Issue Day, a Volunteer Center-run program designed to cover issues on a broad scale and encourage participants to become more active in their communities, brought 122 people into Moore Hall throughout the day.

“Issue Day is a great way to educate and empower the people that come and help them to be more passionate,” said Royal Oak graduate student Caitlin Cavanaugh.

The event commenced with keynote speaker Ben Falik in the Townsend Kiva. Falik co-founded his own nonprofit, Summer in the City, out of Detroit.

Afterward, participants separated into sessions. The sessions were held in Moore Hall classrooms and addressed several different issues. The event was free for students, faculty and staff. This year marked Issue Day’s 10th anniversary.

Some session choices included “The David Garcia Project,” “How the Hell Did We End Up in Iraq” and “Infrastructure in El Salvador.”

“I’m a part of the Alternative Breaks program and we can learn more extensively about that program and it helps us learn more for when we start to work,” said Allen Park senior Luke Docherty, who attended Issue Day for the third year.

The event began as a way to assist students in the Alternative Breaks program, but has since expanded to cover a wider range of topics.

“Issue Day really helps shine a light on important issues in the community,” Docherty said. “Learning about issues that I hadn’t known about before helps make me a better citizen.”

The most important part about tackling the issues is educating people and encouraging them to be passionate about fixing problems in their community and the world, said Commerce Township senior Elizabeth Sullivan, student coordinator of the event.

“We’re really excited that it keeps going and I wish more of our campus took advantage of it, because it’s a great opportunity and it’s free,” Sullivan said.

Issue Day is a one-day advocacy conference designed to promote social justice and active citizenship. It has run for 10 consecutive years.

The day will begin with keynote speaker Ben Falik and will then break off into three different sessions concerning eight different topics.

Falik is the co-founder of a Detroit-based nonprofit called “Summer in the City,” which is designed to make community service fun and fulfilling for volunteers. It creates projects that make a real impact on the city of Detroit, said Royal Oak graduate student Caitlin Cavanaugh.

“We decided to pick him because he started this nonprofit on his own and is really passionate about trying to change some of the stigmas about Detroit,” Cavanaugh said.

The event is free for CMU students, faculty and staff, and will take place in Moore Hall.

Issue Day was initially created for people attending alternative breaks so they could learn about issues they were covering. It was later opened up to the greater population of campus students and faculty because of the need to educate people on social justice issues, Cavanauth said.

“I just think it’s really important and it helps to educate people about social justice issues which I’m really passionate about,” said Commerce Township senior Elizabeth Sullivan, who has been the student coordinator for Issue Day for the past three years.

About 200 people have registered so far with room for many more, Sullivan said.

“I’m going to get to learn about a lot of different social issues and issues in the community that I might not otherwise hear about, and I think this raises awareness,” said Grant senior Carly Davidson, who is presenting on Saturday on behalf of Safer Sex Patrol.

Those interested in attending can register at volunteer.cmich.edu until Saturday morning.

The Mount Pleasant Police Department is investigating a larceny reported at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday at 1208 Burch St., in which jewelry valued at $4,586 was taken. Police are interviewing a group of high school students that were at the residence Monday, said MPPD Public Information Officer Dave Sabuda. The mother of one of the students noticed the jewelry was missing after the group left.

Debate on tanning beds

There will be an hour-long public debate on “Should the U.S. outlaw tanning beds?” from 7 to 8:15 p.m. today in Moore Hall Room 105. This issue will be debated by Central Michigan University students from COM 267: Introduction to Debate. They will debate both sides of the issue on tanning beds. The arguments are followed by questions/discussion from the audience. For more information, contact Jeff Drury in the Department of Communication and Dramatic Arts at 774-3950.

Scholarship Exhibition

Central Michigan University students who are recipients of Art Department scholarships are featuring their work from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in the University Art Gallery’s West Gallery. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, contact the art gallery at 774-3800.

Issue Day

Issue Day provides resources to the Central Michigan University community through a one-day conference. The presentation covers a wide range of topics that will allow attendees to increase their knowledge about certain issues from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the Bovee University Center Rotunda. For more information, contact the Volunteer Center at 774-7685.

Turkey Trot

Fabiano Hall is having its annual Turkey Trot on Sunday. It is a 5k walk/run around campus from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting in the Fabiano Hall lobby. After the walk/run, participants will be served a pancake breakfast. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. and the race starts at 11:11 a.m. Registration and race starts outside Fabiano Hall by the fountains. There are gift certificate prizes available. Runners/ walkers can sign up by e-mailing turkeytrot2009@yahoo.com with their name, contact number and shirt size, or just register that morning. For more information, contact Celani/Fabiano staff Steve Wincent at (517) 936-8438. Admission is $10.

Box Stuffing

Volunteers can help stuff Thanksgiving boxes at the Salvation Army from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday at Salvation Army, 1308 Burch St. Contact Erin Herrington with questions at the Volunteer Center at 773-4663.

In Whose Honor

“In Whose Honor: American Indian Mascots in Sports” is a documentary on the Native American groups and their struggles, followed by a discussion. The event takes place from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Monday in the Bovee University Center Auditorium. This event is a part of Native American Heritage Month and sponsored by the Native American Programs. For more information, contact Native American Programs Director Colleen Green at 774-2508. Admission is free.

David Garcia Project

Training for David Garcia Project facilitators will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today in the Lake Michigan Room in the Bovee University Center. Training is sponsored by the Volunteer Center. For more information, contact Jenny Jordan in the Volunteer Center at volunteer.center@cmich.edu.