Hey everyone!
After 5 days of service in Detroit, MI, our trip has finally come to a close. While we know that our time here was well-spent, we're sad to leave this place.
Yesterday, Urban Neighborhood Initiatives gave us an amazing opportunity to sit in on a meeting with Ryan Friedrichs, the city of Detroit's new Chief Development Officer. The meeting was held to submit a bid to Mr. Friedrichs in an attempt to have UNI taken on as one of the projects supported mainly by the city. Their ideas include building a new community center, improving the lighting of streets in these neighborhoods, continued programming for kids after school and improving attendance in schools. We were honored to have been allowed to watch this meeting take place, and we want to sincerely thank UNI for letting us come to this meeting.
Saying goodbye to the kids yesterday was a rough time for all of us. While there were a few less kids yesterday then there had been all week, it was still hard having to part ways with these wonderful children that we've bonded with over the past four days. Some of us have struggled with the MAB principle "This is It," and having to leave these kids is an embodiment of that struggle. But we know that these are really strong, incredible kids who have awesome futures ahead of them. While we are sad to leave, if these kids have taken anything positive from this week (which we'd like to think they have), then we did our job.
Today, we got to finish up our service at UNI. We picked up trash at a park and a few other spots throughout town, along with sweeping the streets, disposing of big pieces of wood and plastic, and generally beautifying different areas of the community. We got another short tour from one of our service leaders, and then got to have a reflection with the staff at UNI. Everything happening at UNI is incredibly progressive and positive for the community around and in Detroit as a whole, and we want to sincerely thank them for letting us come serve with them this week. Getting to see the visible and invisible effects of their work has been so incredibly rewarding, and we truly appreciate everything that they've done for us this week.
This trip has been truly incredible, and we are all so thankful for getting to be a part of it. Thank you so much to Mizzou Alternative Breaks for giving us the incredible opportunity to spend our spring break serving a community in such a profound way. We are so glad that we got to have this awesome experience, and it wouldn't have been possible without MAB. It also wouldn't have been possible without all of you back home reading this. Thank you for all of the support, without you, this trip wouldn't be possible. Thank you all so much, and we'll see you next spring break!
Love,
- MAB Detroit <3
Yesterday, Urban Neighborhood Initiatives gave us an amazing opportunity to sit in on a meeting with Ryan Friedrichs, the city of Detroit's new Chief Development Officer. The meeting was held to submit a bid to Mr. Friedrichs in an attempt to have UNI taken on as one of the projects supported mainly by the city. Their ideas include building a new community center, improving the lighting of streets in these neighborhoods, continued programming for kids after school and improving attendance in schools. We were honored to have been allowed to watch this meeting take place, and we want to sincerely thank UNI for letting us come to this meeting.
Today, we got to finish up our service at UNI. We picked up trash at a park and a few other spots throughout town, along with sweeping the streets, disposing of big pieces of wood and plastic, and generally beautifying different areas of the community. We got another short tour from one of our service leaders, and then got to have a reflection with the staff at UNI. Everything happening at UNI is incredibly progressive and positive for the community around and in Detroit as a whole, and we want to sincerely thank them for letting us come serve with them this week. Getting to see the visible and invisible effects of their work has been so incredibly rewarding, and we truly appreciate everything that they've done for us this week.
Love,
- MAB Detroit <3
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