Volunteer to Help the Norman Economy

With the conclusion of the third annual Norman Music Festival, you can start thinking about volunteering for next year’s event. Volunteer coordinator Sara Wall said that a lot of hands go into making the festival possible and without the volunteers it wouldn’t be free.

Wall said that volunteers range from college students to locals just looking to get more involved with the community. Volunteers are given an array of tasks including everything from unloading bands’ equipment to picking up trash afterward.

OU student and volunteer Mari Bower said she helped bring in the money. “I just stood at the one of the entrances and held a bucket for donations.”

Bower also said she helped direct people where to go when they were looking for a particular band.

“I appreciated my time as a Norman Music Festival volunteer, especially knowing how much it benefits Norman’s economy and culture.”

According to the Oklahoma Rock newsblog, the festival pumps $2.5 million into Norman’s economy.

For more information on how to get involved visit www.normanmusicfestival.com.

OU's New Human Rights Agenda

OU's Amnesty International student group is changing their agenda from just educating members and encouraging awareness to having an active role in human rights on the campus.

The new president of this student organization, Elliot Hale, says they are looking for new members to take part in this facelift.

"We need the help of students to achieve this goal," said Hale.

Amnesty International is a Nobel Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with over 1.8 million members worldwide. OU's chapter is one of many.

"This next year, I want to make our presence visible on OU's campus," said Hale

He has many ideas on how to broaden Amnesty's reach. They will be having documentary screenings once a month in the fall. They also plan to take advantage of urgent action letters, which is what Hale says differentiates Amnesty from other student organizations.

"We send letters to important government officials to apply pressure in the hopes of change for issues like violence against women and corporate accountability. We go straight to the top."

For more information on how to get involved, visit their website at www.ou.edu/student/amnesty or e-mail Elliot Hale at Elliot.C.Hale-1@ou.edu.

Between working at Goodwill and struggling to return to school, 21-year-old Lauren Twist is seeking a way to fulfill her passion - African studies and the people of Africa. Although harsh realities have hindered these passions, she remains optimistic.