WHITTIER – The Associated Students of Rio Hondo College (ASRHC) will unveil a Hydration Station at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 20 that will provide the campus community with a free, environmentally friendly source of pure, refrigerated water for refilling reusable bottles.
Members of the ASRHC researched options for the station for five months, finally settling on a $5,000 plan to replace a water fountain in the Student Union with the Hydration Station. Rio Hondo College is one of just a few community colleges in the region to boast such a facility.
“We believe the demand will be significant,” ASRHC President William Ashby said. “We constantly observe students going to the Rio Cafe to refill their water bottles from the soda machine. Students are very excited about being able to use this new facility.”
The student government not only paid for the station’s installation, but also will fund annual maintenance costs. The station will be available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will feature Rio Hondo College leaders, including Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss.
“We are proud of our student leaders for their environmentally conscious approach to filling a campus need,” Dreyfuss said. “This new facility is an enhancement to our campus that will serve our students for years to come.”
Board of Trustees President Mary Ann Pacheco said the project is a great example of the innovative thinking Rio Hondo College students regularly display.
“Our students quickly learn to apply the lessons of our classrooms to their everyday lives,” Pacheco said. “Now, our campus is the reaping the benefit of that hands-on approach to community service.”