Outreach

A 10-week series of discussions, “Building Bridges Between Faiths,” began Wednesday at a Jewish senior living community not far from campus, led by junior Ty Kieser and senior Micah Briscoe. The series is aimed at exploring Buddhism and its similarities with Judaism and Christianity.

Grand Canyon University Campus Pastor Tim Griffin and Community Outreach Manager Jose Moreno visited the Phoenix office of Food for the Hungry to present a check for $8,000 – funds raised by the “Pray for Japan” campaign.

A group of students from GCU, led by Campus Music Minister Gabe Salazar, heard the song in the hearts of African children on a recent 16-day trip to Rwanda that “had a significant impact on all of us,” Salazar says.

Crystal Ericksen’s first year out in the “real world” has been one she’ll never forget. Crystal, a 2010 graduate of GCU’s College of Nursing, works in the cardiology unit at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Mo. Her husband, Matthew, is a first-year resident at the same medical facility.

Road trip! Those two words, guaranteed to make any college student’s heart skip a beat, describe the monster summer that’s ahead for GCU junior Spencer Fehrenbacher and recent graduate Trevor Roberts. Starting next week, they’ll be on the road through early August for the University’s Office of Faith-Based Development, hitting nine major Christian music festivals from California to Georgia.

When I first volunteered to go on the trip to Joplin, Mo., to document the experience for everyone at GCU, I had no clue what I was getting myself into. I know people say that kind of thing all the time, but it’s the truth.

One thing I learned is something I kind of knew all along: GCU truly cares! I was blessed to see and experience it. I’ll never forget it, and neither will the people of Joplin.

Russ Pennell, GCU’s head coach for men’s basketball, grew up 20 miles from Joplin. Mo., and describes the May 22 tornado as “a little surreal.” Troy Hill, his best friend from their high school days in Pittsburg, Kan., is an accountant in Joplin and lives less than two miles from the worst destruction. Although his house was not damaged, Hill was without power for eight days. “He says it looks like a war zone,” Pennell says. Tornado warnings are commonplace for residents of southwestern Missouri and southeastern Kansas. “People live with that,” says Pennell, who played in games at Joplin High School and visited people at St. John’s Hospital, both of which were obliterated by the savage storm. With its population of 50,000, Joplin was the “big city” to those who lived in smaller Pittsburg. “It was where you went when you wanted to get out of town,” Pennell says. The GCU relief team of Aaron Johnson, Jose Moreno and Jennifer Willis made it back to campus shortly before 5 p.m. Monday. Over the weekend, they personally delivered clothing and supplies to four families displaced by the tornado.

“GCU’s Drive to Joplin,” a clothing and supplies drive to assist four families devastated by the recent tornado in Joplin, Mo., was conducted over a three-day period at the University’s main campus and Tempe and Peoria sites. Joplin is the hometown of Enrollment Counselor Aaron Johnson, who is personally delivering the donations along with GCU’s community outreach manager, Jose Moreno.
Jennifer Willis of our Communications staff is along for the ride and blogging from the trip.

GCU’s tornado-relief team of three — Enrollment Counselor Aaron Johnson, Community Outreach Manager Jose Moreno and Communications Specialist Jennifer Willis — hit the road Thursday morning for southwestern Missouri. They’re planning to stop in Amarillo, Texas, for the night and be in Joplin, Mo., by late afternoon Friday. The generous donations of GCU employees and the Phoenix community filled a van and a U-Haul trailer with clothing and toiletries. The rest of the donations collected will be transported by semi to Joplin in the next week to 10 days. Gift cards with a total value of more than $1,200 also were donated and are being taken along by the team. A special ’Lopes Up to staffers who helped sort clothing and supplies and load the van and trailer Wednesday afternoon and evening at McKinley Hall. The can-do crew included Chad Troxel, Chrystal Phillips, Lanae Benser, Geneva Dellabitta, Atiya Bynum, Ericka Rodriguez Vazquez, James Orosco, Tristan Crooks, Sean Piper, Clinton Harris, Heather DiFrancesco and Ami Francisco.