There will be plenty of philanthropic events this year during Homecoming week, as Volunteer ETSU and the Homecoming Committee will hold a charity carnival and a blood drive.
The week will kick off with the “Blast from the Past” Charity Carnival on Oct. 25. The theme refers to old-fashioned carnival-type games. It will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at the Pedestrian Mall or the Cave and Cave Patio if bad weather occurs.
Tickets for the carnival booths will cost 25 cents each. All proceeds will benefit the Johnson Area United Way, a local, non-profit organization that supports health and human service organizations.
Funds will go to help such member agencies as the Salvation Army, Frontier Health, Boys and Girls Club, Contact Ministries and Coalition for Kids. The United Way also administers the Heissee Johnson Keeping Warm Fund and the local Emergency Food and Shelter program.
The American Red Cross blood drive will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday in the D.P. Culp Center.
Tom Hensley, donor recruit representative at the American Red Cross Blood Center in Johnson City, is hoping to have at least 104 people sign up for the drive.
“We target the students,” he said. About 6,000 flyers will be sent to student mailboxes and about 3,000 will be sent to dorm rooms.
The donation goal for this drive is 70 units. About 373 total units were collected at the six drives held last year at ETSU, which is enough to save 1,119 people.
Hensley said that students predominately donate at the Volunteer ETSU drives.
“We do get good response from the students and faculty,” he said.
Joy Fulkerson, coordinator for community service programs, believes that holding charity events during Homecoming is a wonderful idea, since students are more active during that time.
“We hope by doing that [holding the events during Homecoming Week] that more students will be out and about on campus,” she said.
Fulkerson knows that with football gone from campus Homecoming will be different this year, but she believes there is still enough going on to keep spirits high.
She said that there is a more collaborative effort on the activities this year.
“I think Homecoming will be different, but possibly even better than in the past,” she said.

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