A faith-based initiative

MLC students collect aid for AMPI

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Sure, the holiday season brings all the customary charities to the streets to ring bells and collect donations.

But the Martin Luther College students who are behind the scenes working to marshal donations for AMPI workers aren't your typical philanthropic group.

With finals and holiday travels to hometowns in other states, as well as meager budgets, a group of about 25 to 30 students is trying to pitch in to help many New Ulmites in need during a season known for giving.

The group, headed by Ben Stein, a senior staff ministry major from Milwaukee, formed on the heels of one of the worst fires in New Ulm's history. It collects many different kinds of things -- toys, groceries, gas gift certificates -- for the people who were left out of a job by the fire. The group operates separately from the AMPI employee trust fund.

In the past, MLC students were involved in the 1997 flood cleanup and the relief efforts in the aftermath of the 1998 tornado.

But Prof. Lawrence Olson said the AMPI collection is the first time he's seen such an effort in the 12 years that he has taught ministry and religion at the college. He said he returned to New Ulm to find out about the fire and then learned that some of the students in his program started the collection. He called the drive "an example of a faith-based initiative."

While construction crews were clearing debris, Stein and a couple of others went to work to set things up.

"The goal is also to get out the gospel," Stein said. "When they pick up the toys, each one has a slip explaining who we are, what we're doing and why we're doing it."

Stein said the idea to start a collection effort came to him while he was sitting in a classroom at MLC. The inspiration was a sermon he just heard during the college's daily chapel service that morning. He went to AMPI and learned that many of the jobs at the butter plant were at stake and asked company officials how he could contribute.

"I felt moved. I kinda felt the pain," he said.

Since they were two of the 22 people in the same classroom, Sheila Pottorff and Dave Stuht were two of the first people to hear Stein's idea.

Together, Pottorff and Stein gather, separate and store the donations in Stuht's basement. The items will be dropped off at AMPI's Broadway corporate office on Monday.

The students make their rounds to their four drop sites around New Ulm -- Hy-Vee Foods, Cash Wise Foods, the New Ulm Chamber of Commerce office and MLC -- at least once each day, if not twice.

Their efforts have received some support from Kemske Paper Company, KNUJ Radio and The Journal, which have donated materials, airtime and advertising space.

While the staff ministry program at MLC offers an Early Field Experience Credit for its students, Stein, Stuht and Pottorff say they're not doing it to earn extra credit towards their degrees.

"It was just an idea and we ran with it," Potorff said. "I thought it was a wonderful way to help the community and a wonderful way to share Christ's love."

But since the AMPI fire happened during MLC's finals week, many students weren't available to help. Stein said he had planned a benefit concert for the workers but put it on hold, and Stuht said he wants to start more efforts in January, if AMPI employees still have a need for some assistance.

"I can't imagine not having a job," said Stuht. "Not because you're fired or laid off but because there's no place to work. That's a scary thought."

Keeping himself anonymous proved a challenge for Stein, since he's received several messages from AMPI workers and people calling on behalf of workers on the answering machine in his dorm room.

"I'm shocked and I have no idea how they got my number," he said. "They tell me who they are and start asking about how to get money and food and say things like 'We need the money because the heat's off and it's like 'Whoa!. I had a few that are calling me by name. I guess you can't remain anonymous with something like this."