I have been involved with MassPIRG at UMass Boston since my second semester three years ago. For the last one and a half years, I have been the chairman. I am really proud of the work that UMass students have done and of the dedication of our volunteers and interns.

Our hunger and homelessness campaign has had some really great events. Last year students went “trick-or-tinning” for Halloween. We went door to door in Savin Hill and collected canned food. As the collection car started to fill up, students’ enthusiasm increased. After two hours of collections, we had filled an entire car.

Another big accomplishment for the hunger and homelessness campaign has been their clothing drives. Two years ago, UMass Boston students filled a Uhaul truck full of clothes and last year we filled our office on the fourth floor of Wheatley with clothes donations. Currently we are holding another clothing drive. Donations can be brought to the MassPIRG office.

Massachusetts Community Water Watch is another major MassPIRG campaign. For the past two years, Water Watch has organized beach cleanups on Thompson Island as part of the earth Week events. Already this semester, Water Watch has had three river cleanups on the Neponset River that attracted a total of sixty volunteers. The next cleanup will be part of the Make a Difference Day, which is a national day of community service. The cleanup will be held at Kennedy playground in Mattapan on October 25 from 11am until 4 pm, lunch will be provided.

All of MassPIRG’s work would not be possible without the continued support of the UMass Boston community. I encourage more people to get involved with MassPIRG, whether it is by helping to plan an event or by coming to an event as a volunteer. Thank you again to the students of UMass Boston for your support over the years.

Rebecca H. SmallChairman, UMass Boston MassPIRG chapter