Organizations spread awareness about eating disorders

By Elizabeth Adler
Collegian Editor
March 19, 2008

Next week, from Tuesday, March 25 to Friday, March 28, Delta Phi Epsilon and Alpha Theta Alpha will be teaming up and holding “Healthy U at the U,” an eating disorder awareness week. The week is co-sponsored by the Student Health Center, the Student Counseling Center, Peer Educators and La Salle Athletics.

The sisters of both ATA and DPhiE are starting off the week by selling raffle tickets during lunch and dinner at the Union, and dinner at Blue and Gold Dining Commons and Treetops Café.

“The raffle tickets will be on sale all week long, and are for $200 gift certificates for Charlie’s Jeans, which makes custom-fitted jeans,” junior communication major Ann Marie Gorden, ATA’s president, said.

All of the proceeds raised go to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.

“It is important that students are aware of different types of eating disorders, and know that they can get help here on campus,” freshman math major Veronica Ventura said.

A collection, entitled “I love my genes” is being held during the week for any old jeans that are unwanted or no longer fit. These jeans will be donated to Homeless Outreach, a city social service program.

A speaker from the Renfrew Center, which specializes in education and counseling about eating disorders, will be speaking about her experiences with having and overcoming an eating disorder at the event “Skinny Jeans Gone Bad” Wednesday, from 1 to 2 p.m. in the music room. The speaker will also focus on disordered eating.

“It is important to realize that a guy or girl on campus could have disordered eating, but not an eating disorder,” junior elementary and special education major Meaghan Walsh, DPhiE’s vice president of programming, said.

Healthy snacks are being donated by Food Services for this event. The healthy snacks will be taken from the Union, B&G and Treetops to show students wherethey can find healthy snacks for little or no cost on campus. That way, students can correct bad eating habits, or just improve the way they eat now.

Wednesday night, a candlelight vigil will be held on the quad at 9:15 p.m. Students who attend will join together with their peers and pledge their love for their bodies. If it rains, the vigil will be moved to the Ballroom.

Greek and non-Greek organizations banded together to make “Healthy U at the U” a reality, because they all agree that eating disorders are a serious issue, and one that especially targets the age bracket college students are in. However, while the many organizations were involved, Walsh gave special mention to one particular person.

“The contact person who tied everything together was Lane Neubauer, [the Associate Dean of Students: Counseling and Health Services],” she said. “Without her organization and planning, we could not have pulled this off.”

The idea to focus on eating disorders came from the different philanthropies of ATA and DPhiE, which are eating disorders in general and anorexia nervosa and associated disorders, respectively.

adlere1@lasalle.edu