RHA President Jarrod Scherle, urged RHA members to take part in “One Campus, One Community” during Thursday night’s meeting.

“It [the community service program] has received good influence in the past and would be a good opportunity for RHA members to get in their community service requirement,” said Scherle, a pre-engineering major.

“One Campus, One Community,” is a community service program sponsored by student government. It involves a trip to two nursing homes, where students play bingo and have tea with the elderly.

RHA members were urged to attend other events on campus as well.

Mark Hudson spoke about the candlelight vigil that will take place Monday at 6 p.m. Students will meet in Thomas and walk over to the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. The tribute to King will feature keynote speaker Chandra Gill and a performance by the EIU Unity Gospel Choir.

“It should be a very inspirational event,” Hudson said.

Hudson said the event is sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. The Office of Minority Affairs and the union are helping the fraternity with the event.

Hudson said the turnout for this event is usually pretty good, and he hopes students will attend the vigil.

“I definitely plugged it enough during the meeting, so I really hope that students come,” he said afterwards.

Hudson told RHA members Housing and Dining Services will be sponsoring a Housing and Dining Night at the next home basketball game on Jan. 26. The event will include free food and prizes, such as a TV, stereo or a new dorm room makeover.

RHA members were urged to attend off campus events at the meeting also.

Brittany Kraft, sophomore Math and Secondary Education major, told RHA members about the Illinois Residence Hall Association (IRHA). IRHA has held two meetings so far this semester. Kraft is the National Communication Coordinator/Illinois Communication Coordinator for RHA.

IRHA is a leadership conference for 15 colleges in the state, and the school has to be affiliated with RHA. The next meeting is going to be Feb. 8-10 and hosted by Augustana College. The University of Illinois in Chicago, Western Illinois, Illinois State University, SIUE, SIUC, Millikin, Bradley University, DePaul University, Loyola University and North Central College are all scheduled to attend the meeting.

“Eighteen people are going to the next meeting, including someone from National Resident Hall Honorary (NRHH) and I. While we both go to the conference, everyone else goes to smaller programs that help benefit their leadership skills,” Kraft said.

The next RHA meeting will be next Thursday in Weller Hall at 5 p.m.

In Other News:

There will be a Super Bowl Party in Thomas on February 3 in the Thomas Party Room.

Vandalism at Thomas because of Late Night traffic will be looked at.

State Fair Night at Taylor Dining Center will take place 4:30-8:00 p.m. on Wednesday in Taylor. There will be cotton candy, games, prizes and funnel cakes served.

New recycling programs are going to be set up in all resident halls this semester.

Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or at haholm@eiu.edu.