Hi, everyone!
I feel like I haven't gotten to talk to you all in ages! I guess that's what comes of having a fantastic team of campus organizers who help out with everything from group starting packets, tabling supplies, organizing events, developing resources, and even writing these emails.
This week is a lot of fun. We have a call to set up blood drives and donation teams, something I'm passionate about and planning to do next Thursday with our local community here. I also have news about the next IFYC Leadership Institute and our last free webinar of the year. So read on, share with members and friends, and keep up the really fantastic work you've all been up to.
Cheers!
Lyz
Volunteers Beyond Belief Blood Drive 
This year,
Volunteers Beyond Belief added their first student groups as teams. While most of you are not members of Volunteers Beyond Belief, they want to do a nation-wide event. For the first week-ish of December (December 1st- 11th), they'd like groups to either
host a blood drive through the Red Cross or simply
go donate as a group.
We recommend that hosting a blood drive should only be for very strong groups with a history of organizing large-scale events. But any group can get eligible members together and go donate blood as a group. Donating blood is easy and free (and you get free snacks!), and it also helps to save lives.
After your group donates (or if you need help organizing), email
[email protected] and tell her how many people or pints of blood were donated. Then Volunteers Beyond Belief can announce how much blood secular Americans donated in that time span.
Good luck, and happy bleeding!
Interfaith Youth Core Leadership Institute: Jan 12-15 in Atlanta!
The IFYC offers several programs every year for students from all worldviews who are interested in starting, leading and participating in interfaith campaigns on their campuses through the Better Together campaign. They have been particularly interested in reaching out to the secular student community, and we work closely with IFYC to ensure that they are meeting our students needs, including us in their programs and language, and helping to convey the reality that secular students are a part of any campus.
This January 12-15, IFYC will be hosting an Interfaith Leadership Institute at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. This a great opportunity for not only SSA affiliate leaders, but those members of your group who perhaps want to become more engaged in interfaith. (Hint, forward them this email using the link at the bottom!) The application deadline for this institute is November 28th.
Check out the application and answers to many questions. If you or someone from your group chooses to apply, let Lyz know! We're in touch with IFYC and can put in a good word for you.
Last Free Webinar of the Year!
The SSA is continuing its free webinar series, this time with a presentation from our new Alumni Director, Sharon Moss. This week's topic is "Working with Off-Campus Groups." Sharon was the president of the Humanist Community of Central Ohio for several years, so she has lots of experience working with off-campus groups! To register for the
free webinar, sign up
here.
