More than 30 students receive textbook relief

— By Eric Lomeli and Robert Wojtkiewicz,
(el Don Co-Editor-in-Chiefs).

A handful of students got a little help with their textbook costs Thursday afternoon. The SAC Foundation and the Associated Student Government gave out $150 vouchers in the Quad.

“I was amazed,” said ASG President Evelyn Sanchez. “The event was supposed to start at 11, but by 10:30 we already had a lot of students lined up,” she said.

Although the “Welcome Back” event is done annually, 33 Don Bookstore vouchers were raffled off to eligible students for the first time. Free hot dogs and drinks were given.

With enough food to feed roughly 400 students, the line to eat and sign up for the drawing stretched from the Quad to the parking lot.

The rising costs of textbooks leaves many students with limited options if they can’t afford their books.

“We can talk about college goals and all that, but it starts with the building blocks of completing a class,” SAC President Erlinda Martinez said.

The SAC Foundation sponsored the vouchers with money from their Unlimited Resources Fund, which is used for general purposes at the discretion of the College.

Foundation Board Member Fortino Rivera, a former SAC student, emphasized the importance of giving back. “The need is going to continue to grow,” he said. “The state is having problems, cutbacks are going to continue … we don’t know when this is going to end, and unfortunately, the students are the ones who are going to be effected.”

SAC student Greg Sanchez, who won a voucher, will see his results immediately.

“The foundation gave me the opportunity to do better in the class, so they supported me in that sense,” he said, “I think it’s phenomenal, giving out free money to kids.”

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