By: Julia Wiegand
103-year-old Ethel Parr has been living without the railing outside her house on Richard Avenue for years. A new campus organization fixed the damages done to her property. On top of juggling football and classes, T.J. Smink, a Responsible Raider, was determined to rebuild her railing.
“So, I decided to put a word out there so we can go and fix it for her. That’s pretty much our first project.”
While stumbling down Richard Avenue, drunk students destroyed the railing where Ethel’s lived all her life.
Alex Cooper, President of Responsible Raiders, felt it was a little ridiculous that a 102-year-old-lady did not have a hand railing.
“We thought we’d take the initiative and do that for her as just a nice gesture, kind of give back to the community.”
The Responsible Raiders set out to break Richard Avenue’s reckless reputation. Dr. Ann Wendle, Director of Drug and Alcohol Services and advisor, feels that the students are self-guided.
“I really don’t have a whole lot to do with what the students are doing. They figured out that there was an issue within their own community.”
Since Student Senate now recognizes Responsible Raiders as an official organization, they will have a budget to carry out their work. Wendle believes the students have an equal voice now because of the organization’s forward-thinking and creativity.
“I think that they’re an excellent group of young people who are setting the standards for what Shippensburg University looks like.”
The organization is determined to show the township that students can right the wrongs of the past.
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