Members of the ASCC Phi Theta Kappa honor society with the residents and staff of Hope House a Happy Thanksgiving after making a donation of food and supplies earlier this week. (Photo: J. Kneubuhl)
A member of the ASCC Phi Theta Kappa honor society wishes Hope House residents a Happy Thanksgiving. (Photo: J. Kneubuhl)
ASCC Phi Theta Kappa honor society Vice President Anneliese G. Haleck speaks on behalf of the society, who donated food and supplies to Hope House just prior to Thanksgiving. Sister Faustina of Hope House accepts the donation. (Photo: J. Kneubuhl)
Members of the ASCC Phi Theta Kappa honor society with the residents and staff of Hope House a Happy Thanksgiving after making a donation of food and supplies earlier this week. (Photo: J. Kneubuhl)
Members of the ASCC Phi Theta Kappa honor society with the residents and staff of Hope House a Happy Thanksgiving after making a donation of food and supplies earlier this week. (Photo: J. Kneubuhl)
ASCC PTK Supports Hope House with Thanksgiving Donation
November 26, 2014
By James Kneubuhl, ASCC Press Officer
This past Tuesday, members of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) visited Hope House to present a very substantial pre-Thanksgiving donation of canned and packaged food and other supplies. “We all have grand-parents or elderly aunts and uncles,” said PTK head advisor Mrs. To’aiva Fiame-Tago, “and in keeping with our fa’asamoa, it’s our way of showing love, respect, and appreciation for our elderly who live at Hope House, and to make it a bit easier for those who care for them.”
In addition to fostering academic excellence, the nationwide PTK also emphasizes good citizenship and active community involvement. “One of the four hallmarks that we as a society live and stand by is that of service, and this is just one of the ways that we give back to the community via the Hope House,” explained Mrs. Fiame-Tago. Earlier this month, the PTK set up a table on the ASCC campus, and over the following three weeks, students, faculty, staff, and administrators dropped by to donate what they could. The PTK also set up a table at Laufou Shopping Center on a Saturday, November 15, to give the community an opportunity to also participate.
“An activity like this helps to strengthen our values of what we deem is important,” reflected Mrs. Fiame-Tago. “It helps to prepare students to become honest and better leaders, and It allows them to fellowship with others, especially with our older generation” added co-advisor, Mr. Kuki Tuiasosopo. That fellowship could be clearly seen as the PTK members took the opportunity to personally greet every one of the Hope House residents present during the presentation of the many items collected during the donation drive. Both Sister Faustina of Hope House and a spokesman for the residents gave remarks of thanks before the PTK members assisted the Hope House staff with loading the substantial quantity of donated goods for storage and later use.
With community involvement providing one aspect of PTK membership, the society also focuses on encouraging and sustaining academic achievement, and Mrs. Fiame-Tago urges all students with a passion for learning to find out what benefits PTK can offer. “It’s a great opportunity to be a part of a group who share the same interests,” she said. “It helps students to strive for and maintain better grades, and it affords thousands of dollars in scholarships each semester, which helps economically challenged students continue with their education.”
On behalf of the society, Mrs. Fiame-Tago thanked President Dr. Seth Galea’i, the administrators, faculty, staff, and especially the students of ASCC for making the donation drive for Hope House a success. The PTK also thanks the Forsgren family for their permission to set up a donation table at the Laufou Shopping Center. For more information about the nationwide PTK organization, visit their web page at www.ptk.org. To learn more about the ASCC chapter specifically, call ASCC at 699-9155 and ask for Mrs. Fiame-Tago at extension 364 or Mr. Kuki Tuiasosopo at extension 329.