Showing posts with label -2012 Spring Trips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label -2012 Spring Trips. Show all posts
Spring 2012 Wrap Up
We cant believe its over! All trips are home safely and students are headed to class once more. What a successful year we just had. Nearly 300 students traveled almost 24,000 miles round trip, across 25 states, and raised over $81,000 to do so. These amazing Mizzou students put in close to 15,000 hours of community service in one week! They did everything from bringing joy to children's faces to helping to preserve the environment for future generations. The largest impact though will be on the students themselves. Some will change their major or careers (sorry parents) as a result of this week, while others will carry with them memories and new friends to share them with. Whatever the impact one thing is certain, we are better off in this world because of these amazing Mizzou Alternative Spring Breakers.
Jonesville - Poverty
Friday was a powerful day. I know this sentiment was shared by all of the volunteers at the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) center in Jonesville, Virginia. The other college group and ours were each paired with a homeowner for the week. Throughout this week, the volunteers, homeowners and staff formed a special bond, which became much deeper than I initially expected. I think that people become closer and more inclined to show their true selves when they are working side by side for a greater cause. We learned more about each other's strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments, struggles, guilty pleasures, fears, pasts, future plans and beliefs than I ever could have imagined. Basically we formed one large, diverse and happy family (where I am one of the moms).
Today was special though, because we had to wrap up our projects and say goodbye to the homeowners we worked with. This was bittersweet. We were overjoyed to see how our hands transformed a broken and bare space into a clean, fixed and warm room. We were relieved to 'hang up our hammers' and rest our tired bodies. With that, however, came the goodbyes. How do you say goodbye to a family you have quickly grown so close to? Even though we had fixed their kitchen, we wanted to do so much more. Keenan was getting Ty Pennington fever and wanted to go the extra-extra mile to please and surprise the homeowners. Jake was putting on his philanthropic hat and thinking of ways to increase the focus on and support for the Appalachian region. Many of the girls were brainstorming about the perfect gifts to give the family that would bring them joy and remind them of our week together. If we didn't have classes, jobs or families back in Missouri, I am sure that our group would have wanted to say for another month to finish the rest of their house. And how were we supposed to depart from a family that taught us so much? Despite the obstacles that they have faced, this family held a very close bond. They truly loved each other and put family and faith first in their lives. Who was going to make us laugh like they made us? Would we stay in contact? How would the children be doing in five years? All of these thoughts rushed through my head while he hugged and wished each other luck in the future. Our ASB trip to ASP was a complete success. We came, we served, we grew.
But….our Friday was not over, as it was only 9:45am. We knew that we would be wrapping up our project at our family's house early, so we planned to join another group and work with them until the end of the day. Thursday night, the ASP center became a little fuller as a church group or 50+ arrived for the weekend. We joined a small group of six volunteers who were tearing down and replacing one wall of the house. Our Mizzou ASB group of twelve split up so that we could work on roofing, laminate flooring in the kitchen, and finishing the porch. It was much easier to get started on our tasks because we were guided by the volunteers there, who were very experienced in carpentry and DIY projects. After moving many pounds of old shingles off of the porch area, Keenan and I began working on it. Half of the porch was already built, so we needed to complete the last half and build stairs to access it. As all of our projects have been all week, working on the porch was a wonderful exercise in communication and team work. I followed Keenan's lead and with the help of Jake, Logan and our ex-contractor savior, John, we were able to finish the project by quittin time. One highlight of the day was when Keenan and I were digging out the Earth underneath the stairs. As we were digging, we found big chunks of coal. "There's coal in them there hills!"-Jake. While our stash of coal would probably only weigh out to be a few dollars, we were over the moon to have authentic souvenirs to bring back home. Through the help of the homeowner, we even obtained a 4 x 4 chunk of coal! We also dug up a horseshoe which we mistakenly thought would give us good luck. After a broken shovel, broken drill bit, smashed fingers in a car door, an electric fence electrocution (everyone is ok, rest assured), and loosing Mega Million lottery tickets, we realized that we should have left that horseshoe right where we found it. You live and you learn.
Even though we were only at the new site for part of one day, we became attached to the homeowner. He was the most charismatic, energetic, and nice man I have met in a long time. He quickly passed out nicknames, which included Boss Lady, Lil Bit, Chief and Red Legs. Anything we needed, he would hunt down. Anytime we had a spare second of down time, he would feed us a joke. This man reinforced the strong sense of community that has been present on our trip. The bonding that occurred between the Mizzou ASB-ers, between volunteers and homeowners and between the residents of Jonesville, Virginia was inspiring. As in many small towns, people wave when your drive past here. The locals that we met talk to you like old friends when you are in the store or restaurant. They truly opened their arms and accepted us without any questions. I was reminded that it is important for me to become involved in my community, no matter how large the city I live in is. How difficult is it for me to ask how the cashier's day is going when I am at the store? Am I giving the time and effort that I can to support my fellow community members? Who will I turn to in the future if I fall on hard times? Am I cultivating community in my daily actions, I asked myself. People in Jonesville, Virginia surely are.
We ended the day with a reflection of the week, where everyone shared their 'biggest' moments. Then both of the college groups traversed to a local bowling alley to bowl a few games. Not only did we learn how to take score the old school way (counting pins and tallying up the scores on paper), but we also learned who the closet pro-bowlers are. After a quick jaunt to Mickey D's we returned to ASP, where we crawled in our beds. Tomorrow is our departure day…another bitter sweet one. But, as always, we will make it amazing. See you back in Missouri tomorrow!
Signing out,
Jane and the rest of the Mizzou ASB-Jonesville, VA crew
Today was special though, because we had to wrap up our projects and say goodbye to the homeowners we worked with. This was bittersweet. We were overjoyed to see how our hands transformed a broken and bare space into a clean, fixed and warm room. We were relieved to 'hang up our hammers' and rest our tired bodies. With that, however, came the goodbyes. How do you say goodbye to a family you have quickly grown so close to? Even though we had fixed their kitchen, we wanted to do so much more. Keenan was getting Ty Pennington fever and wanted to go the extra-extra mile to please and surprise the homeowners. Jake was putting on his philanthropic hat and thinking of ways to increase the focus on and support for the Appalachian region. Many of the girls were brainstorming about the perfect gifts to give the family that would bring them joy and remind them of our week together. If we didn't have classes, jobs or families back in Missouri, I am sure that our group would have wanted to say for another month to finish the rest of their house. And how were we supposed to depart from a family that taught us so much? Despite the obstacles that they have faced, this family held a very close bond. They truly loved each other and put family and faith first in their lives. Who was going to make us laugh like they made us? Would we stay in contact? How would the children be doing in five years? All of these thoughts rushed through my head while he hugged and wished each other luck in the future. Our ASB trip to ASP was a complete success. We came, we served, we grew.
But….our Friday was not over, as it was only 9:45am. We knew that we would be wrapping up our project at our family's house early, so we planned to join another group and work with them until the end of the day. Thursday night, the ASP center became a little fuller as a church group or 50+ arrived for the weekend. We joined a small group of six volunteers who were tearing down and replacing one wall of the house. Our Mizzou ASB group of twelve split up so that we could work on roofing, laminate flooring in the kitchen, and finishing the porch. It was much easier to get started on our tasks because we were guided by the volunteers there, who were very experienced in carpentry and DIY projects. After moving many pounds of old shingles off of the porch area, Keenan and I began working on it. Half of the porch was already built, so we needed to complete the last half and build stairs to access it. As all of our projects have been all week, working on the porch was a wonderful exercise in communication and team work. I followed Keenan's lead and with the help of Jake, Logan and our ex-contractor savior, John, we were able to finish the project by quittin time. One highlight of the day was when Keenan and I were digging out the Earth underneath the stairs. As we were digging, we found big chunks of coal. "There's coal in them there hills!"-Jake. While our stash of coal would probably only weigh out to be a few dollars, we were over the moon to have authentic souvenirs to bring back home. Through the help of the homeowner, we even obtained a 4 x 4 chunk of coal! We also dug up a horseshoe which we mistakenly thought would give us good luck. After a broken shovel, broken drill bit, smashed fingers in a car door, an electric fence electrocution (everyone is ok, rest assured), and loosing Mega Million lottery tickets, we realized that we should have left that horseshoe right where we found it. You live and you learn.
Even though we were only at the new site for part of one day, we became attached to the homeowner. He was the most charismatic, energetic, and nice man I have met in a long time. He quickly passed out nicknames, which included Boss Lady, Lil Bit, Chief and Red Legs. Anything we needed, he would hunt down. Anytime we had a spare second of down time, he would feed us a joke. This man reinforced the strong sense of community that has been present on our trip. The bonding that occurred between the Mizzou ASB-ers, between volunteers and homeowners and between the residents of Jonesville, Virginia was inspiring. As in many small towns, people wave when your drive past here. The locals that we met talk to you like old friends when you are in the store or restaurant. They truly opened their arms and accepted us without any questions. I was reminded that it is important for me to become involved in my community, no matter how large the city I live in is. How difficult is it for me to ask how the cashier's day is going when I am at the store? Am I giving the time and effort that I can to support my fellow community members? Who will I turn to in the future if I fall on hard times? Am I cultivating community in my daily actions, I asked myself. People in Jonesville, Virginia surely are.
We ended the day with a reflection of the week, where everyone shared their 'biggest' moments. Then both of the college groups traversed to a local bowling alley to bowl a few games. Not only did we learn how to take score the old school way (counting pins and tallying up the scores on paper), but we also learned who the closet pro-bowlers are. After a quick jaunt to Mickey D's we returned to ASP, where we crawled in our beds. Tomorrow is our departure day…another bitter sweet one. But, as always, we will make it amazing. See you back in Missouri tomorrow!
Signing out,
Jane and the rest of the Mizzou ASB-Jonesville, VA crew
Jonesville- Poverty
It's funny, even bizarre, but Monday, as I was forced to return to the demands of my daily school routine, nothing about the day felt "routine" or normal at all. My morning began at 6:45 AM when I shot out of bed, energized and ready to go (very abnormal for me to say the least). Without thinking, I quickly threw on some clothes and was eagerly looking forward to some breakfast… then reality finally hit. I wasn't in a cabin surrounded by 10 other guys, as I had been all of the past week, but rather, I was in my normal room, joined only by my angry roommate who definitely wasn't appreciative of being woken up so early in the morning, My initial reaction to this realization was a mixture of sadness and disappointment…disappointment stemming from the acknowledgement that one of the most impactful weeks of my life had officially come to an end.
However, as I reflected on the life-altering trip to Jonesville further, the sadness quickly disappeared and gave way to a surprising sense of peace and inspiration. Looking back, I am overwhelmed by how seamlessly our group banded together, and how we formed friendships and connections, which I believe will endure for quite some time. I also look at the sheer amount of work we collectively accomplished, and I am unable to attribute this tremendous progress to anything other than our special group dynamic. I believe the human capacity for kindness and compassion is truly remarkable, and this group's unique bond really centered upon our unified aim to wholeheartedly serve the families we encountered. I think we all acknowledged the magnitude and importance of our work, and it brought us together in a powerful way.
As I ate lunch, walked to class, etc, I kept mentally comparing our service trip to one of my favorite books, The Road by Cormac McCarthy. In this futuristic, post-apocalyptic world, every day and every simple action is a struggle or a matter of life and death. While this image is a bit extreme, by comparison, I believe our homeowners similarly lead a life wrought with difficulties and hardship. For this reason, the opportunity to serve and directly affect their lives in a positive way has undoubtedly touched me beyond what my humble words can effectively convey. I have never interacted with people who, materially speaking, have so little, but who carry themselves as if they own everything worth having in life. Initially, I arrived on this trip fully expecting to do some manual labor and assist a deserving family; however, I never anticipated learning so much from the very people I myself was supposed to be helping. Now, as I have the gift of hindsight, I can't help but feel, that in may respects, our homeowners were the ones actually serving us, not the other way around. I will never forget my experience, or the numerous life-changing lessons I learned along the way.
Although I am certainly bummed that this trip has concluded, I am excited by the journey that lies ahead. After seeing how profoundly this service opportunity inspired and influenced every member of the team, I believe our ongoing passion and commitment to serve others will enable us, as Cormac McCarthy writes, to continue, "carrying the fire." My sincerest hope is that this trip to Jonesville, VA marks the first of many subsequent stops along a life-long road of service to others.
However, as I reflected on the life-altering trip to Jonesville further, the sadness quickly disappeared and gave way to a surprising sense of peace and inspiration. Looking back, I am overwhelmed by how seamlessly our group banded together, and how we formed friendships and connections, which I believe will endure for quite some time. I also look at the sheer amount of work we collectively accomplished, and I am unable to attribute this tremendous progress to anything other than our special group dynamic. I believe the human capacity for kindness and compassion is truly remarkable, and this group's unique bond really centered upon our unified aim to wholeheartedly serve the families we encountered. I think we all acknowledged the magnitude and importance of our work, and it brought us together in a powerful way.
As I ate lunch, walked to class, etc, I kept mentally comparing our service trip to one of my favorite books, The Road by Cormac McCarthy. In this futuristic, post-apocalyptic world, every day and every simple action is a struggle or a matter of life and death. While this image is a bit extreme, by comparison, I believe our homeowners similarly lead a life wrought with difficulties and hardship. For this reason, the opportunity to serve and directly affect their lives in a positive way has undoubtedly touched me beyond what my humble words can effectively convey. I have never interacted with people who, materially speaking, have so little, but who carry themselves as if they own everything worth having in life. Initially, I arrived on this trip fully expecting to do some manual labor and assist a deserving family; however, I never anticipated learning so much from the very people I myself was supposed to be helping. Now, as I have the gift of hindsight, I can't help but feel, that in may respects, our homeowners were the ones actually serving us, not the other way around. I will never forget my experience, or the numerous life-changing lessons I learned along the way.
Although I am certainly bummed that this trip has concluded, I am excited by the journey that lies ahead. After seeing how profoundly this service opportunity inspired and influenced every member of the team, I believe our ongoing passion and commitment to serve others will enable us, as Cormac McCarthy writes, to continue, "carrying the fire." My sincerest hope is that this trip to Jonesville, VA marks the first of many subsequent stops along a life-long road of service to others.
Tuscaloosa - Habitat
Sunday, April 1st, 2012
Heather Carrier
Today we are on the road back to Columbia, Missouri. This trip has been an unforgettable experience and has made me realize how much one group of motivated, caring people can make a difference. Although hard to see sometimes, Chelsea made me realize how we fit into the bigger picture when she related the work we have done to planting a tree. Someone has to fertilize the ground, dig the hole, plant the seed, and nurture the plant until it grows into a beautiful, strong tree. Our efforts were a piece of the greater picture and I am so proud of how well our group worked together to make a difference to the community. I feel so lucky to have met such an amazing group of people that care so passionately about what we are doing that we don't even want to stop working.
The first day we were in Tuscaloosa our group went to a lot to pick up debris. The lot and the surrounding area were the leftovers of a community that had been completely leveled by the storm and then bulldozed over. All that remained were the little bits and pieces of debris that could only be picked up by a helping hand. The house, or the little bit of it that was left standing, had already been demolished and the pieces of debris left over were buried in dirt, rocks, and weeds. I didn't know exactly what to expect when we arrived at the scene, but I was really shocked by state of the trees. It was overwhelming to see that the power of the storm had completely uprooted the trees and left them to lie rotting on their sides or had stripped the trees of all their branches. The first moment I was really struck with the emotion all the destruction was when I was picking through the bits and pieces of glass, wood, and brick, and came across a shoe. It is so heartbreaking that in a blink of an eye, this family's home and all of their pictures and other irreplaceable items were just completely swept away. The work took on a new meaning to me at that moment and it became not just mindless labor, but combing through the pieces of a family's shattered life.
The next two days, I was part of the group who had the opportunity to go roofing with a lovely group of retired Methodists from South Carolina. The roof was cool in the morning, but gradually became so hot during the day that we had to wear kneepads and gloves just to keep from burning ourselves. It was amazing to watch the progress of our group as we went from eyeing the steep roof with caution and fear, to climbing about it and balancing with one foot on a two-by-four while simultaneously holding a shingle and maneuvering a heavy nail-gun.
The last two days our group came together to work with Project Blessing on a home that was being fixed up for a family who lost everything in the storm. We split up to conquer individual tasks and had some people painting the basement, some painting the outside of the house, and others creating a crawl space in "the dungeon". Working together we were able to complete an incredible amount of damage on this house, in a good way of course.
I was so impressed with all of the hard work and effort that every single member contributed to the group. During the week I never encountered complaining, and everyone was so invested in what we were doing. The sense of comradely and teamwork that developed within our group was so rare and beautiful. I felt that our work and the obstacles we overcame together during this trip created a bond between the 12 of us that is unlike that of a normal group of college friends. Our last night together ended with us all crammed into Chelsea's room to sleep, not because we had to, but because we have all become so close and thought it would be fun to pile into one room. I found this trip to be an enlightening experience and hope to pursue similar projects in the future.
Heather Carrier
Today we are on the road back to Columbia, Missouri. This trip has been an unforgettable experience and has made me realize how much one group of motivated, caring people can make a difference. Although hard to see sometimes, Chelsea made me realize how we fit into the bigger picture when she related the work we have done to planting a tree. Someone has to fertilize the ground, dig the hole, plant the seed, and nurture the plant until it grows into a beautiful, strong tree. Our efforts were a piece of the greater picture and I am so proud of how well our group worked together to make a difference to the community. I feel so lucky to have met such an amazing group of people that care so passionately about what we are doing that we don't even want to stop working.
The first day we were in Tuscaloosa our group went to a lot to pick up debris. The lot and the surrounding area were the leftovers of a community that had been completely leveled by the storm and then bulldozed over. All that remained were the little bits and pieces of debris that could only be picked up by a helping hand. The house, or the little bit of it that was left standing, had already been demolished and the pieces of debris left over were buried in dirt, rocks, and weeds. I didn't know exactly what to expect when we arrived at the scene, but I was really shocked by state of the trees. It was overwhelming to see that the power of the storm had completely uprooted the trees and left them to lie rotting on their sides or had stripped the trees of all their branches. The first moment I was really struck with the emotion all the destruction was when I was picking through the bits and pieces of glass, wood, and brick, and came across a shoe. It is so heartbreaking that in a blink of an eye, this family's home and all of their pictures and other irreplaceable items were just completely swept away. The work took on a new meaning to me at that moment and it became not just mindless labor, but combing through the pieces of a family's shattered life.
The next two days, I was part of the group who had the opportunity to go roofing with a lovely group of retired Methodists from South Carolina. The roof was cool in the morning, but gradually became so hot during the day that we had to wear kneepads and gloves just to keep from burning ourselves. It was amazing to watch the progress of our group as we went from eyeing the steep roof with caution and fear, to climbing about it and balancing with one foot on a two-by-four while simultaneously holding a shingle and maneuvering a heavy nail-gun.
The last two days our group came together to work with Project Blessing on a home that was being fixed up for a family who lost everything in the storm. We split up to conquer individual tasks and had some people painting the basement, some painting the outside of the house, and others creating a crawl space in "the dungeon". Working together we were able to complete an incredible amount of damage on this house, in a good way of course.
I was so impressed with all of the hard work and effort that every single member contributed to the group. During the week I never encountered complaining, and everyone was so invested in what we were doing. The sense of comradely and teamwork that developed within our group was so rare and beautiful. I felt that our work and the obstacles we overcame together during this trip created a bond between the 12 of us that is unlike that of a normal group of college friends. Our last night together ended with us all crammed into Chelsea's room to sleep, not because we had to, but because we have all become so close and thought it would be fun to pile into one room. I found this trip to be an enlightening experience and hope to pursue similar projects in the future.
Kissimmee - Children with Terminal Illnesses
3-29-12
Let me start off with addressing the fact that one of my dreams has always been to be a Christmas Elf. So, with that being said, I apologize if this blog is full of explanation points and overexcited rambling.
Christmas has always been a favorite of mine, and at Give Kids the World, Christmas is every Thursday! We, my new besties, hopped in Team Pearl and Team Gold, our Tahoes that we so lovingly named, and headed to the Village for a magical night. Our assignments were to dress as Christmas characters, join the parade, and entertain the children and their families. We paraded down the Village with other silly Christmas characters, lights, and lively music.
Once I put my costume on, I immediately became Ellie the Elf. No hesitation or insecurities that I normally feel were present--I was there to make this a special night for the children and their families, and I was going to dance the night away with my fellow Christmas characters (Peppermint boys and girls, snowmen, fairies, and princesses)!
At the end of the parade, we were instructed to entertain the children--we thought it was an appropriate time for a dance circle. In this moment, I was overwhelmed with pride because my group was stepping out of their comfort zones to entertain these children. Seeing the reserved children dance in the middle of the circles was one of the best moments I have had all week. I am so humbled that these children and their families would share these happy moments with me. The dance circle was. a. success.
At one point in the night, I saw a mother sitting with her 13 month old. I grabbed my fellow Elf, Cavalia, and ran over to the little girl. She immediately smiled at our silly costumes, danced, and gave us high fives. As we were leaving, the mother told us "Thank you," and that we had made the girls night. Those simple words made our night. I wish we could have expressed that we were the lucky ones.
Being on this trip has made me grow. I knew that this would be the outcome, but I never imagined that the impact would be this dramatic. I honestly have made some of my new best friends on this trip. We have gone through so many emotions in a short time period and have truly helped each other along the way. I have never been more proud of a group before. That being said, I cannot thank Give Kids the World enough. That Village and the families have changed me. I will never again underestimate the power of Disney or a simple smile. I am so lucky and blessed to have spent a week at this magical place. Words cannot express the pure joy I have experienced when seeing a child's face light up because I danced an elf jig.
The Village is full of hope. Hope and happiness allows these children and families to persevere and beat their illnesses. I hope I have touched a family this week because they touched me. Give Kids the World will always have a special place in my heart, and hope to return to this world Village full of joy, growth, and hope.
Let me start off with addressing the fact that one of my dreams has always been to be a Christmas Elf. So, with that being said, I apologize if this blog is full of explanation points and overexcited rambling.
Christmas has always been a favorite of mine, and at Give Kids the World, Christmas is every Thursday! We, my new besties, hopped in Team Pearl and Team Gold, our Tahoes that we so lovingly named, and headed to the Village for a magical night. Our assignments were to dress as Christmas characters, join the parade, and entertain the children and their families. We paraded down the Village with other silly Christmas characters, lights, and lively music.
Once I put my costume on, I immediately became Ellie the Elf. No hesitation or insecurities that I normally feel were present--I was there to make this a special night for the children and their families, and I was going to dance the night away with my fellow Christmas characters (Peppermint boys and girls, snowmen, fairies, and princesses)!
At the end of the parade, we were instructed to entertain the children--we thought it was an appropriate time for a dance circle. In this moment, I was overwhelmed with pride because my group was stepping out of their comfort zones to entertain these children. Seeing the reserved children dance in the middle of the circles was one of the best moments I have had all week. I am so humbled that these children and their families would share these happy moments with me. The dance circle was. a. success.
At one point in the night, I saw a mother sitting with her 13 month old. I grabbed my fellow Elf, Cavalia, and ran over to the little girl. She immediately smiled at our silly costumes, danced, and gave us high fives. As we were leaving, the mother told us "Thank you," and that we had made the girls night. Those simple words made our night. I wish we could have expressed that we were the lucky ones.
Being on this trip has made me grow. I knew that this would be the outcome, but I never imagined that the impact would be this dramatic. I honestly have made some of my new best friends on this trip. We have gone through so many emotions in a short time period and have truly helped each other along the way. I have never been more proud of a group before. That being said, I cannot thank Give Kids the World enough. That Village and the families have changed me. I will never again underestimate the power of Disney or a simple smile. I am so lucky and blessed to have spent a week at this magical place. Words cannot express the pure joy I have experienced when seeing a child's face light up because I danced an elf jig.
The Village is full of hope. Hope and happiness allows these children and families to persevere and beat their illnesses. I hope I have touched a family this week because they touched me. Give Kids the World will always have a special place in my heart, and hope to return to this world Village full of joy, growth, and hope.
Kissimmee - Children with Terminal Illnesses
3-28-12
We started our day with a trip to Clearwater Beach. The ocean water lived up to the beach's name as we could see down to the sand as we swam out farther and farther. It was an awesome bonding experience and to say we've become a little ASB family would be an understatement.
After driving back from the beach, we returned to the Give Kids The World park. Tonight, we were assigned to help with the 'Kids' Night Out' program. Basically, kids got to have a night out and about the park while their parents got a night to themselves. We each got paired with a child who actually picked us out of a line-up of volunteers. Myself, Katie and Cary were paired with a group of 3 siblings, Erin (13) being the eldest. Her and I spent the night together playing mini golf, eating dinner and talking about silly girl things. The final part of the night was Village Idol where the kids were given the opportunity to sing in front of the other children if they wanted to. Erin had mentioned earlier that she thoroughly enjoyed singing and I fully expected her to be a participant. She, on the other hand, would have none of it. When asked, she decided to be a judge for the other kids performing.
Half-way through the show, she turned to me and asked if she could sing -- on one condition: that I sing with her. I of course said yes and we got her signed up and picked out a song. I was so nervous! I get nervous in front of crowds and I was saying yes to singing in front of one. Granted, it was a group of children, but nonetheless, I was nervous.
We performed Rihanna's Take A Bow and the performance went wonderfully. After spending the night with Erin, who had a sibling who was sick, every emotion that had been in the back of my mind for the entirety of the week so far suddenly rushed to the front. In my time spent with Erin, I realized the pain, struggle and emotion that one family can feel with a sick child. I realized how strong Erin was and how singing in front of people was my only fear of the night, while she carried a constant fear of losing a sibling.
Erin, a 13-year-old, taught me a few things that I had otherwise overlooked. First of all, that a child's sickness belongs not only to that child, but to their entire family as well. And that regardless of all of the hardships and worries Erin was dealing with, she was excited and determined to get on stage and live out her talent. Give Kids The World is a truly magical place; it changes the lives of families and volunteers alike.
-Gabby
Today we went to Clearwater Beach and it was my first time in the ocean. A bunch of girls on our trip encouraged me to swim out to a big wooden pillar pretty far out, swim around it and come back. I was a little scared at first, but after their insistence, I did it and I'm so glad I did. It was an amazing first experience and I'm so lucky I got to do it with my wonderful group!
As a group, we got to help with 'Kids Night Out' where we each get our own individual child to hang out with throughout the night. I was really worried that a child would pick me and end up not liking me, or leave the event and not have great memories to share with their families.
As we were waiting to be picked, a little girl rolled in the building and began going down the line of volunteers deciding who she wanted to spend the night with. She started slowing down close to where I was standing, so I bent down to talk to her and I was so excited when she decided she wanted to hang out with me all night. Her name was Christina, but she liked to be called Christy, and she was only five years and getting around with a tiny wheelchair fit to her small size. Even though the Give Kids The World park is fully a wheelchair functioning environment, with how little her wheelchair was, it was extra difficult for her and I to find things to do. When we left for dinner, she was so excited to see Mayor Clayton and Miss Merry (the ambassadors of the park) and wouldn't stop talking about them. Her mother warned me she was a picky eater so I was excited at dinner when I got her to eat a good helping of french fries with ketchup. At dinner she kept holding my hand and putting her little hand on my leg which made me feel like she was comfortable with me and I loved that.
Christina told me how she had just been to Disney World today and met more princesses than she could count, ran into Minnie and Mickey and was followed to lunch by Goofy. After dinner, we went to the Village Idol show. We sat down after she decided she didn't want to perform, but she was really excited to watch one of her older brothers, Peyton, perform.
Christina enjoyed the talent show a lot and thought all of the performers were wonderful. When her parents came to pick her up, she was in a hurry to get to her scheduled tuck-in-appointment by Mayor Clayton. I was a little sad because I didn't get to say goodbye, but overall this has been the best night I've had so far at Give Kids The World.
-Shelbie
We started our day with a trip to Clearwater Beach. The ocean water lived up to the beach's name as we could see down to the sand as we swam out farther and farther. It was an awesome bonding experience and to say we've become a little ASB family would be an understatement.
After driving back from the beach, we returned to the Give Kids The World park. Tonight, we were assigned to help with the 'Kids' Night Out' program. Basically, kids got to have a night out and about the park while their parents got a night to themselves. We each got paired with a child who actually picked us out of a line-up of volunteers. Myself, Katie and Cary were paired with a group of 3 siblings, Erin (13) being the eldest. Her and I spent the night together playing mini golf, eating dinner and talking about silly girl things. The final part of the night was Village Idol where the kids were given the opportunity to sing in front of the other children if they wanted to. Erin had mentioned earlier that she thoroughly enjoyed singing and I fully expected her to be a participant. She, on the other hand, would have none of it. When asked, she decided to be a judge for the other kids performing.
Half-way through the show, she turned to me and asked if she could sing -- on one condition: that I sing with her. I of course said yes and we got her signed up and picked out a song. I was so nervous! I get nervous in front of crowds and I was saying yes to singing in front of one. Granted, it was a group of children, but nonetheless, I was nervous.
We performed Rihanna's Take A Bow and the performance went wonderfully. After spending the night with Erin, who had a sibling who was sick, every emotion that had been in the back of my mind for the entirety of the week so far suddenly rushed to the front. In my time spent with Erin, I realized the pain, struggle and emotion that one family can feel with a sick child. I realized how strong Erin was and how singing in front of people was my only fear of the night, while she carried a constant fear of losing a sibling.
Erin, a 13-year-old, taught me a few things that I had otherwise overlooked. First of all, that a child's sickness belongs not only to that child, but to their entire family as well. And that regardless of all of the hardships and worries Erin was dealing with, she was excited and determined to get on stage and live out her talent. Give Kids The World is a truly magical place; it changes the lives of families and volunteers alike.
-Gabby
Today we went to Clearwater Beach and it was my first time in the ocean. A bunch of girls on our trip encouraged me to swim out to a big wooden pillar pretty far out, swim around it and come back. I was a little scared at first, but after their insistence, I did it and I'm so glad I did. It was an amazing first experience and I'm so lucky I got to do it with my wonderful group!
As a group, we got to help with 'Kids Night Out' where we each get our own individual child to hang out with throughout the night. I was really worried that a child would pick me and end up not liking me, or leave the event and not have great memories to share with their families.
As we were waiting to be picked, a little girl rolled in the building and began going down the line of volunteers deciding who she wanted to spend the night with. She started slowing down close to where I was standing, so I bent down to talk to her and I was so excited when she decided she wanted to hang out with me all night. Her name was Christina, but she liked to be called Christy, and she was only five years and getting around with a tiny wheelchair fit to her small size. Even though the Give Kids The World park is fully a wheelchair functioning environment, with how little her wheelchair was, it was extra difficult for her and I to find things to do. When we left for dinner, she was so excited to see Mayor Clayton and Miss Merry (the ambassadors of the park) and wouldn't stop talking about them. Her mother warned me she was a picky eater so I was excited at dinner when I got her to eat a good helping of french fries with ketchup. At dinner she kept holding my hand and putting her little hand on my leg which made me feel like she was comfortable with me and I loved that.
Christina told me how she had just been to Disney World today and met more princesses than she could count, ran into Minnie and Mickey and was followed to lunch by Goofy. After dinner, we went to the Village Idol show. We sat down after she decided she didn't want to perform, but she was really excited to watch one of her older brothers, Peyton, perform.
Christina enjoyed the talent show a lot and thought all of the performers were wonderful. When her parents came to pick her up, she was in a hurry to get to her scheduled tuck-in-appointment by Mayor Clayton. I was a little sad because I didn't get to say goodbye, but overall this has been the best night I've had so far at Give Kids The World.
-Shelbie
New Orleans 2- Homeless Animals
Today was our last full day at the shelter were volunteering in, ARNO. We spent the morning doing our usual tasks and then in the afternoon, we got to spend a bit of time bonding with the animals. It's going to be hard tomorrow to leave the cats and dogs we have become attached too, but I'd imagine it will be even harder for the animals. It must be tough for them to see people they have grown to trust leave them behind after a only week. Still, in just a week so many animals have made marked improvements. A dog who was was feral as of Monday this week and wouldn't let us touch her actually approached us and let us pet her today. Another formerly feral dog managed to get adopted. It's so rewarding to see our work pay off and make animals more adoptable.
After our chores, th director of ARNO, Charlotte, paid a visit to the shelter". We actually hadn't met her yet, and we had a ton of questions for her. She explained to us that ARNO began back during hurricane Katrina when Charlotte was helping the LSPCA and they were setting up food and water stations to feed the trapped animals. Long story short, the LSPCA ran out of money and decided they were done but a few people realized there was no way all the animals in New Orleans were accounted for. So Charlotte stayed, along with a few friends and ARNO was born. They just kept expanding and expanding in the warehouse they had initially rented to house volunteers and supplies, and decided to be a no kill shelter. Some dogs at ARNO are actually dogs of the hurricane, like "mama," and her baby "fuzzy." Their humans left town and even when they were located this year - seven years later - their owners just didn't want them back. Sad stories like that aren't uncommon in the files of the dogs and cats found at ARNO. But knowing we can help them by giving them more than one walk a day, fresh water, clean cages and, perhaps most importantly, love, makes this week of scrubbing dirty walls and organizing cat food all worth it.
After our chores, th director of ARNO, Charlotte, paid a visit to the shelter". We actually hadn't met her yet, and we had a ton of questions for her. She explained to us that ARNO began back during hurricane Katrina when Charlotte was helping the LSPCA and they were setting up food and water stations to feed the trapped animals. Long story short, the LSPCA ran out of money and decided they were done but a few people realized there was no way all the animals in New Orleans were accounted for. So Charlotte stayed, along with a few friends and ARNO was born. They just kept expanding and expanding in the warehouse they had initially rented to house volunteers and supplies, and decided to be a no kill shelter. Some dogs at ARNO are actually dogs of the hurricane, like "mama," and her baby "fuzzy." Their humans left town and even when they were located this year - seven years later - their owners just didn't want them back. Sad stories like that aren't uncommon in the files of the dogs and cats found at ARNO. But knowing we can help them by giving them more than one walk a day, fresh water, clean cages and, perhaps most importantly, love, makes this week of scrubbing dirty walls and organizing cat food all worth it.
Kentucky - Environment Day 7
Day 7:
Written By Lauren Sedlacek:
Our final day was dedicated to traveling. We were all sad to leave our cabin and the people we had met, but we knew the week's adventure had to come to an end. At 7 am the boys headed down to the lake for an early morning jump off the barge docks. Nathan attempted to wake the ladies with a single "bllllrrrrring," but he got no answer from us except from sleepy Caitlin unknowingly mumbling "okay, thanks." They canoed back grateful for the chocolate chip pancakes and eggs we assembled for breakfast with the rest of our leftovers.
This morning we packed and cleaned, ate some noms, stuffed the cars, and headed back to good ol' Mizzou. BUT WAIT. We almost forgot to take our picture with the "Please Visit Other Kentucky State Parks" sign. After a quick u-turn, we quickly assembled around our very unwelcoming welcome from the first day. I can't wait to see how that group picture turned out (especially since we had to take it using the self-timer and balancing the camera on top of our car).
We jammed to various tunes in the van, while the Durango bumped to some country. In the van all of us in the back plotted and launched an attack on our speakers to the song "Call Me Maybe." As soon as the song began, the boys up front turned the fader to the back. The audacity! Oh well, we redeemed ourselves with some Eddie Money and Jason Mraz.
For lunch we spiced up our lives with a little Taco Bell-White Castle combination. The Doritos Locos Taco was a popular pick, and one of Max's many "firsts" this week along with his sushi bite last night.
Back on campus we all parted ways but only for a few hours (we just can't get enough of each other!). Now we've reunited to reflect on our trip, play some Mafia and Nintendo 64, and just hangout on our home turf. We're happy to be back and share this time thinking about the difference we made in Kentucky. Thanks for following our journey!
Written By Lauren Sedlacek:
Our final day was dedicated to traveling. We were all sad to leave our cabin and the people we had met, but we knew the week's adventure had to come to an end. At 7 am the boys headed down to the lake for an early morning jump off the barge docks. Nathan attempted to wake the ladies with a single "bllllrrrrring," but he got no answer from us except from sleepy Caitlin unknowingly mumbling "okay, thanks." They canoed back grateful for the chocolate chip pancakes and eggs we assembled for breakfast with the rest of our leftovers.
This morning we packed and cleaned, ate some noms, stuffed the cars, and headed back to good ol' Mizzou. BUT WAIT. We almost forgot to take our picture with the "Please Visit Other Kentucky State Parks" sign. After a quick u-turn, we quickly assembled around our very unwelcoming welcome from the first day. I can't wait to see how that group picture turned out (especially since we had to take it using the self-timer and balancing the camera on top of our car).
We jammed to various tunes in the van, while the Durango bumped to some country. In the van all of us in the back plotted and launched an attack on our speakers to the song "Call Me Maybe." As soon as the song began, the boys up front turned the fader to the back. The audacity! Oh well, we redeemed ourselves with some Eddie Money and Jason Mraz.
For lunch we spiced up our lives with a little Taco Bell-White Castle combination. The Doritos Locos Taco was a popular pick, and one of Max's many "firsts" this week along with his sushi bite last night.
Back on campus we all parted ways but only for a few hours (we just can't get enough of each other!). Now we've reunited to reflect on our trip, play some Mafia and Nintendo 64, and just hangout on our home turf. We're happy to be back and share this time thinking about the difference we made in Kentucky. Thanks for following our journey!
Tuscaloosa- Disaster Relief
B Boy Baby Bryan's Blog
Bryan Jochems
This has not been my first service trip experience, and it is very unlikely to be my last, but there are several components of this Alternative Spring Break trip to Tuscaloosa, AL that have made it extremely memorable. First of all, the eleven other Mizzou students that have joined me on this experience have been nothing short of amazing. From an eleven hour car ride filled with one spectacular Game of Things, to some amazing games of sand volleyball, to realizing through our work experience that each and everyone here is one ridiculously hard and efficient worker, I have been lucky to form eleven friendships that continue to strengthen as the week goes along. The nights of reflection we have as a group are always very enlightening and interesting! We begin with questions meant to build are group dynamic, such as last nights question of "what was your dream job as a young child and what is your current dream job?" Yet, the reflections soon delve into topics such as racism in current day America, American education, or cycles of inequality in America, discussions which I believe really unite us as a group. Yet, all twelve of us are brought together for a trip meant to help a town recover from a devastating tornado that occurred almost one whole year ago.
And that brings me to the second memorable component of this trip, my experience of helping the town of Tuscaloosa. This has not been my first experience helping with tornado recovery, as I spent several days in Joplin, MO over this previous Thanksgiving break. However, there is something about the town of Tuscaloosa and the work I have been contributing the past three days that have raised my spirits and ignited within me a passion that I have very rarely felt before. I usually begin each morning with a short jog, averaging right around 6 miles, and as I traverse the streets of Northport, AL, a suburb of Tuscaloosa, the southern hospitality and friendliness of the people here is so present and so invigorating. This spirit of helpfulness and welcoming is felt at our service sites as Mizzou students work alongside community members doing their part in rebuilding the city. It was so nice to see that on our first day of work, a fraternity from the University of Alabama was also volunteering their time to help the city recover, and seemed very excited to see students from the University of Missouri chip in as well. The work experiences I have had thus far have been unique, from cleaning up debris from the site of what used to be a house, finding remnants of the belongings of the people that used to call the now bare space home, to literally nailing shingles on the side of the roof of a house, with just a small two by four standing between me and a 12 foot drop off the roof, to painting the side of a house while standing 12 feet up on a ladder. I must admit, my lack of a fear of heights has come in handy on this trip! I can see the progress being made and the difference I have on the services sites I have worked on thus far, and that is so rewarding for me.
The final component of this trip that has made it something special is the retreat site. Nestled away in a nature camp beside a lake, Camp Tuscoba has been the perfect place for this Alternative Spring Break Trip. With activities abounding, reflection spaces all around, and a nostalgic campy feeling, I have enjoyed and appreciated my time spent at this site. The chance to interact with Alternative Spring Break members from Sonoma State University in California has also been some spice added to our trip. With our trip just passing the half-way point, part of me wants to stay here in this city, doing this work for months. However, as each day goes by, and as each experience develops me as a person, and I can't help but take each moment in, take each memory in, and be grateful that amongst eleven of my newest friends, I can have one amazing Spring Break experience spending my time helping a city rebuild.
Carpentry Extraordinaire
Kia Farhang
When I was very little, my family moved into an old, beat-up house in Minneapolis. At best it was a dump, at worst it was a disaster zone. There are tons of home videos of my dad and his friends fixing the place up, and, while it was small, after a few months our cozy little home was…actually cozy.
I've always had a lot of respect for people who take care of themselves. It saddens me that there are members of my generation who cannot change a tire or cook a meal. So I will admit that half of the reason I signed up for Alternative Spring Break was to get some good, old-fashioned carpentry experience.
On Tuesday I got what I signed up for. I spent the day working for Deborah, a spunky little lady who made us ice cream on our breaks. My group was assigned to everything from pulling up floorboards, mowing the lawn, and boarding up windows.
At the risk of sounding like an old man, nothing feels better than a solid day's work. Though we didn't make as much visual progress as we would have liked on Deborah's house, the difference was in the details. I can attest to picking up several little tricks that I plan on using around the house – because now, of course, I feel completely qualified to renovate mine.
Roughly halfway through spring break, I'm having no regrets. I worried that, around this time, I would be sick of the work and ready to party. But so far that's simply not the case. I'm excited to keep helping tomorrow; I'm excited to keep learning. It's easy to say that ASB is a great way to help people. Call me selfish, but it's also a great way to better yourself.
Tuesday, March 27: Shingle girl's dreams come true
Once upon a time, way back in September, a little college freshman girl was asked why she wanted to build houses for her first Alternative Spring Break at Mizzou. She wrote:
Shingle Girl--that was my alter ego this past summer when my friend asked me to help his family do some roofing. When I initially arrived, I was thrilled and wanted to pick up a hammer and start roofing away at the first thing I saw. What sorts of things 'roofing' actually entailed, I had no idea…
And so, hammer, hard hat, and some sort of scraper thingy in hand, I'd been all set to go and tackle this roof…but then (probably in reaction to how excitedly I was waving that scraper-thingy around), someone very quietly suggested that perhaps, just perhaps, I should be in charge of picking up the shingles that the real roofers knocked onto the ground. All seven zillion pieces. And so Shingle Girl reluctantly came to be.
This spring, my top choice for ASB is to work with Habitat for Humanity. While being Shingle Girl was fulfilling its own way (I mean, those shingles weren't going to pick themselves up, up you know) I would love to learn a few tips and tricks in construction as part of serving, too…In the end, sure, it's nice to make a check out to the United Way or drop a few coins in the red Salvation Army bucket come Christmas time, but how much more meaningful would it be to give back by literally putting a roof over someone's head?
Only six months later, Shingle Girl found herself wielding a nail gun in one hand and a stack of tar shingles in the other as she balanced on a scaffolding (if you could call a piece of metal strapped to two ladders "scaffolding") that rested at the edge of a 100-ft-long roof.
Folks, it was the time of her life.
Forget about blazing Alabama sun and early wake-up time ("So this is what 7 a.m. looks like…). The Tuesday of the 2012 Tuscaloosa Alternative Spring Break trip had Chelsea, Ashley, Brian, Heather, Patrick and Shingle Girl back on the roof at Bull Slough Road, working to finish the previous day's work.
It wasn't all just shingling (especially if "shingling" isn't an actual, uh, word), though. We learned to use, load, and try not to drop the nail guns. We learned to have wasp spray (and back-up wasp spray) on hand in case The Great Alabama Waspicide of 2012 had to take place. We learned to scale roofs and place our trust in little 2 x 4 board supports that our own hands had nailed together.
We learned to put up drip edge, staple on a starter sheet, and ignore the fact that at the slightest shake of the ladder, however "unintentional" (cough, Patrick, cough), we could easily fall off the scaffolding and plummet to our deaths. Or at least to a very messy heap on the shingle pile on the ground.
But even that fate wasn't all that scary—not when the our fellow volunteers and ground crew, United Methodist relief volunteers from North Carolina, were ready to catch us, stuff pecan rolls and cake down our throats, and smother us with their Jamaican/Southern accented love at a moment's notice.
In the end, we weren't able to finish the entire roof. It was just too hot to work with the tar shingles any longer, so we had to bid the United Methodist group and Bill, the roof's owner/electrician/grandfather-extraordinaire) good-bye at around 1:30 p.m. We wouldn't get to see Bill's roof to completion, but judging from the chalk-line streaks and semi-smug smiles all six of us had as we discussed "roof talk" on the celebratory ride to Sonic, it wouldn't be long before we'd find the next chance to bust out our new roofing skillz. Yes,
Trust me. Shingle Girl herself can't - freaking - wait to get her hands on a nail gun again.
I Love Being Tired!
Thursday March 29th, 2012
Adam
Tired. There are so many different ways one can become tired. Usually, whenever I wake up in the morning, I think to myself, if I could just get like 15 more minutes of sleep, I won't be so tired. Sometimes, whenever I get done with a really good work out, my body has such a full and all-encompassing feeling of fatigue that it literally just shuts off on me the first chance it gets. My brain becomes exhausted at just the simple thought of a long night of studying for a Monday morning filled with three mid-terms followed by six hours of work.
Today, as I write this blog posting at 9:03p.m. after a day full of painting, hammering, playing, running, chowing, and laughing, however cheesy and sixteen-year-old emo girl this sound, my heart and soul are both unmistakably worn out. Not only did I get a chance to relish in the great feeling it was to finish a lot of work on a house we have dedicated 200+ hours to as a group over this past week; not only did I get to relive my childhood by playing and teaching 2nd/3rd graders and having a blast do it; not only did I get to play ultimate Frisbee and eat lasagna and ice cream with 11 other awesome new friends I have made IN ALABAMA; but I got to do it all on my spring break.
How many other kids at my age can say that they accomplished all of that during their spring break, let alone in one day like I did? Although my body is drained from working outside all day, running around with kids with more energy than the Energizer bunny himself, and playing sports for a few hours after we got back, there is nothing more than I want to do right now than spend time with the people who I have gotten to know better than I would have ever thought over the past week (even though I only have 34 more pages to go in book one of The Hunger Games!).
But the thing that really excites me so much about experiencing this class of tired is that I absolutely love the feeling that it brings me at the end of the day. Partying it up for five days in PCB could not even hold a candle to raking glass and rubble out of a field, climbing wobbly ladders with buckets of paint, conquering the art of roofing with no prior experience, helping worthy local citizens with their troubles, playing with neighborhood school children, and getting to know humbling and awesome new people and friends.
So, as we go into our free day, I look forward to relaxing a bit for a few days, knowing full well that I know how much I loved that feeling of tired that I experienced through ASB, and how much I know it will make me want it even more in the future. As I go back to Mizzou, back to my exhausting and disgustingly busy schedule full of work, back to my boring lecture halls and tedious homework assignments and papers, back to trying to find some whim of a social life, and back to getting by day by day with that feeling of exhaustion that you get at the end of any long day, I will know at the end of those days that I really packed it in this week and earned that tired feeling over my Alternative Spring Break.
Thursday March 29th, 2012
Caity
I have been hearing about spring break plans since we arrived to school in August. Living in a sorority house on campus lends itself to hearing of spring break on a pretty regular basis. Invitations flood from sisters everywhere wanting to caravan down to a tropical, beachy destination such as PCB or Cancun. That really isn't my scene, so when I the Alternative Spring Break applications opened up, I knew that is how I wanted to spend my break. I come from a very fix-it-yourself household, so I am no stranger to putting up drywall, painting walls and putting in wood floors. I was excited to get to go to Alabama to help with tornado relief and put my skills to use. After cleaning up debris on our first day, our group split up. One group would conquer roofing a house and the other group would fix up a low-income home.
I found myself that day scraping paint off of a wood floor for hours and painting the back porch of a house that previously had no railings and rotting wood. I am not going to lie, I was a little disappointed that I would not get to do the hard grunt work that the other group would get to experience on the roof of a building (what I had been training for my whole life as I held ladders for my dad). I had a major reality check coming my way.
My favorite part of this trip so far has been spending time with the 11 other wonderful people who I have been able to share this experience with. Every evening we spend time reflecting on our day and talking about everything from culture to education to frisbee to politics and everything in between. It was during one of these talks that my reality check hit me. We were discussing the importance of the work we were doing, and I remained quiet as the other members of my trip were vocal about how important the little things are. We talked about how the little things are the building blocks for bigger things; we discussed how doing the little things now meant that someone would not have to do them later. This was nothing new to me. I realized I was making a difference, but what I didn't realize is how big of a difference.
By painting that porch, not only were we giving that house a more attractive exterior, but I was providing that family with so much more. People in Alabama seem to live on their porch. They welcome people on their porch, they drink tea on their porch, and their children play on their porch. By making this deck safe and sturdy, we were providing a clean and welcoming entrance to this house. We were giving the little girl in the family an open safe place to do her homework or play with friends. This has a bigger impact than I think I realized. We discussed in our reflections about how awful the low-income cycle is, and I think that we did our part this week to help and break that cycle, even if it was just a drop in the bucket. I can happily say that I have never been more satisfied doing that work now, and I am going to be terribly sad to see the end of this trip.
Thursday March 29th, 2012
Ashley Massow
We've spent the whole semester focusing on Spring Break - the wonderful one-week hiatus from our hellish daily grind - and bamalah-wamalah-jamalah it's over. This always happens, doesn't it? You spend a massive amount of time planning for something that is over in the blink of an eye...but it is again true that I have completely lost myself in this week. Maybe it's because I turned off my phone this week, but it was wonderful to have nothing on my mind but the task at hand. I felt so present. Though the week has blown by, there's something that is lasting about the moments that have defined my week.
Day 1: After the long car ride we were eager to get out and make a difference. We went to the Volunteer Resource Center (VRC) located about a block of 15th street – the heart of tornado damage. A few frat boys, signed waivers, and porta-potty stops, and we were on our way to clear debris.
I cleared debris the week prior in Joplin, but this was so much different. We took on the task whole-heartedly and accomplished it efficiently. It was an amazing feeling to be among people who wanted to be there and cared about getting the job done right. I was excited for the week.
But that's something rare in a volunteer. Passion like that is lost. Volunteers are notorious for showing up late and leaving early, being lazy, and working at a slow pace…not us.
Day 2: B-squared! A good dog is a good omen. Looking back on the week this was my least favorite day of work, but one I will cherish because I met a dog who was 'da best. I spent most of my day cleaning paint off of a wooden floor, but I wasn't at all upset about it. In fact, I threw myself into the task used the time to reflect while scraping white paint off the wood grain with my thumbnail.
Again, I really think it's rare to find people who are as willing and excited to clean paint off of a floor as we were.
Day 3: Deborah. Deborah was our first southern belle. She was wonderful and made us homemade ice cream. She owns a few homes in low-income areas that she rents out. I believe that renting homes is her sole means of income besides collecting disability. The house needs a lot of work and she only has 3 weeks to do it before her insurance runs out.
Working on Deborah's home is sometimes frustrating, but very fulfilling. She is so thankful for everything we have done. I use ideas to drive myself through the frustration. In this case I thought about the fact that frustration is temporary for us, but this is a reality for Deborah and other residents of Tuscaloosa…this is their frustrating every day.
Day 4: Dungeon deck. On Wednesday we worked with Project Blessings on a house that is going to be donated to a family who lost their home in the April 2011 tornado. This house is amazing! I hope I have the means to live in an old house with that much character when I am older.
Anyways, I was on the dungeon crew and we worked on building a 12-inch high platform in the 5-foot crawl space that the future residents can use for storage. Who knew I could handle carpentry. Carpentry is simple math, but frustrating nonetheless. It was awesome to work as a team to figure out our little puzzle, and this was probably the most enjoyable day of work.
Day 5: More dungeon and more Deborah. On the fifth day we continued the platform farther into the crawl space. We had to build the base ourselves, which was quite a task. We did it! We were all so confident and worked together. I was so proud of the final project and it was an amazing feeling. Let's just say, I can now say I'm good with a hammer and nail.
At 2:00 we left the Project Blessing house and went to work for Deborah again. She had come across a Habitat for Humanity house that was willing to give her all of its left over lumber. She was so excited about this amazing find, and we were too. But it was frustrating because she needed so much more help that just moving lumber. I was glad to help though because I know she would have been out until midnight transporting lumber and organizing it if we weren't there to help.
What was exceptional about our group is the desire to finish what we start. No one ever complained, and we stayed late every day.
Though we didn't build a house from the ground up this week, I think we did something much greater. The people of Tuscaloosa don't necessarily need another new house on the block…they need people who care, and a helping hand. In that respect, I feel that our service here surpassed my expectations. And though we were just 12 people serving 5 days, we had an impact.
I will continue to argue that the small drops in the bucket makes a difference, and this week we left 12 fat and juicy drops in the bucket of Tuscaloosa.
See you during football season, 'bama!
Bryan Jochems
This has not been my first service trip experience, and it is very unlikely to be my last, but there are several components of this Alternative Spring Break trip to Tuscaloosa, AL that have made it extremely memorable. First of all, the eleven other Mizzou students that have joined me on this experience have been nothing short of amazing. From an eleven hour car ride filled with one spectacular Game of Things, to some amazing games of sand volleyball, to realizing through our work experience that each and everyone here is one ridiculously hard and efficient worker, I have been lucky to form eleven friendships that continue to strengthen as the week goes along. The nights of reflection we have as a group are always very enlightening and interesting! We begin with questions meant to build are group dynamic, such as last nights question of "what was your dream job as a young child and what is your current dream job?" Yet, the reflections soon delve into topics such as racism in current day America, American education, or cycles of inequality in America, discussions which I believe really unite us as a group. Yet, all twelve of us are brought together for a trip meant to help a town recover from a devastating tornado that occurred almost one whole year ago.
And that brings me to the second memorable component of this trip, my experience of helping the town of Tuscaloosa. This has not been my first experience helping with tornado recovery, as I spent several days in Joplin, MO over this previous Thanksgiving break. However, there is something about the town of Tuscaloosa and the work I have been contributing the past three days that have raised my spirits and ignited within me a passion that I have very rarely felt before. I usually begin each morning with a short jog, averaging right around 6 miles, and as I traverse the streets of Northport, AL, a suburb of Tuscaloosa, the southern hospitality and friendliness of the people here is so present and so invigorating. This spirit of helpfulness and welcoming is felt at our service sites as Mizzou students work alongside community members doing their part in rebuilding the city. It was so nice to see that on our first day of work, a fraternity from the University of Alabama was also volunteering their time to help the city recover, and seemed very excited to see students from the University of Missouri chip in as well. The work experiences I have had thus far have been unique, from cleaning up debris from the site of what used to be a house, finding remnants of the belongings of the people that used to call the now bare space home, to literally nailing shingles on the side of the roof of a house, with just a small two by four standing between me and a 12 foot drop off the roof, to painting the side of a house while standing 12 feet up on a ladder. I must admit, my lack of a fear of heights has come in handy on this trip! I can see the progress being made and the difference I have on the services sites I have worked on thus far, and that is so rewarding for me.
The final component of this trip that has made it something special is the retreat site. Nestled away in a nature camp beside a lake, Camp Tuscoba has been the perfect place for this Alternative Spring Break Trip. With activities abounding, reflection spaces all around, and a nostalgic campy feeling, I have enjoyed and appreciated my time spent at this site. The chance to interact with Alternative Spring Break members from Sonoma State University in California has also been some spice added to our trip. With our trip just passing the half-way point, part of me wants to stay here in this city, doing this work for months. However, as each day goes by, and as each experience develops me as a person, and I can't help but take each moment in, take each memory in, and be grateful that amongst eleven of my newest friends, I can have one amazing Spring Break experience spending my time helping a city rebuild.
Carpentry Extraordinaire
Kia Farhang
When I was very little, my family moved into an old, beat-up house in Minneapolis. At best it was a dump, at worst it was a disaster zone. There are tons of home videos of my dad and his friends fixing the place up, and, while it was small, after a few months our cozy little home was…actually cozy.
I've always had a lot of respect for people who take care of themselves. It saddens me that there are members of my generation who cannot change a tire or cook a meal. So I will admit that half of the reason I signed up for Alternative Spring Break was to get some good, old-fashioned carpentry experience.
On Tuesday I got what I signed up for. I spent the day working for Deborah, a spunky little lady who made us ice cream on our breaks. My group was assigned to everything from pulling up floorboards, mowing the lawn, and boarding up windows.
At the risk of sounding like an old man, nothing feels better than a solid day's work. Though we didn't make as much visual progress as we would have liked on Deborah's house, the difference was in the details. I can attest to picking up several little tricks that I plan on using around the house – because now, of course, I feel completely qualified to renovate mine.
Roughly halfway through spring break, I'm having no regrets. I worried that, around this time, I would be sick of the work and ready to party. But so far that's simply not the case. I'm excited to keep helping tomorrow; I'm excited to keep learning. It's easy to say that ASB is a great way to help people. Call me selfish, but it's also a great way to better yourself.
Tuesday, March 27: Shingle girl's dreams come true
Once upon a time, way back in September, a little college freshman girl was asked why she wanted to build houses for her first Alternative Spring Break at Mizzou. She wrote:
Shingle Girl--that was my alter ego this past summer when my friend asked me to help his family do some roofing. When I initially arrived, I was thrilled and wanted to pick up a hammer and start roofing away at the first thing I saw. What sorts of things 'roofing' actually entailed, I had no idea…
And so, hammer, hard hat, and some sort of scraper thingy in hand, I'd been all set to go and tackle this roof…but then (probably in reaction to how excitedly I was waving that scraper-thingy around), someone very quietly suggested that perhaps, just perhaps, I should be in charge of picking up the shingles that the real roofers knocked onto the ground. All seven zillion pieces. And so Shingle Girl reluctantly came to be.
This spring, my top choice for ASB is to work with Habitat for Humanity. While being Shingle Girl was fulfilling its own way (I mean, those shingles weren't going to pick themselves up, up you know) I would love to learn a few tips and tricks in construction as part of serving, too…In the end, sure, it's nice to make a check out to the United Way or drop a few coins in the red Salvation Army bucket come Christmas time, but how much more meaningful would it be to give back by literally putting a roof over someone's head?
Only six months later, Shingle Girl found herself wielding a nail gun in one hand and a stack of tar shingles in the other as she balanced on a scaffolding (if you could call a piece of metal strapped to two ladders "scaffolding") that rested at the edge of a 100-ft-long roof.
Folks, it was the time of her life.
Forget about blazing Alabama sun and early wake-up time ("So this is what 7 a.m. looks like…). The Tuesday of the 2012 Tuscaloosa Alternative Spring Break trip had Chelsea, Ashley, Brian, Heather, Patrick and Shingle Girl back on the roof at Bull Slough Road, working to finish the previous day's work.
It wasn't all just shingling (especially if "shingling" isn't an actual, uh, word), though. We learned to use, load, and try not to drop the nail guns. We learned to have wasp spray (and back-up wasp spray) on hand in case The Great Alabama Waspicide of 2012 had to take place. We learned to scale roofs and place our trust in little 2 x 4 board supports that our own hands had nailed together.
We learned to put up drip edge, staple on a starter sheet, and ignore the fact that at the slightest shake of the ladder, however "unintentional" (cough, Patrick, cough), we could easily fall off the scaffolding and plummet to our deaths. Or at least to a very messy heap on the shingle pile on the ground.
But even that fate wasn't all that scary—not when the our fellow volunteers and ground crew, United Methodist relief volunteers from North Carolina, were ready to catch us, stuff pecan rolls and cake down our throats, and smother us with their Jamaican/Southern accented love at a moment's notice.
In the end, we weren't able to finish the entire roof. It was just too hot to work with the tar shingles any longer, so we had to bid the United Methodist group and Bill, the roof's owner/electrician/grandfather-extraordinaire) good-bye at around 1:30 p.m. We wouldn't get to see Bill's roof to completion, but judging from the chalk-line streaks and semi-smug smiles all six of us had as we discussed "roof talk" on the celebratory ride to Sonic, it wouldn't be long before we'd find the next chance to bust out our new roofing skillz. Yes,
Trust me. Shingle Girl herself can't - freaking - wait to get her hands on a nail gun again.
I Love Being Tired!
Thursday March 29th, 2012
Adam
Tired. There are so many different ways one can become tired. Usually, whenever I wake up in the morning, I think to myself, if I could just get like 15 more minutes of sleep, I won't be so tired. Sometimes, whenever I get done with a really good work out, my body has such a full and all-encompassing feeling of fatigue that it literally just shuts off on me the first chance it gets. My brain becomes exhausted at just the simple thought of a long night of studying for a Monday morning filled with three mid-terms followed by six hours of work.
Today, as I write this blog posting at 9:03p.m. after a day full of painting, hammering, playing, running, chowing, and laughing, however cheesy and sixteen-year-old emo girl this sound, my heart and soul are both unmistakably worn out. Not only did I get a chance to relish in the great feeling it was to finish a lot of work on a house we have dedicated 200+ hours to as a group over this past week; not only did I get to relive my childhood by playing and teaching 2nd/3rd graders and having a blast do it; not only did I get to play ultimate Frisbee and eat lasagna and ice cream with 11 other awesome new friends I have made IN ALABAMA; but I got to do it all on my spring break.
How many other kids at my age can say that they accomplished all of that during their spring break, let alone in one day like I did? Although my body is drained from working outside all day, running around with kids with more energy than the Energizer bunny himself, and playing sports for a few hours after we got back, there is nothing more than I want to do right now than spend time with the people who I have gotten to know better than I would have ever thought over the past week (even though I only have 34 more pages to go in book one of The Hunger Games!).
But the thing that really excites me so much about experiencing this class of tired is that I absolutely love the feeling that it brings me at the end of the day. Partying it up for five days in PCB could not even hold a candle to raking glass and rubble out of a field, climbing wobbly ladders with buckets of paint, conquering the art of roofing with no prior experience, helping worthy local citizens with their troubles, playing with neighborhood school children, and getting to know humbling and awesome new people and friends.
So, as we go into our free day, I look forward to relaxing a bit for a few days, knowing full well that I know how much I loved that feeling of tired that I experienced through ASB, and how much I know it will make me want it even more in the future. As I go back to Mizzou, back to my exhausting and disgustingly busy schedule full of work, back to my boring lecture halls and tedious homework assignments and papers, back to trying to find some whim of a social life, and back to getting by day by day with that feeling of exhaustion that you get at the end of any long day, I will know at the end of those days that I really packed it in this week and earned that tired feeling over my Alternative Spring Break.
Thursday March 29th, 2012
Caity
I have been hearing about spring break plans since we arrived to school in August. Living in a sorority house on campus lends itself to hearing of spring break on a pretty regular basis. Invitations flood from sisters everywhere wanting to caravan down to a tropical, beachy destination such as PCB or Cancun. That really isn't my scene, so when I the Alternative Spring Break applications opened up, I knew that is how I wanted to spend my break. I come from a very fix-it-yourself household, so I am no stranger to putting up drywall, painting walls and putting in wood floors. I was excited to get to go to Alabama to help with tornado relief and put my skills to use. After cleaning up debris on our first day, our group split up. One group would conquer roofing a house and the other group would fix up a low-income home.
I found myself that day scraping paint off of a wood floor for hours and painting the back porch of a house that previously had no railings and rotting wood. I am not going to lie, I was a little disappointed that I would not get to do the hard grunt work that the other group would get to experience on the roof of a building (what I had been training for my whole life as I held ladders for my dad). I had a major reality check coming my way.
My favorite part of this trip so far has been spending time with the 11 other wonderful people who I have been able to share this experience with. Every evening we spend time reflecting on our day and talking about everything from culture to education to frisbee to politics and everything in between. It was during one of these talks that my reality check hit me. We were discussing the importance of the work we were doing, and I remained quiet as the other members of my trip were vocal about how important the little things are. We talked about how the little things are the building blocks for bigger things; we discussed how doing the little things now meant that someone would not have to do them later. This was nothing new to me. I realized I was making a difference, but what I didn't realize is how big of a difference.
By painting that porch, not only were we giving that house a more attractive exterior, but I was providing that family with so much more. People in Alabama seem to live on their porch. They welcome people on their porch, they drink tea on their porch, and their children play on their porch. By making this deck safe and sturdy, we were providing a clean and welcoming entrance to this house. We were giving the little girl in the family an open safe place to do her homework or play with friends. This has a bigger impact than I think I realized. We discussed in our reflections about how awful the low-income cycle is, and I think that we did our part this week to help and break that cycle, even if it was just a drop in the bucket. I can happily say that I have never been more satisfied doing that work now, and I am going to be terribly sad to see the end of this trip.
Thursday March 29th, 2012
Ashley Massow
We've spent the whole semester focusing on Spring Break - the wonderful one-week hiatus from our hellish daily grind - and bamalah-wamalah-jamalah it's over. This always happens, doesn't it? You spend a massive amount of time planning for something that is over in the blink of an eye...but it is again true that I have completely lost myself in this week. Maybe it's because I turned off my phone this week, but it was wonderful to have nothing on my mind but the task at hand. I felt so present. Though the week has blown by, there's something that is lasting about the moments that have defined my week.
Day 1: After the long car ride we were eager to get out and make a difference. We went to the Volunteer Resource Center (VRC) located about a block of 15th street – the heart of tornado damage. A few frat boys, signed waivers, and porta-potty stops, and we were on our way to clear debris.
I cleared debris the week prior in Joplin, but this was so much different. We took on the task whole-heartedly and accomplished it efficiently. It was an amazing feeling to be among people who wanted to be there and cared about getting the job done right. I was excited for the week.
But that's something rare in a volunteer. Passion like that is lost. Volunteers are notorious for showing up late and leaving early, being lazy, and working at a slow pace…not us.
Day 2: B-squared! A good dog is a good omen. Looking back on the week this was my least favorite day of work, but one I will cherish because I met a dog who was 'da best. I spent most of my day cleaning paint off of a wooden floor, but I wasn't at all upset about it. In fact, I threw myself into the task used the time to reflect while scraping white paint off the wood grain with my thumbnail.
Again, I really think it's rare to find people who are as willing and excited to clean paint off of a floor as we were.
Day 3: Deborah. Deborah was our first southern belle. She was wonderful and made us homemade ice cream. She owns a few homes in low-income areas that she rents out. I believe that renting homes is her sole means of income besides collecting disability. The house needs a lot of work and she only has 3 weeks to do it before her insurance runs out.
Working on Deborah's home is sometimes frustrating, but very fulfilling. She is so thankful for everything we have done. I use ideas to drive myself through the frustration. In this case I thought about the fact that frustration is temporary for us, but this is a reality for Deborah and other residents of Tuscaloosa…this is their frustrating every day.
Day 4: Dungeon deck. On Wednesday we worked with Project Blessings on a house that is going to be donated to a family who lost their home in the April 2011 tornado. This house is amazing! I hope I have the means to live in an old house with that much character when I am older.
Anyways, I was on the dungeon crew and we worked on building a 12-inch high platform in the 5-foot crawl space that the future residents can use for storage. Who knew I could handle carpentry. Carpentry is simple math, but frustrating nonetheless. It was awesome to work as a team to figure out our little puzzle, and this was probably the most enjoyable day of work.
Day 5: More dungeon and more Deborah. On the fifth day we continued the platform farther into the crawl space. We had to build the base ourselves, which was quite a task. We did it! We were all so confident and worked together. I was so proud of the final project and it was an amazing feeling. Let's just say, I can now say I'm good with a hammer and nail.
At 2:00 we left the Project Blessing house and went to work for Deborah again. She had come across a Habitat for Humanity house that was willing to give her all of its left over lumber. She was so excited about this amazing find, and we were too. But it was frustrating because she needed so much more help that just moving lumber. I was glad to help though because I know she would have been out until midnight transporting lumber and organizing it if we weren't there to help.
What was exceptional about our group is the desire to finish what we start. No one ever complained, and we stayed late every day.
Though we didn't build a house from the ground up this week, I think we did something much greater. The people of Tuscaloosa don't necessarily need another new house on the block…they need people who care, and a helping hand. In that respect, I feel that our service here surpassed my expectations. And though we were just 12 people serving 5 days, we had an impact.
I will continue to argue that the small drops in the bucket makes a difference, and this week we left 12 fat and juicy drops in the bucket of Tuscaloosa.
See you during football season, 'bama!
Joplin-Reconstruction
Early morning wake up call! Today we went AmeriCorps to help pick up debris that had been displaced by the tornado throughout cattle fields. We moved trees off of fences and helped set the stage for future construction. A shocking amount of shingles, glass, and Styrofoam had been strewn thousands of feet away from the nearest building. In the afternoon we helped clear brush from behind several homes. The area was thick with poison oak and poison ivy, so everyone was careful to avoid it as much as possible. Thankfully no one was affected to badly and we all survived. For dinner we had tacos and cookie cake for Jay's 21st birthday. Everyone was exhausted so we decided to relax and watch The Muppets. Few of us made it through the movie, as the night's sweet embrace beckoned us to sleep.
-Jeff & Jay
Day Five in Joplin – Thursday March 29, 2012
Team ASB Joplin moved out early in the morning to receive our assignment for the day. We were assigned to clean up debris and rocks at a lot not too far from the office itself. At first, the team was fairly disheartened because we had spent the entirety of the day prior working with rocks as well. Rocks on rocks on rocks on rocks on rocks. However, we, as a group, know that we are here volunteering not for ourselves but for the community of good ole' Joplin, Missouri. Instead of complaining to the AmeriCorps officials about the work (like a group ahead of us did) we chose to persevere and work hard. Obtaining a source of music was suggested by a few members of the group and with 90's Pop blasting at the work site, work flew by in a flash.
The work we were assigned to complete was fairly difficult. Clear rocks, cement blocks, roots and other miscellaneous debris using a variety of tools including but not limited to: rakes, shovels and garden claws. Debris clearing and rehabilitation of the land is essential in Joplin to foster an environment where future growth in housing and real estate can occur.
At the end of the day, after an amazing homemade stir-fry dinner, the ASB Joplin Family put together a bonfire (with s'mores of course). Like we had in the past the members were each asked to tell something about themselves that the others did not already know and we all realized that not only were the members simply more comfortable around each other, in comparison to the first meeting, but we all trusted each other. We are all so very lucky to have met each other and it's remarkable that so many strangers could become such fantastic friends.
Alternative Spring Break is an amazing program that allows individuals to create a team that can truly and positively impact the lives of others. Let's Go Joplin MO!
- Hai
-Jeff & Jay
Day Five in Joplin – Thursday March 29, 2012
Team ASB Joplin moved out early in the morning to receive our assignment for the day. We were assigned to clean up debris and rocks at a lot not too far from the office itself. At first, the team was fairly disheartened because we had spent the entirety of the day prior working with rocks as well. Rocks on rocks on rocks on rocks on rocks. However, we, as a group, know that we are here volunteering not for ourselves but for the community of good ole' Joplin, Missouri. Instead of complaining to the AmeriCorps officials about the work (like a group ahead of us did) we chose to persevere and work hard. Obtaining a source of music was suggested by a few members of the group and with 90's Pop blasting at the work site, work flew by in a flash.
The work we were assigned to complete was fairly difficult. Clear rocks, cement blocks, roots and other miscellaneous debris using a variety of tools including but not limited to: rakes, shovels and garden claws. Debris clearing and rehabilitation of the land is essential in Joplin to foster an environment where future growth in housing and real estate can occur.
At the end of the day, after an amazing homemade stir-fry dinner, the ASB Joplin Family put together a bonfire (with s'mores of course). Like we had in the past the members were each asked to tell something about themselves that the others did not already know and we all realized that not only were the members simply more comfortable around each other, in comparison to the first meeting, but we all trusted each other. We are all so very lucky to have met each other and it's remarkable that so many strangers could become such fantastic friends.
Alternative Spring Break is an amazing program that allows individuals to create a team that can truly and positively impact the lives of others. Let's Go Joplin MO!
- Hai
New Orleans--Homelessness and Poverty
Yesterday, we finished up at Love in Action Outreach. It was nice to see all of the people we were able to help and the overwhelming response we got from those that we helped. People were so appreciative and it was wonderful. We also volunteered with the New Orleans Art Museum by mulching and weeding.
Today was our last day of work here in New Orleans. We went back to Beacon of Hope and got to see the progress that had been done on the house throughout the week. We also enjoyed walking around the sculpture park together and experiencing crawfish together. The worst part of today was seeing all of the kU fans swarm into New Orleans for the Final Four. Overall, we are all baffled by the fact that it was months ago that we received emails about being chosen for the trip, and the trip ends tonight. As this has gone on, we have become friends committed in service to New Orleans. Only this group of twelve people will ever understand the magnitude of the work we have done and the unique experiences we have each had. We have had a week that cannot be described in words, but will always be a part of each member on this trip.
Today was our last day of work here in New Orleans. We went back to Beacon of Hope and got to see the progress that had been done on the house throughout the week. We also enjoyed walking around the sculpture park together and experiencing crawfish together. The worst part of today was seeing all of the kU fans swarm into New Orleans for the Final Four. Overall, we are all baffled by the fact that it was months ago that we received emails about being chosen for the trip, and the trip ends tonight. As this has gone on, we have become friends committed in service to New Orleans. Only this group of twelve people will ever understand the magnitude of the work we have done and the unique experiences we have each had. We have had a week that cannot be described in words, but will always be a part of each member on this trip.
Jonesville - Poverty
Today was the last day of our work here in Virginia with the Appalachia Service Project. Reflecting on our time spent here, it's hard to believe that it was only a week.
Months ago, the 12 of us received our emails alerting us that we were selected for Alternative Spring Break and that we would be rebuilding homes in Jonesville, Virginia. Immediately, I Googled "Jonesville, Virginia" and up popped the shortest Wikipedia page I have ever seen. It seemed as if the most interesting thing on the page was information on the state penitentiary…which wasn't even in the town. I can honestly say that at that point, the excitement that I had built up began to slightly diminish (it diminished even more when I found out that the 12 of us had to shove into one van).
A few weeks later, we began to meet on a weekly basis to plan our trip to Virginia. For most of the group, it was the first time that we had met each other. Many of us were timid and didn't say much in order to get a feel for the rest of the group.
As the trip came closer, we learned more about the area that we were planning on traveling to. We were read facts about Jonesville and the Appalachia area. We heard about the poverty and the poor standards of living, but none of this prepared us for what we were really getting to experience.
Our very first day of work, we showed up to a home in what I thought was the middle of nowhere. The homeowners were not there at the moment, so none of our immediate reactions were muffled. The floor needed tiles, an exterior wall needed insulation and drywall, and there were mentions of a "crawlspace"… which I wanted absolutely nothing to do with.
After the initial shock of what lay ahead of us, we all got down to business. Soon enough, the homeowner came home and that was when things got really interesting. Between the vulgar yells and dirty jokes that left the homeowner's mouth, none of us could stop laughing—whether it was because we felt awkward or because we couldn't believe our ears, we were still laughing.
As the week went on, we became closer to the family that lived in the home. We got to know their girls and heard their stories. During this time, we also learned a lot about the other participants and even ourselves.
Within the first hours of being on site, Omar immediately began second guessing the medical degree that he was pursuing and wanted to learn everything he could about building, carpentry, and most importantly, power tools. I learned that I am not that bad at tiling…which was quite the surprise. (Sorry, Dad. I still don't want to tile the basement bathroom for you…). Keenen definitely surprised us the most, as he knew how to do just about, uh, everything. Though these days were incredibly long, tiring, and often times very smelly, we had a blast.
Everyday we spent the car ride to the site dancing to incredibly loud music, but managed to get it together just in time. In the afternoons, we got hot, tired, smelly, sweaty, crabby, and fought like siblings, but after the van was packed at the end of the day, we were all back to the same happy go-lucky feeling that we started the day out with.
Throughout the week, we played in sewage, met local celebrities, karaoke-ed, made contact with electric fences and mules (at the same time). It only makes sense that after all of that, we became a small family. A small family that may be slightly dysfunctional, but still have an unconditional love for one another.
- Erin Gaertner
Months ago, the 12 of us received our emails alerting us that we were selected for Alternative Spring Break and that we would be rebuilding homes in Jonesville, Virginia. Immediately, I Googled "Jonesville, Virginia" and up popped the shortest Wikipedia page I have ever seen. It seemed as if the most interesting thing on the page was information on the state penitentiary…which wasn't even in the town. I can honestly say that at that point, the excitement that I had built up began to slightly diminish (it diminished even more when I found out that the 12 of us had to shove into one van).
A few weeks later, we began to meet on a weekly basis to plan our trip to Virginia. For most of the group, it was the first time that we had met each other. Many of us were timid and didn't say much in order to get a feel for the rest of the group.
As the trip came closer, we learned more about the area that we were planning on traveling to. We were read facts about Jonesville and the Appalachia area. We heard about the poverty and the poor standards of living, but none of this prepared us for what we were really getting to experience.
Our very first day of work, we showed up to a home in what I thought was the middle of nowhere. The homeowners were not there at the moment, so none of our immediate reactions were muffled. The floor needed tiles, an exterior wall needed insulation and drywall, and there were mentions of a "crawlspace"… which I wanted absolutely nothing to do with.
After the initial shock of what lay ahead of us, we all got down to business. Soon enough, the homeowner came home and that was when things got really interesting. Between the vulgar yells and dirty jokes that left the homeowner's mouth, none of us could stop laughing—whether it was because we felt awkward or because we couldn't believe our ears, we were still laughing.
As the week went on, we became closer to the family that lived in the home. We got to know their girls and heard their stories. During this time, we also learned a lot about the other participants and even ourselves.
Within the first hours of being on site, Omar immediately began second guessing the medical degree that he was pursuing and wanted to learn everything he could about building, carpentry, and most importantly, power tools. I learned that I am not that bad at tiling…which was quite the surprise. (Sorry, Dad. I still don't want to tile the basement bathroom for you…). Keenen definitely surprised us the most, as he knew how to do just about, uh, everything. Though these days were incredibly long, tiring, and often times very smelly, we had a blast.
Everyday we spent the car ride to the site dancing to incredibly loud music, but managed to get it together just in time. In the afternoons, we got hot, tired, smelly, sweaty, crabby, and fought like siblings, but after the van was packed at the end of the day, we were all back to the same happy go-lucky feeling that we started the day out with.
Throughout the week, we played in sewage, met local celebrities, karaoke-ed, made contact with electric fences and mules (at the same time). It only makes sense that after all of that, we became a small family. A small family that may be slightly dysfunctional, but still have an unconditional love for one another.
- Erin Gaertner
Chicago-Women's Issues
3/30/12
Terrible weather and a lack of motivation resulted in a somewhat productive day of cleaning our quarters. Our efforts were mostly futile as the cleaning is never actually done. Lunch came and seemingly never left. Food led to naps, and naps led to the end of a long work day (approximately 4 hours). Some people went for a walk, some for a jog, and some watched Breaking Bad. Our more unfortunate members spent the entire afternoon drilling holes in a brick wall with equipment that was less than sound.
The evening brought with it a sense of relief. We celebrated by partaking in some of the local Chicago cuisine . . . Nuevo Leon. We laughed, ate, and sang birthday wishes to the children of strangers, amidst darkness. After briefly considering to cut our evening short, we braved the harsh winds and public transportation to experience the quiet solitude of the Navy Pier. The cool, unforgiving waters were so inviting that one of our members was nearly lost at sea . . . er . . . lake.
I do apologize, dear readers, but I am afraid that our group is stricken with a combination of exhaustion and delirium. Also, that was really all we did today. The trip was a wonderful experience overall. We made a difference. We laughed. We cried. Well, we laughed anyways.
With love and a mass cry of "William Robert!"
ASB Chicago
(Please re-read with Dusty's dramatic Shakespearean voice)
Terrible weather and a lack of motivation resulted in a somewhat productive day of cleaning our quarters. Our efforts were mostly futile as the cleaning is never actually done. Lunch came and seemingly never left. Food led to naps, and naps led to the end of a long work day (approximately 4 hours). Some people went for a walk, some for a jog, and some watched Breaking Bad. Our more unfortunate members spent the entire afternoon drilling holes in a brick wall with equipment that was less than sound.
The evening brought with it a sense of relief. We celebrated by partaking in some of the local Chicago cuisine . . . Nuevo Leon. We laughed, ate, and sang birthday wishes to the children of strangers, amidst darkness. After briefly considering to cut our evening short, we braved the harsh winds and public transportation to experience the quiet solitude of the Navy Pier. The cool, unforgiving waters were so inviting that one of our members was nearly lost at sea . . . er . . . lake.
I do apologize, dear readers, but I am afraid that our group is stricken with a combination of exhaustion and delirium. Also, that was really all we did today. The trip was a wonderful experience overall. We made a difference. We laughed. We cried. Well, we laughed anyways.
With love and a mass cry of "William Robert!"
ASB Chicago
(Please re-read with Dusty's dramatic Shakespearean voice)
Cincinnati-Homelessness
Today we went to the Healing Center to begin our day. While there, we learned about their philosophy. The Healing Center focuses on the whole person. Their facility was impressive. They provide food to guests ever fourteen days and clothing every 30 days. They also focus heavily on the Hispanic community, which is underserved in the Cincinnati area. While there Erica, Nida, Paige, Noel, and Abigail sorted food and gave it out to guests. Charles, Brittni, Theresa, Kristin, and Jaime sorted clothing based upon age and gender. Zach operated machinery to move sorted donations around like a boss. The Healing Center provides assistance to over 6,000 households.
After the Healing Center, we went to Matthew 25 Ministries. Matthew 25 Ministries focuses on helping those displaced from their homes based on a variety of factors. We saw a video talking about the history of Matthew 25 and their mission. We learned about the pallets they send around the world. Matthew 25 Ministries was started in 1990 after a trip to Nicaragua showed the founder immense poverty. Matthew 25 Ministries focuses on recovering excess products, which were deemed no longer useful by companies. While there, we sorted clothes that will be sent abroad to those in need.
We went to Chick-fil-a for dinner and then went to the Cincinnati Cyclones game. The Cyclones are a minor league hockey team. We all got Cyclones shirts and got spirited. We sat around really nice people and even met someone who hated kU! We had a great time cheering on the Cyclones to a victory.
After the Healing Center, we went to Matthew 25 Ministries. Matthew 25 Ministries focuses on helping those displaced from their homes based on a variety of factors. We saw a video talking about the history of Matthew 25 and their mission. We learned about the pallets they send around the world. Matthew 25 Ministries was started in 1990 after a trip to Nicaragua showed the founder immense poverty. Matthew 25 Ministries focuses on recovering excess products, which were deemed no longer useful by companies. While there, we sorted clothes that will be sent abroad to those in need.
We went to Chick-fil-a for dinner and then went to the Cincinnati Cyclones game. The Cyclones are a minor league hockey team. We all got Cyclones shirts and got spirited. We sat around really nice people and even met someone who hated kU! We had a great time cheering on the Cyclones to a victory.
Eagle Butte - Native American, Habitat for Hummanity
Tonight is our last night... Whoah. It seems like just yesterday we were talking about how time crawled by. As Friday came and passed, we completed the roof and window frames of the house addition. The husband and wife we were serving this week, Mary and Ron Blackbird, hosted a BBQ lunch for us as a gesture of thanks. They spoke beforehand and expressed their gratitude for our help in working on their new home. Mary got emotional at the concept of owning a home after living in their trailer for 20 years. Our habitat director, Larry, said that the Blackbirds have always given everything to those who need. It has been an honor to spend time with such amazing people and to give to those who give.
This week can't be summarized into blog posts or tweets. Only this group of twelve people can ever understand the significance and magnitude of the impact we've made here in Eagle Butte and in our own lives. Alternative Spring Break is an amazing and unique experience we'll always look back upon as a time of fond memories, personal growth and inappropriate inside jokes.
This week can't be summarized into blog posts or tweets. Only this group of twelve people can ever understand the significance and magnitude of the impact we've made here in Eagle Butte and in our own lives. Alternative Spring Break is an amazing and unique experience we'll always look back upon as a time of fond memories, personal growth and inappropriate inside jokes.
Murphy-Environment
Well it's been an adventurous and fabulous week. We started the week getting adjusted to North Carolina and embracing the scenic environment with an off-track hike through Fires Creek (vine swinging including). Later that night, we meet Tony and finally learned what exactly invasive plants were and their dangers to the beloved rivers. These suspicious plants would soon be our greatest enemy. Our first day working began at Murphy High School, where we first met privet and things were never the same. Tuesday was filled with a ton of terrible thorns and cuts, puppy breaks, beautiful views, and a lot of dancing; from contra dancing to John Wall-ing--we did it all. Wednesday was The Coalition versus privet forest and we dominated, of course. Later we cooked hot dogs over the fire with The Coalition and of course there was frolicking. Thursday we planted a forest, found a nice place to rest and skipped some rocks, and don't forget about the privets!
And today was our free day and we got some much needed sleep. We made some pancakes with bananas, blueberries and chocolate...delicious! After pancakes, we headed into the mountains to Carolina Outfitters for a very cold, but very adventurous white water rafting trip. We then headed to a little restaurant on the river, which was right off the Appalachian Trail, filled with Appalachian backpackers. Our waitress was the sassiest waitress on this side of the Mississippi and we ate a meal fit for some serious hikers. Then it was time to head back to our wonderful lake house that we have grown to love (and then took a group nap). It's been a great trip; we learned a lot and made some new friends. But the ASB Coalition is off to our final mission…eat all the remaining food in our house (especially all the ice cream…nom..nom..nom)!
And today was our free day and we got some much needed sleep. We made some pancakes with bananas, blueberries and chocolate...delicious! After pancakes, we headed into the mountains to Carolina Outfitters for a very cold, but very adventurous white water rafting trip. We then headed to a little restaurant on the river, which was right off the Appalachian Trail, filled with Appalachian backpackers. Our waitress was the sassiest waitress on this side of the Mississippi and we ate a meal fit for some serious hikers. Then it was time to head back to our wonderful lake house that we have grown to love (and then took a group nap). It's been a great trip; we learned a lot and made some new friends. But the ASB Coalition is off to our final mission…eat all the remaining food in our house (especially all the ice cream…nom..nom..nom)!
Charleston: Children 3/30
Another unforgettable day we started to say good-bye to the organizations we have been working with all week. Adaptive Gardening was difficult to say good-bye to because we have spent so much time with Jodi and the rest of the staff. We are in such gratitude to Jodi and the rest of Adaptive Gardens they taught us so much about gardening, people, patience, and happiness. I hope our paths cross again someday because I owe them so much for the skills that they have taught our entire group during this spectacular week. Patrick and I decided to surprise our group with another day working at WINGS and their faces were priceless when we pulled up to the school. Friday is "Wild WINGS" which is a fun day for the kids where they are able to take what they have learned during the week and apply it through fun activities. It was a great way to end the week and finish our time with WINGS. This week has been such a gift and we are so thankful that we have been able to interact with such unique and caring organizations. ASB has made us aware and has provided us with insight into important social issues that are happening within the Charleston, SC area.
Peace,
ASB Charleston
Peace,
ASB Charleston
Charleston - Children
29 March 2012
After a day of enjoying the best of Charleston we went right back to work. We started out the morning at Adaptive Gardens. This was the first day being there without having a group of kids from a neighboring school there as well. The morning was devoted to helping the farm get ahead on some projects that they would not normally have time to get to. We started 2 new flowerbeds, which was pretty similar to the work we have done the whole week. This required tilling up the ground and uprooting everything in sight. The mosquitoes were out in full force but we battled through it and finished the morning strong. Once these were finished some of the group started planting sunflowers in the new garden beds, while others were transferring Thyme plants to bigger pots. The rest of the morning was spent doing the chores that were normally done by the kids. This included watering all the plants and taking care of the chickens, as well as any other little things that needed to be done for the store. Being the first day there without having to do the work with kids it was definitely different, but it was still a great morning. This was kind of like our time to experience the therapeutic side of the gardening first hand. We got to experience how relaxing it was to just be out on the farm, doing our own thing and being able to relax in the awesome atmosphere while doing it. We got to experience what the kids get to do on a weekly basis.
The afternoon was spent at Charleston Youth Development Center. This was a very unique system that was almost like a foster home. I guess a better way to describe it would be a group home for kids who need to be taken out of a dangerous homes, run a way from home, parents have abandoned them or any other time a child needs a place to stay. The kids may be there for a day, a week, or 3 years. It is different with every kid and situation. At first we got a tour of the entire campus. The campus consisted of several different houses for the children, an administrative building, grass fields and playgrounds, and a career center. The career center was a place for the kids to go to learn specific job training and skills development for future jobs. One way they prepared the kids for a job was by working with them on developing their interviewing skills, assessment skills as well as helping them figure out how to fill out an application appropriately. This was also a place for them to learn job specific skills.
After the tour we started on our project for the day, which was building a greenhouse for them. They wanted to get a gardening system going again so the kids can grow, sell and eat their own produce. The greenhouse was definitely one of the most difficult challenges of the week. A nearby school that had used it for a while donated it. The problem was that there was a fair amount of parts that were broken from being torn down by the prior owners. Instantly this brought frustration to our group. It was difficult to figure out how exactly we were going to get the greenhouse put up without all the necessary parts. Patience was running thin already and the frustration was elevating quickly. For about 15 minutes we just kind of sat around helplessly looking at each other, trying to figure out what exactly what we were going to do. Shortly after, we decided to take on the project the best we could even with the adversity. It was cool to see our group come together and start getting things done shortly after the adversity had raised some tension within the group. From then on the greenhouse started moving a little faster as the day went on. By the end of the day the greenhouse was mainly done. We left there giving them something to move forward with and an opportunity to get their gardens going strong again.
While working on the greenhouse, parts of the group would take turns going out and interacting with the kids. This started an afternoon of playing basketball, swinging and just getting to know the kids that were apart of CYDC. It was awesome to meet the kids and be able to talk to them about what their plans for the future. One kid we got to know really well was named Daniel. Daniel was eighteen years old and trying to finish high school and get his GED. He talked to our group a little about his background. But he was extra excited to talk to us about his future. He wanted to finish high school and then play football at a junior college and eventually get recruited to play at a D1 University. Most of the kids that are residents at CYDC don't have a strong or supportive family. We could tell that Daniel had potential to do everything he wanted but as a child he didn't have the right guidance to lead him to the right choices. Which subsequently could lead to the full development of his potential. Overall in the few short hours that we were at CYDC, we had an impact on the kids but they also had an impact on us. It was encouraging to see a kid like Daniel, who has had so much adversity in his life, realize his potential and have the drive to fulfill his dream anyway. At the end of the day the head of CYDC asked us to come back next year for the whole week. Which was really cool because they were very skeptical about having us in the first place.
It turned out to be another great day to add to a very successful week. A day some thought might fall short of the rest, did everything but that! It was a different, but very successful day!
After a day of enjoying the best of Charleston we went right back to work. We started out the morning at Adaptive Gardens. This was the first day being there without having a group of kids from a neighboring school there as well. The morning was devoted to helping the farm get ahead on some projects that they would not normally have time to get to. We started 2 new flowerbeds, which was pretty similar to the work we have done the whole week. This required tilling up the ground and uprooting everything in sight. The mosquitoes were out in full force but we battled through it and finished the morning strong. Once these were finished some of the group started planting sunflowers in the new garden beds, while others were transferring Thyme plants to bigger pots. The rest of the morning was spent doing the chores that were normally done by the kids. This included watering all the plants and taking care of the chickens, as well as any other little things that needed to be done for the store. Being the first day there without having to do the work with kids it was definitely different, but it was still a great morning. This was kind of like our time to experience the therapeutic side of the gardening first hand. We got to experience how relaxing it was to just be out on the farm, doing our own thing and being able to relax in the awesome atmosphere while doing it. We got to experience what the kids get to do on a weekly basis.
The afternoon was spent at Charleston Youth Development Center. This was a very unique system that was almost like a foster home. I guess a better way to describe it would be a group home for kids who need to be taken out of a dangerous homes, run a way from home, parents have abandoned them or any other time a child needs a place to stay. The kids may be there for a day, a week, or 3 years. It is different with every kid and situation. At first we got a tour of the entire campus. The campus consisted of several different houses for the children, an administrative building, grass fields and playgrounds, and a career center. The career center was a place for the kids to go to learn specific job training and skills development for future jobs. One way they prepared the kids for a job was by working with them on developing their interviewing skills, assessment skills as well as helping them figure out how to fill out an application appropriately. This was also a place for them to learn job specific skills.
After the tour we started on our project for the day, which was building a greenhouse for them. They wanted to get a gardening system going again so the kids can grow, sell and eat their own produce. The greenhouse was definitely one of the most difficult challenges of the week. A nearby school that had used it for a while donated it. The problem was that there was a fair amount of parts that were broken from being torn down by the prior owners. Instantly this brought frustration to our group. It was difficult to figure out how exactly we were going to get the greenhouse put up without all the necessary parts. Patience was running thin already and the frustration was elevating quickly. For about 15 minutes we just kind of sat around helplessly looking at each other, trying to figure out what exactly what we were going to do. Shortly after, we decided to take on the project the best we could even with the adversity. It was cool to see our group come together and start getting things done shortly after the adversity had raised some tension within the group. From then on the greenhouse started moving a little faster as the day went on. By the end of the day the greenhouse was mainly done. We left there giving them something to move forward with and an opportunity to get their gardens going strong again.
While working on the greenhouse, parts of the group would take turns going out and interacting with the kids. This started an afternoon of playing basketball, swinging and just getting to know the kids that were apart of CYDC. It was awesome to meet the kids and be able to talk to them about what their plans for the future. One kid we got to know really well was named Daniel. Daniel was eighteen years old and trying to finish high school and get his GED. He talked to our group a little about his background. But he was extra excited to talk to us about his future. He wanted to finish high school and then play football at a junior college and eventually get recruited to play at a D1 University. Most of the kids that are residents at CYDC don't have a strong or supportive family. We could tell that Daniel had potential to do everything he wanted but as a child he didn't have the right guidance to lead him to the right choices. Which subsequently could lead to the full development of his potential. Overall in the few short hours that we were at CYDC, we had an impact on the kids but they also had an impact on us. It was encouraging to see a kid like Daniel, who has had so much adversity in his life, realize his potential and have the drive to fulfill his dream anyway. At the end of the day the head of CYDC asked us to come back next year for the whole week. Which was really cool because they were very skeptical about having us in the first place.
It turned out to be another great day to add to a very successful week. A day some thought might fall short of the rest, did everything but that! It was a different, but very successful day!
Birmingham - HIV/AIDS Day 6
March 30, 2012
Birmingham
Today was our last day with AIDS Alabama. We met Carly at campus at 9am to help them with some yard work around the facilities. We had a glorious time in that fabulous weather, as it was cloudy with a nice breeze for the majority of the day. It made working outside a bit more tolerable.
We started out weeding for what seems like hours. We had minimal supplies and experience, though we jumped right in and tackled the task at hand. We had little time, but maximal energy. We had little guidance, but tons of enthusiasm. We weeded and picked up trash from the main courtyard, then headed over to the entrance to the JASPER House. There, some of us went into beast mode and picked weeds, spread 20 bags of mulch, and Michael clipped tons of hedges. We made the area look as nice as possible for the clients who call it home. Amanda, Shea and Colbey worked with a client who liked to garden the area. She thanked us for helping her out and removing the weeds, promising us that she would maintain the area after we left.
After our quick lunch break and Jong-In and Peter arranging the marriage of their future offspring, we headed straight back to work. Amanda, Colbey and Shea headed to AGAPE II and planted more flowers in the courtyard. The client from before helped out, but convinced another (hesitant) client to plant one flower. He called it his flower and promised to take care of it in our absence. One of the little girls from the residences came out and helped us enthusiastically plant some more flowers. Everyone else went to AGAPE and pulled more weeds as we raced the impending rain. The weather was getting frightening and a storm was on the horizon. We realized that we had limited time and kicked it into turbo mode, working together to finish the AGAPE courtyard. We were fighting against the looming monsoon. As the clouds darkened above us, we quickened our pace without lowering our high level of efficiency. It was as if our productivity increased as the pressure increased exponentially. Within 30 minutes, we planted 180 flowers and "made it rain" MiracleGro. We finished just as the clouds opened up and the torrential downpour began. We made it home safely despite the heavy rain.
Afterward, we started making our Last Supper. We made Nigerian stew in honor of our Nigerian priest, Father Paul, the most loveable host we've had. He had been experiencing a rough week with some deaths in his family and was very pleased to have us here. We took his mind off the subject, and for that he was thankful. He was even more pleased that we had prepared him a traditional Nigerian food. This trip couldn't have been any better in terms of the relationships and friendships made. He offered some alcohol, but our participants were wonderful and declined. Zach, Peter, Michael and Lexie got nostalgic with dish-washing karaoke with vigor, where they jammed out to hits of the 70s, 80s, and 90s; the greatest hits before and during the early years of their youth.
At dinner we sat together for our last meal and came together as a family. We even splurged on some Sparkling Grape Juice and had some toasts to a great week. We toasted to a variety of things: to service, to AIDS Alabama and Birmingham AIDS Outreach, to the relationships we made, to learning, to the effort spent this week, to new and old friends, to two new moms, to some love triangles (joking!), to getting along, to Robert from the BAO Food Pantry, to positive attitudes, to Father Paul in his time of loss, to great leadership and driving, to a fantastic group of participants with so much effort, to good friends and to good memories.
We've had fun, Birmingham. It has been an unforgettable week and a phenomenal experience. This week was far better than any Spring Break trip we could have imagined. We learned so much about HIV and the state of affairs regarding AIDS in Alabama. We encountered several historical sites in the Civil Rights movement. We did some service, had some fun, and sweated gallons. Our only regret is that we couldn't have helped these organizations more!
And now, as we prepare to depart our home away from home, we know that we have made such a tremendous impact on the HIV community here in Alabama. It is important for us to remember that although we had our Last Supper in Birmingham, our experiences and lessons learned will persist throughout our lifetimes. Tomorrow, we will return to Columbia, prepared to share our experiences and knowledge. We dedicated this week to HIV/AIDS, but we know this is only initiates our roles as allies to this community.
Thank you to Alternative Spring Break and the University of Missouri for providing this phenomenal opportunity to us. Thank you to the Saint Francis of Assisi Church for providing a fantastic retreat center for us to reside. Thank you to Birmingham AIDS Outreach and AIDS Alabama for providing us with service opportunities during this week. And thank you to our readers, who have shared our memories with us throughout this experience.
Birmingham
Today was our last day with AIDS Alabama. We met Carly at campus at 9am to help them with some yard work around the facilities. We had a glorious time in that fabulous weather, as it was cloudy with a nice breeze for the majority of the day. It made working outside a bit more tolerable.
We started out weeding for what seems like hours. We had minimal supplies and experience, though we jumped right in and tackled the task at hand. We had little time, but maximal energy. We had little guidance, but tons of enthusiasm. We weeded and picked up trash from the main courtyard, then headed over to the entrance to the JASPER House. There, some of us went into beast mode and picked weeds, spread 20 bags of mulch, and Michael clipped tons of hedges. We made the area look as nice as possible for the clients who call it home. Amanda, Shea and Colbey worked with a client who liked to garden the area. She thanked us for helping her out and removing the weeds, promising us that she would maintain the area after we left.
After our quick lunch break and Jong-In and Peter arranging the marriage of their future offspring, we headed straight back to work. Amanda, Colbey and Shea headed to AGAPE II and planted more flowers in the courtyard. The client from before helped out, but convinced another (hesitant) client to plant one flower. He called it his flower and promised to take care of it in our absence. One of the little girls from the residences came out and helped us enthusiastically plant some more flowers. Everyone else went to AGAPE and pulled more weeds as we raced the impending rain. The weather was getting frightening and a storm was on the horizon. We realized that we had limited time and kicked it into turbo mode, working together to finish the AGAPE courtyard. We were fighting against the looming monsoon. As the clouds darkened above us, we quickened our pace without lowering our high level of efficiency. It was as if our productivity increased as the pressure increased exponentially. Within 30 minutes, we planted 180 flowers and "made it rain" MiracleGro. We finished just as the clouds opened up and the torrential downpour began. We made it home safely despite the heavy rain.
Afterward, we started making our Last Supper. We made Nigerian stew in honor of our Nigerian priest, Father Paul, the most loveable host we've had. He had been experiencing a rough week with some deaths in his family and was very pleased to have us here. We took his mind off the subject, and for that he was thankful. He was even more pleased that we had prepared him a traditional Nigerian food. This trip couldn't have been any better in terms of the relationships and friendships made. He offered some alcohol, but our participants were wonderful and declined. Zach, Peter, Michael and Lexie got nostalgic with dish-washing karaoke with vigor, where they jammed out to hits of the 70s, 80s, and 90s; the greatest hits before and during the early years of their youth.
At dinner we sat together for our last meal and came together as a family. We even splurged on some Sparkling Grape Juice and had some toasts to a great week. We toasted to a variety of things: to service, to AIDS Alabama and Birmingham AIDS Outreach, to the relationships we made, to learning, to the effort spent this week, to new and old friends, to two new moms, to some love triangles (joking!), to getting along, to Robert from the BAO Food Pantry, to positive attitudes, to Father Paul in his time of loss, to great leadership and driving, to a fantastic group of participants with so much effort, to good friends and to good memories.
We've had fun, Birmingham. It has been an unforgettable week and a phenomenal experience. This week was far better than any Spring Break trip we could have imagined. We learned so much about HIV and the state of affairs regarding AIDS in Alabama. We encountered several historical sites in the Civil Rights movement. We did some service, had some fun, and sweated gallons. Our only regret is that we couldn't have helped these organizations more!
And now, as we prepare to depart our home away from home, we know that we have made such a tremendous impact on the HIV community here in Alabama. It is important for us to remember that although we had our Last Supper in Birmingham, our experiences and lessons learned will persist throughout our lifetimes. Tomorrow, we will return to Columbia, prepared to share our experiences and knowledge. We dedicated this week to HIV/AIDS, but we know this is only initiates our roles as allies to this community.
Thank you to Alternative Spring Break and the University of Missouri for providing this phenomenal opportunity to us. Thank you to the Saint Francis of Assisi Church for providing a fantastic retreat center for us to reside. Thank you to Birmingham AIDS Outreach and AIDS Alabama for providing us with service opportunities during this week. And thank you to our readers, who have shared our memories with us throughout this experience.
Tampa - Animals
We are watching Old School safely in Casey's families home in Atlanta. We miss Big Cat Rescue. 'Nuff said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtX8nswnUKU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtX8nswnUKU
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