December 2007
Annual Apollo Group Holiday Party Raises Money For Charity
University of Phoenix and the Salvation Army Angels
University Of Phoenix Community Service Gift Goes To Shaw Middle School
From Detroit to Iraq… Detroit Campus Employees Send Stockings to the Troops
University Of Phoenix Participates In Long Time Football Tradition
University Employees Help Those In Need, One Tomato At A Time
Sunshine Acres
Spearheaded by the Corporate Accounting and Purchasing Department,
University of Phoenix and Apollo Group, Inc. employees helped spread
Christmas cheer by providing gifts for boys and girls living at the Sunshine
Acres Children's Home. Sunshine Acres, a home known internationally, is a
place where children who are separated from their parents can get a fresh
start. Employees helped collect and wrap gifts such as: shoes, clothing, toys and movie
gift certificates for the children. Chief Elf, Janess Pasinski says this kind of
holiday gift giving is tradition. “It’s always a rewarding experience each
and every time to be able to provide for those in need. We started out with
small families of four to five members and this year decided to adopt a
‘village’ of 89 children, a stable of horses and the staff it takes to keep
the home running! I am very proud to be part of such a fabulous project.
This year we even had volunteers and donations from a couple of Online
Campus Departments as well!"
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Annual Apollo Group Holiday Party Raises Money For Charity
Apollo Group, Inc. corporate employees managed to raise money for charity
while celebrating the holidays. More then 2,000 employees packed the J.W.
Marriott in Phoenix, Arizona for the annual holiday bash. While listening to
tunes from a Rat Pack tribute group, the Las Vegas themed bash brought in
thousands of dollars for three local Phoenix charities. Donations of $10,000
went to Childshelp, $7,000 to St. Mary’s Food Bank, and $5,000 to the
Phoenix Public Library.
University of Phoenix and the Salvation Army Angels
In
conjunction with the Salvation Army, Apollo Group, Inc. employees took part
in the local Phoenix, Arizona Annual Christmas Angel Tree Program. The
program provides gifts of new clothes and toys to children who would
normally wake up on Christmas morning with little or nothing under the tree.
This year employees took the tradition a step further and collected
donations for senior citizens in need.
University Of Phoenix Community Service Gift Goes To Shaw Middle School
As a part of its annual community service project, the University of Phoenix Eastern Washington Campus donated a truckload of school supplies to Shaw Middle School. Students, teachers and leaders of the University donned festive Santa hats to unload and deliver more than a dozen boxes of supplies valued at more than $1,000.
“At this time each year, the students, faculty and staff at the University of Phoenix campus here in Spokane come together to provide a meaningful gift in our community,” said Paul Green, Campus Director. “We believe that school supplies - especially midway through the year - are a meaningful and practical choice that provides immediate impact to these great students.” The supplies included everything from paper, binders, pencils and pens to computer cards and CDs.
Much attention is focused on the need for school supplies in September when children go back to school, but the need continues all school-year long. Shaw Middle School has one of the highest poverty rates in Spokane, making the need at this school among the greatest. Now they will have the tools they need to learn and succeed.
University of Phoenix students are primarily working professionals - most of whom have children. Whether for themselves or for their children, University of Phoenix students know how important it is to have the right tools on hand for studying and learning. “We believe this gift is a great way to honor the hard work of these students during this very special season,” said Green.
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From Detroit to Iraq… Detroit Campus Employees Send Stockings to the Troops
Employees from the Detroit, Michigan area campuses were busy during
December 2007 getting everybody in the holiday spirit. In just two weeks,
employees managed to stuff more then 130 Christmas stockings for troops
serving our country in Iraq. “It was great that our staff was able to reach
out to so many in such a short period of time. We only had two weeks,” said
Jan Cardwell, Campus Director.
The stockings were full of goodies like gum, candy, playing cards, and other items. An area chapter of the VFW provided volunteers with a list of items to include in the stockings and the address for where to send the stockings.
Meanwhile the Detroit Campus opened its doors to 11 charitable organizations for a donation fair. The organizations set up at the campus for one day, accepting toys, books, clothes, food, and many other much needed items.
University Of Phoenix Participates In Long Time Football Tradition
In December 2007, thousands of fans came to the University of Phoenix
stadium for the 37th annual Fiesta Bowl Game and Fiesta Bowl National Band
Championship. University of Phoenix partnered with the Fiesta Bowl Committee
and sponsored the Fiesta Bowl National Band Championship. The band
championship is known to be one of the most prestigious high school marching
band competitions in the country. Bands competed in front of judges who
critiqued on musical performance, visual performance, auxiliary techniques,
percussion, drum majors and general overall effect. The Chino High School
Band (Chino, California) took home the Grand Master trophy, presented by
University of Phoenix President, Bill Pepicello and Vice President of
Curriculum Design and Develop, Mark Alexander.
University of Phoenix joined in the excitement by also sponsoring a giant balloon in the Fiesta Bowl Parade; Rattles the Snake was carried by 20 proud University of Phoenix volunteers. The two-mile parade-route stretched through central Phoenix. The Fiesta Bowl Parade, the largest one-day parade in the country, features giant balloons, marching bands, and trained equestrian units. The sponsorship was a first for the University. Chris Paxman, an evaluator from University Services, helped carry the balloon and says being a part of the fun was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. “This parade is a huge tradition for Arizona residents. I can remember growing-up and watching it with my family, and today I got to be a part of it!” Paxman said.
Parade officials say thousands tuned-in from home to watch, while many more lined the parade route for a front row seat.
University Employees Help Those In Need, One Tomato At A Time
In December 2007, employees from all four South Florida campuses came
together to help feed the hungry. Dozens of employees took part in the
Broward Cooperative sandwich making activity. Emily Cloyd, a Student
Services Coordinator from the Florida Plantation Campus, said she and a few
of her fellow employees found the volunteer opportunity when they were
browsing the University of Phoenix VolunteerMatch website. “It was a great
way for everybody to get involved and give back to the community even if
they don’t have a lot of extra time,” Cloyd said. To accommodate the
eager volunteers, the group had to organize two different sandwich building
activities.
University of Phoenix volunteers contributed meals for nearly 900 people at the Broward Cooperative Feeding Program. The Cooperative helps families who have fallen into economic hardship.