Campus offices buddy up

Students feeling under the weather no longer have to leave the comfort of their beds and stagger toward the dining hall to get a meal.

With the help of Student Health Services and Campus Dining, students who are ill can fill out a "Get Well" Buddy Form, allowing a friend to bring their meal to them.

Joyce Sealey, the food service director, explained that the Get Well Buddy System idea has been present for a sometime, while the "Get-Well" Buddy Form is new.

"In the past, Health Services has contacted Campus Dining with a situation that a student could not get to the dining hall. We made arrangements for that student's roommate or friend to get food on behalf of the student," Sealey said.

With the Get Well Buddy System in effect, students will be able to use campus dining even if they are unable to visit the dining hall.

"The Get Well Buddy System is an avenue for students who have the flu or are feeling under the weather which will allow a 'buddy' to bring them food from the dining hall," Sealey said.

According to Sealey, in anticipation of the flu season being a particularly bad one, the campus is trying to keep everyone as healthy as possible. Health Services has required hand sanitizer dispensers at the registers in both dining halls.

The "Get-Well" Buddy Form gives permission to a fellow student to bring the under the weather student take-out food from any dining hall.

Students who wish to use the "Get-Well" Buddy Forms can print out the form, fill it out, sign it and have their "buddy" take it to the dining hall of their choice. The form is good for four days, and the "buddy" who is bringing the ill buddy food will need to have both ECU OneCards. Both students will need to get their meal from the dining hall to go.

However, if a student remains ill for longer than four days, another form is needed.

The "Get-Well" Buddy Form is already available on the Campus Dining Web page or Campus Living's Web page. Students can also get these forms at the cashier stands at both Todd and West End Dining Halls.

In addition to the "Get-Well" Buddy Form, Campus Dining has put together a Get Well Kit.

Items in the kit include soup, crackers, bottles of water, Gatorade, tissues, over the counter meds (Tylenol and Advil), cough drops, a spoon and apple sauce.

These Get Well Kits are sold for $15 for the smaller kit and $30 for the larger kit. They were priced at cost recovery, according to Sealey.

The Get Well Kits are designed to last students from two to three days, and are currently being sold at both the Pirate Reade Street Markets.

Students can purchase Get Well Kits for friends and roommates by using their meal plan and cash or credit card, according to Sealey.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.