Winter Wishes and Big Chill Provide Opportunities to Give Back to Rutgers Community
As the days grow shorter and colder, a familiar spirit of holiday generosity has returned to New Brunswick, as the Rutgers University Programming Association (RUPA) ran its annual Winter Wishes program on Saturday, December 7th and Recreation held its annual Big Chill 5k run on Saturday, December 14th.
Both programs have long histories in the Division of Student Affairs. RUPA began holding Winter Wishes events over ten years ago, and Recreation began holding the Big Chill in 2003. While the two events no longer partner directly with each other, both focus on helping those in need.
“The Big Chill is a charitable 5k that brings the Rutgers students, staff, faculty, alumni together for a community run, but it’s also an event where we ask everyone to bring a toy to help those in need,” said Anne Finetto, the assistant director of fitness and wellness in Recreation.
This year, The Big Chill will be donating toys to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital and the New Brunswick Fire Department. Its website also hosts a donation page for the No Hungry Knights Scholarship fund, which provides meal plans to students in need.
Winter Wishes, for its part, collects and distributes holiday gifts to local children in the surrounding New Brunswick community. RUPA works with community partners to create “wish lists” of presents for local schoolchildren, then collects monetary donations and gifts from students, staff, and faculty.
“RUPA organizes a Winter Wishes Wrapping Party, as well as an actual Winter Wishes event, every winter,” said Christina Caronna, the assistant director for campus programs in Student Centers and Activities.
“Student volunteers all over Rutgers are invited to help with the wrapping of gifts, while the actual Winter Wishes event includes photos with Santa, Anna and Elsa from Frozen, as well as catering, crafts, music, and the gifts!”
The events themselves are inclusive and popular, as students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members all participate. Over 3,000 runners signed up for the Big Chill, while Winter Wishes donated gifts to 210 pre-school children.
These numbers fail to communicate the importance of both events, however.
“Winter Wishes helps bridge the gap between the university and our local New Brunswick area,” Caronna said. “It fosters a deeper sense of community by directly connecting Rutgers students with local families, allowing the broader university community to engage in acts of kindness and support.”
Finnetto agreed, emphasizing the bonds that the community has built through the Big Chill.
“From the perspective of Recreation, our main goal is to provide a wellness opportunity for students before they head into finals, but this event has grown into so much more,” she said.
“Many students come back after they graduate to participate in the Big Chill, and we see many of the same staff and faculty participate every year. When you attend the runner check-in or the race, you can feel the joy from the participants and staff working the event.”
