Tuesday, Apr 4, 2017
A Facebook post calls to pay it forward
Andrew Dimino 鈥15, who resides in Thailand, was recently in a serious motorbike accident causing severe injuries to his face and head.
After the accident, he was moved from two local hospitals that could not provide the proper treatment. Finally, Dimino arrived at a larger hospital and prepared for the six-hour-long surgery to tend his injuries.
Prior to Dimino鈥檚 surgery, he posted on Facebook, 鈥淲hile I hope and pray for my upcoming surgery I am thinking of the communities here as well as at home and how much better we can all be doing to improve the imbalances in the world鈥 Today I ask you to think of a way you can contribute to someone in your community who has less opportunity than you鈥 This is something that will make me smile in the two weeks when I can鈥檛 open my mouth. Thank you everyone, please pay it forward!鈥
In response to Dimino鈥檚 post, a handful of Rider鈥檚 organizations came together on March 7 to 鈥減ay it forward鈥 by making as many sandwiches as possible for a local homeless shelter.
About 50 students, some of who knew Dimino and others just wanted to help, made 555 sandwiches that were donated to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. Students attending this event also made cards of encouragement that are being sent to Dimino in Thailand.
鈥淪ervice at Rider allows students to use their time and talents to help others in the community,鈥 says Joan Liptrot, assistant director for service learning campus & community engagement. 鈥淐ollege students often don鈥檛 have cash to donate to a cause, and the service initiatives at Rider are designed to help them see how they can contribute to help others.鈥
Dimino was first introduced to Thailand in the Fall of 2013 by Rider鈥檚 study abroad program, which is where he fell in love with the adventurous lifestyle in 鈥The Land of a Thousand Smiles.鈥 Once graduated, Dimino returned to Thailand with the knowledge and skills he had gained from his education at Rider.