Party-hardly university students: MUN group looking for party favours
Group aims to support students who are also parents
A group that supports some of the busiest students at Memorial University's St. John's campus is looking for help to throw an end-of-term party.
The Student Parents' Assistance and Resource Centre (SPARC) offers support for students who are also raising children while attending university.
So far we don't have much to offer them besides chairs to sit in.- Petra Chaffey-Johnson
It's looking for donations to throw a bash for its members before the upcoming holiday break.
"We have a lot of people here in the centre who are of different religions and different areas of the world, and we're hoping to have a little shindig at the end of the semester to celebrate the holidays and whatever everyone else is celebrating at that time," student Petra Chaffey-Johnson told CBC's On the Go.
"We're going to have a little party downstairs and so far we don't have much to offer them besides chairs to sit in."
Chaffey-Johnson is a sociology student who is raising a one-and-a-half-year-old son while attending university full time.
She says most student/parents are juggling their studies, raising a child or children and, in some cases, working. It can be overwhelming, especially as the holidays approach and money is short.
The group is looking for just about everything needed to throw a party — food, beverages, decorations, prizes for giveaways, gift certificates, "anything really," she said.
Welcome break
SPARC president Jessica Williams is also a full-time student raising a 17-year-old son.
She said the upcoming holidays are a good time to unwind after a busy, stressful semester. And what better way to celebrate than with a party.
"Let's spend some time with our kids and our families. Let's bring them all together and do something like a pizza lunch and where we have arts and crafts and even possibly door prizes for the kids … just light-hearted activity that's stress-free that the parents don't have to pay for."
Williams is hoping the party will also have the added benefit of raising awareness of the centre and its work.
Right now, there are about 100 people on the centre's mailing list, but she said that is only a portion of the total number of parents on campus.
The party is set for Dec. 10, at the Landing at the Smallwood Student Centre.
Anyone who would like to contribute to the effort is asked to email Petra Chaffey-Johnson.
With files from On the Go