and organization because Igleheart had not yet been hired and previous student organizers had all graduated.

SGA wanted LEAPS to continue this year, so a group of students from various organizations came together to plan it.

Wood expects higher attendance at LEAPS this year and hopes more students, faculty and staff will get involved, he said.

Lewis said about 21 faculty and staff members signed up to participate, contrasted to the first year of LEAPS when only one professor participated.

This year there are 36 service projects and about 60 team leaders, which is almost double the number of last year’s 35 team leaders, Lewis said. Last year there were 28 projects.

Igleheart said there are many different types of projects including cleaning a school which was flooded, helping organize clothes for children, working in nursing homes and serving lunch at a homeless shelter.

LEAPS is also working in conjunction with the American Red Cross and some of the projects will reflect the tragedies in New York and Washington, said Penny Woodcock, program coordinator for the TCU Leadership Center.

Last year 1,061 people signed up for LEAPS but only 601 came, Wood said. This year 500 to 700 people are expected to participate in LEAPS and people can still walk in and sign up Saturday morning, he said.

Woodcock said she hopes LEAPS will expose people to the idea of service, help students get to know each other, bring the campus together on a unified front of service and show Fort Worth that TCU is committed to being a part of the community.

The next University Retreat will be 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. tonight at the Student Center.

TCU LEAPS will accept walk-ins in its next meeting 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Rickel Building.

Erin LaMourie
e.m.lamourie@student.tcu.edu