This article was co-written by Abigail Woodall, staff writer, and Andrew Arends, staff writer.
Wofford Activities Council (WAC) recently added the Service Committee to their organization. After previously incorporating service into their events, the council felt it would be advantageous to add a subcommittee dedicated to service and philanthropy.
The Service Committee was initially created during the 2020-2021 academic year as a two-member committee and chaired by Bella Riddle ‘21.
Cayleen Hall ‘23, current chairwoman for WAC, felt the organization was well-situated for adding the Service Committee. With financial support from the college and hard-working club members, Hall felt the club was in a place where they could give back to the Spartanburg community.
“When I interviewed to be this school year’s WAC Chair, I knew I wanted (service) to be a bigger part of WAC,” said Hall.
Brady Wolfe ‘23 serves as the Service Chair for WAC. Hall explained that Wolfe was a good fit for this position because of his passion about service and ideas that he had for incorporating service into WAC. “We came to realize that it was important to both give back to the greater Spartanburg community– one that has given so much to us Wofford students– and to find ways to get students out of the ‘Wofford bubble,’” said Wolfe.
This Service Committee is structured so that Wofford students can participate in meaningful engagement with the Spartanburg community, through pre-existing events that WAC hosts.
For example, during the annual Homecoming Carnival, students had the opportunity to pay $3 to pie a participating Wofford faculty member in the face as part of a fundraising effort for Habitat for Humanity.
With the creation of the Service Committee, members of WAC will be expected to participate in service outside of pre-existing events. “In an attempt to avoid performative actions, the Service Committee is requiring WAC members to participate in service events located off Wofford’s campus,” Wolfe said.
On Nov. 13, WAC hosted an event in the Veranda Lot, called Battle of the Bones.
The fundraiser was the first independent event that the Service Committee has planned and held thus far in its existence. Battle of the Bones was not only a service event, but also allowed for students to show support for the away football game at The Citadel, which was projected live during the event.
A wing eating competition– a classic game day snack– between various students representing their campus organizations also took place.
The service component of this event was supporting the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen through a canned food drive. Campus organizations competed by donating the most canned food, and students who donated cans were able to enter into a raffle for a gift card.
While supporting the Terriers in the away football game, Wofford students were also able to support the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen, serving as the dual-purpose of the event.
“While the event did not have the participation we wanted, we have looked at how to make it bigger and it will definitely return,” said Hall.
Evern in this underwhelming turnout, the money and canned goods that were given still made an impact on the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen.
Hall and Wolfe hope to continue Battle of the Bones annually as a way to help increase student support for athletics and raise awareness of service in the Spartanburg community.
