MOORHEAD – The annual “Root Beer Kegger” event hosted by Cru helped to build community for new members featuring a bonfire, music and games in addition to the previously mentioned root beer.
Cru, formerly known as the Campus Crusade for Christ, is a nonprofit, interdenominational Christian organization that has chapters across the country.
At Concordia, Cru’s leadership team is composed of three students as well as two professional Cru staffers and an intern. Cru student leaders are aided by the staff members who work for the organization.
Elsa Watkins, one of the student leaders for Cru, explains that the group is passionate about bringing together and connecting students to one another as well as Jesus.
“(Cru) is meant to be a space where students can find community and find a place where they belong, and have a place to explore spiritual topics,” employee Maddy Graddy said.
The group has meetings and worship every week with a guest speaker, called The Remedy, that take place on Monday nights in Olin 124. There are also smaller bible study community groups that form later in the year.
Cru hosts events throughout the year like pumpkin carving, brunches, pizza parties and a fall and winter retreat. These events showcase Cru’s commitment to community, “You have to get to know each other before you start with bible study.” Watkins said..
The rootbeer kegger is an annual event sponsored by the faith-based group. After a group of interested students met at the bell tower on Saturday evening, they walked to a Cru member’s house off campus. There was a popcorn machine with flavored salt and other snacks, spikeball, a bonfire and of course a keg of root beer.
Some attendees included Zena Lindman and Hunter Hastings. Zena Lindman is an interested first-year who was attending the event to meet new people.
“I want to see other people. I want to meet other people. I got to meet an amazing Spikeball crew,” Lindman said.
Hastings is a senior and has been on Cru for the last three years. He explained that the root beer kegger was a way to get people to know each other as well as get to know the leadership group.
“Cru, to me, is family,” Said Hastings.
More information about Cru may be found on their instagram. The group meets weekly on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. in Olin.
