WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2002
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3A
Christian group to refresh lives and share views
By Aaron Passman
apassman@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Campus Christians at the University of Kansas will use this weekend to reconnect with God and meet others who share their views.
More than 30 Campus Christians will join 15 to 18 campus ministries from Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, and other Midwestern states for worship, praise, teachings from the Scriptures and social activities, said Jim Musser, campus minister for Campus Christians.
Students, campus ministers and Lawrence residents will attend the retreat from Friday through Sunday at the Maranatha Retreat Center in Everton, Mo., about 40 minutes northwest of Springfield.
Musser said this year's retreat would focus on leadership, and would feature topical workshops on subjects such as dealing with difficulties in life, working with non-Christian professors and understanding God's will.
Registration fees for the retreat are $45.
Sheila Black, Campus Christians student intern, said students could use the retreat to refresh their spiritual lives.
"The purpose is to grow closer to the Lord," said Black, Lawrence senior. "There's teaching and seminars, but there's also free time to spend alone and be contemplative."
Apart from the religious
"The purpose is to grow closer to the Lord. There's teaching and seminars, but there's also free time to spend alone and be contemplative."
Shelia Black Campus Christians student intern
aspect, Musser said the retreat was also an important social function.
"It's a really good time for new students to our ministry to get to know other students in our ministry, as well as other students at the retreat," Musser said.
Chris Crandall, associate professor of psychology, said spiritual retreats provided a positive experience for those involved because of similar world views.
"People like group life." Crandall said. "I think people like to be with similar others, that's true of anything, and it's especially true if you're a relative minority of any kind."
Crandall said the group dynamic in a situation like the retreat made the experience more pleasant because the participants would not have to spend time negotiating beliefs.
For more information on the retreat, call the Campus Christians house at 842-6592.
Edited by Sarah Hill
Renters insurance saves students' stuff
By Matt Stumpff
mstumpff@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Renters insurance can be valuable for students looking to protect their possessions.
Students can protect their property from fire damage and theft by signing up for renters insurance. For example, if a fire breaks out in one apartment and spreads, involved tenants can recover their losses only if they have this coverage.
More people signed up for renters insurance with American Family Insurance when school started this fall than any other
time this year, said Debbie Scrivner, assistant for the company, 901 Kentucky. She said students made up the majority of American Family's renters insurance policy holders.
"I've found that their parents told them to get it," Scrivner said.
She said student policies typically cost between $12 and $20 a month. Scriner said many insurance companies in Lawrence didn't carry renters insurance because it is not a high priced policy and students aren't long-term customers.
The department of student housing encouraged residents to sign up for renters insurance
when it notified students of their room assignments, said Diana Robertson, associate director for residence life.
She said it was a good idea because the University of Kansas has insurance coverage that covers the residence halls, but not students' property.
The same rule of thumb applies to off-campus renters. Tenants are not covered under landlords' insurance policies.
Students don't usually think about getting renters insurance, said Jaime Karnes, Burlington, Vt., junior. She said the only reason she had it in the past was because her insurance agent sold
it to her when she was obtaining insurance for her new car.
Karnes said she switched insurance companies when she moved from Burlington to Lawrence and didn't pick up a new renters insurance policy when she moved in. She said she no longer wanted renters insurance because of a tight budget.
Another factor discouraging her from getting the insurance was that a policy wouldn't fit her needs.
"I don't even have half of my belongings here," Karnes said.
Edited by Katie Teske
New community outreach groups form
By George Schulz
Kansan staff writer
gschulz.com
In response to requests from students and community agencies for new volunteer programs, three new student organizations have formed under the directional support of the Center for Community Outreach.
Community Resources Engaging in the Arts Through Education, Environmental Action to Revitalize the Heartland, and Lifeline will not officially be a part of CCO.
The center will help with coordinating efforts, generating publicity and attracting interested student volunteers to the programs.
So far, almost 40 students have expressed interest in leadership and coordination positions, said Margaret Perkins-McGuinness, co-director of CCO and Lawrence junior.
She said students and CCO
volunteers had expressed interest in working for groups that provided specific services such as art education, environmental cleanup and life-skills training.
CREATE will provide art history education and teach physical and expressive art designs.
"We want to give people a broad definition of art," said Perkins-McGuinness. "The program will start with children and hopefully expand to serve older adults and individuals with disabilities."
The program will work in conjunction with the Ballard Community Resource Center, 708 Elm, which serves as a food and clothing pantry and also provides rent and utility assistance to the poor.
Ballard also has an early-education program for 55 children ranging from 1-year-olds to kindergartners who will participate in CREATE.
of the center, said he was looking forward to working with the student volunteers.
"I think it will provide another avenue for the children's development" he said.
Perkins-McGuinness said she hoped art projects produced by children involved with CREATE could be displayed at local businesses and museums and the Lawrence Arts Center.
Chip Blazer, assistant director
The children will work in a variety of media including dance, theater, sculpture, painting and textiles.
EARTH, at this time, is not as organized as CREATE. PerkinsMcGuinness said meetings for interested volunteers would be scheduled soon. EARTH will give volunteers a chance to work directly on environmental cleanup projects at area parks and nature preserves.
"There are a lot of opportunities in Lawrence for environmental activism," she said. "But there haven't been any chances
for students to get their hands dirty."
The work will include clearing hiking paths, making parks more accessible and encouraging student groups to adopt parks for clean-up responsibilities.
Lifeline, also in its developing stages at this time, will employ KU students as volunteers for lifeskills education to local high school students.
Volunteers will visit high schools to teach kids how to design resumes and form office skills.
The program will also connect low-income high school students with low-income KU students to teach them how to budget money for college and how to fill out student loan forms.
Information about the new groups can be found at the CCO offices, 405 Kansas Union, or by calling 864-4073.
Edited by Matt Gehrke
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