Show Share the warmth Bobby Hitz C Contributing Writer The recent snap of frigid weather in Utah has brought a realization back to the minds of former refugee and immigrant students at Salt Lake Community College How cold it will get in the next coming months was apparent the weekend before last The Golden Rule states that we should Do unto others as you would have others do unto you This is the attitude students in the t-he English as a Second Language Skills Center course have taken starting a winter donation drive in their classroom It is truly giving from their heart it was given to them now they are giving back Adjunct Instructor Louise Brown said Louise Brown has taught foreign born students at Redwood Taylorsville-Redwood Campus for eight years She felt an obligation to get her students enthused about bout giving back to those who are less fortunate So many refugees and immigrants have come here unprepared for winter weather And these students have a compassion and understanding for them Brown said Beginning earlier this week students were encouraged to bring coats jackets beanies gloves boots blankets and other warm clothing items to the classroom to be dispersed among various donation locations across the valley We will deliver them themas as a class Hopefully we will forward Continued on Pay it forward Continued from Al completely fill a truck full of clothes Brown said These same efforts have been put forth in the past for students like former refugee and current Bruin May Konesavanh We Ve Weare Weare are so luck lucky when we came in they had warm clothes waiting for us May said She spent a short amount of time at a refugee camp campin in Thailand and knows the struggles of adjusting to a new and completely different country It is cold here Everybody needs a coat May said May along with six sir other classmates have lived in a y t refugee camp at one point during their lives The comfort that was brought to them after coming here to Utah helped them understand the importance of caring for those who are now in hi that difficult situation I give my clothes that I wont won't wear this year to other refugees and immigrants that need it and we welcome them here said Amina Dinki a current Bruin from Somalia 44 foreign born students are studying in Instructor Browns Brown's skills class including 21 students in inthe inthe inthe the two level-two class and 23 students in the three level-three class It is such a unique mix of culture in All-in-all they represent 18 different countries Brown said Students from Mexico India Laos Thailand Peru Peni Turkey Cambodia Brazil South Korea China Vietnam Iraq Kenya Japan Afghanistan Philippines and Somalia are all pitching in to make a difference and pay pay it forward Louise Brown encourages all Salt Lake Community College Students to loan a helping hand and donate warm clothing Hopefully this will get us more integrated and involved in campus activities Sometimes we are overlooked Brown said Why did I come here its it's too cold Thai born student said The Skills Center class shuddered with the thought of snow on the way But knowing that their efforts will help keep other refugees and immigrants in Utah warm they quickly turned a disheartening thought into heartwarming smiles This will be a great way of getting these students to come together and really make a difference in someone else's life Brown said The winter donation project will wrap up in two weeks concluding on October 27 All students can make a contribution and donate clothing by dropping it off in PC 11 room The classroom will accommodate Monday through Friday from 8 am a.m. to 12 pm p.m. s. s r r |