CSB/SJU Hosts Annual Caritas Award Ceremony

03/28/2006

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University host the Caritas Award Ceremony Monday, April 10, at the Alumni Lounge, Quadrangle Building, Saint John’s University, Collegeville.

The event begins with a reception at 5 p.m., followed by an awards program at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Since 1995, a CSB alumna, a SJU alumnus, one upperclass student from CSB and one upperclass student from SJU have been chosen to receive the Caritas Award, which recognizes commitment to both service and social justice. The alumnae/i receive $1,500 to give to a volunteer organization in their name, and each student receives $500 for a volunteer organization of his or her choice.

This year’s recipients are Megan Kuhl, CSB senior and environmental studies major from Dubuque, Iowa; Dan Dooher, SJU senior and education major from Moorhead, Minn.; Christine Gamm, CSB alumna ’02; and Paul Freid, SJU alumnus ’99.

Kuhl has participated in two Alternative Spring Break trips, and co-led a third trip this year (the past two to Jonah House, a faith-based organization focused on seeking justice through community, nonviolence and resistance). She also helped start the Campus Greens group on campus in 2004, and is its co-president in 2005-06. Kuhl studied in Kenya in May 2005, and completed an internship at Jonah’s House in 2005. She participated in the School of the Americas (SOA) Watch protest in 2003 and 2005. As a member of the Global Initiative Group, she has helped coordinate and promote the Festival of Cultures that allows the diversity of CSB/SJU to be celebrated.

Dooher participated in a Peru Service Trip in 2005 and worked with special need children at a parish in Peru. While in Chimbote, he tried to address poverty and injustices that existed through his teaching. He wants to become a teacher and open students to important global issues, and possibly teach in low-income areas. Dooher has worked with young people in environmental education for the Saint John’s Arboretum, coaching cross country at Saint John’s Preparatory School, and is a first-year orientation leader for new students at CSB/SJU.

Gamm was an active member of the SOA Watch protest, and organized students around this issue while a student at CSB. She was also an active participant in the Justicia y Paz (Justice and Peace) group, was a four-year member of Free the Planet! (she was an officer for two of those years) and participated in several Campus Ministry events. Gamm is currently working at the University of Minnesota Arboretum, Chaska, Minn. She coordinates the “Plant Mobile” – an outdoor/environmental education program provided to grade schools throughout the Twin Cities. In the summer, she coordinates an urban farming project for late grade- and middle school-aged inner city kids. Additionally, Gamm is involved in the planning and presentation of the May Day parade in Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis, and is active with the Minnesota Green Party.           

Freid was one of the founding members of the Jubilee Justice Community at SJU, and participated in the Fellowship of Reconciliation and Community for Creative Non-Violence service trip on an Alternative Spring Break. He was a SJU Campus Ministry student employee, and involved with SOA Watch protests. Upon graduation from Saint John’s, Freid taught religion at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School, St. Louis Park, Minn. Currently, Freid and his wife, Sara, and their daughter are members of the Winona Catholic Worker. They live their lives with the poor.

The Caritas Awards were established in 1995 with support from an anonymous donor.