@state Dec 2017 - The Giving Thanks Dinner

The Giving Thanks Dinner

students gathering at friendsgiving dinner
In advance of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Aztec Pride Committee brought members of the campus community together for a night of food, fun and holiday joy.

Thursday night, hundreds of students and staff gathered in the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union courtyard, which was decked out with strings of lights and full of sound from live performances.

Organized by the Aztec Pride Committee, and with food provided by SDSU Catering, the third annual the Giving Thanks Dinner (facebook) brought students together to share a meal just before the campus closure for the Thanksgiving holiday.

“It really started out as an event where students could come and have a Thanksgiving meal because so many students are out of state. A lot of them don’t get to go home [because of the] the breaks,” said Vanessa Girard, executive vice president of Associated Students.

The Giving Thanks Dinner had a dual purpose this year, offering a holiday meal to students while preparing cards to send to patients through Cards for Hospitalized Kids, a charitable organization.

Kaylah Abdullah, the Associated Students Union Board Aztec Pride chair, said she and others wanted to organize a card writing initiative to benefit those who might not get to celebrate the holiday with their families this year. The team designated a station for students and others to make cards, wishing others a Happy Thanksgiving.

“We knew we wanted [the event] to mean more than just free food this year,” Abdullah said.

Abdullah explained that the Aztec Pride Committee’s goal this year is to enrich campus life and unite students while hosting fun, entertaining and educational events, like the Giving Thanks Dinner. “I think a lot of students just want to come, get food and dip, but I really think it’s a great opportunity for students just to sit down and have a conversation because you never know who you’re going to meet.”