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The economy trumps all other issues facing Alamance County, with the effects of a prolonged downturn impacting the social, health and behavioral well being of its residents, according to the latest ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ Poll. Poll director Hunter Bacot joined with leaders from the United Way of Alamance County and from Healthy Alamance on Tuesday to share findings in a midday news conference from campus.

¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ Kitchen at ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ, a community program to serve meals to those in need in Alamance County, opened for the first time on Tuesday when top university leaders prepared lasagna dishes during a special College Coffee in the 1889 Grill Room.

In an effort to support relationships with community partners, last week 25 non-profit leaders gathered on ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ's campus for the 20th pre-semester Preparing for Partnership session hosted by the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement and facilitated by Tammy Cobb, assistant director for community partnerships.

The Multicultural Center will host its annual celebration of the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a series of events that run Jan. 11-17, 2011. The events commemorate the spirit of diversity and honor the sacrifices and current work of many for inclusion and equality.

¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ was recognized as the top blood unit collector among other award winners at the 2009-2010 Annual Volunteer Banquet of the Piedmont Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross held at the chapter training room in December.

The New York-based Park Foundation has awarded the Periclean Scholars program at ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈ a grant to send additional students abroad in January with the goal of producing a short documentary highlighting Sri Lanka’s outlook and actions on water issues, along with its ecological and socio-economic diversity. The film will be part of an environmental summit organized by the Elon students.