Sorority thanks staff, encourages green thinking

By Erica Mitchell

Members of UK’s custodial staff were pleasantly surprised yesterday when members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority presented them with gifts as part of the their “Think Green Day.”

“It was great,” said custodial worker Phillip Smithers, who has worked at UK for 19 years. “I really wasn’t expecting it.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha members held “Think Green Day” at the Student Center to promote environmental preservation and show appreciation for a group of workers they felt work hard to keep UK clean and green, said Alpha Kappa Alpha public relations committee member LaShauna Smith.

“We want to motivate people to be conscious about their surroundings,” said Smith, an English senior. “It’s about what we can do now to save the world later.”

Sorority members passed out 50 ceramic mugs with candy and a short, hand-written note to custodial employees working in the Student Center and other areas on campus.

The members also handed out pamphlets that suggested 10 ways to “go green” and offered green apples to those walking by.

Several tips for sustainable living included riding bikes instead of driving vehicles, turning off the lights and observing the three R’s of the environment— reduce, reuse and recycle.

Showing appreciation for custodial workers was part of their “Think Green Day” because the staff is often overlooked, Smith said.

“We wanted them to know that we appreciate what they do,” said sorority member Eloho Ufomata, a biology and psychology senior. “They might not think we notice, but we do.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha is dedicated to serving their community and preserving the environment, Smith said. The 10 suggestions listed on the pamphlet are practices the sorority members engage in on an every-day basis, she said.