2008 Woodie Awards
Students help with 'pushing back the wave'
Brittany Raine
Issue date: 3/19/06 Section: News
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While many college students basked in the tropical sunlight in numerous exotic locations, students from our university's community made a difference. With over 80 students, faculty and advisors volunteering in El Salvador, Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina, the service trip exceeded everyone's expectations.
Those who ventured out across the country to give up their vacation in order to make someone's life better reveals a true sense of courage with a touch of sincere admiration adorned by a heart of gold. The idea for an "alternative spring break" took the nation by storm, especially since Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the Gulf Coast.
The spirit of sharing with others and making a difference traveled with those who attended the Service Trip, and reverberated in each location with every saw, sandbag and swing of a hammer. Those who embarked on this both epic and memorable journey represented the university with pride and a charitable smile.
"The Service Trips, especially the one to Mississippi, were emotional from the beginning," said Donna Dodge, Ed. D., Vice President for Mission and Planning and advisor for the Mississippi relief trip.
"The day we left for Mississippi, the bus to take us to the airport never showed up. A sense of powerlessness came over us and Dr. Strong related it to an emotion that many people affected by the devastation in the Gulf Coast have been at odds with. The rest of the trip went smoothly, thanks to the efforts and positive spirits of those around us."
The outstanding results of the Spring Break Service Trips exceeded everyone's expectations, from building houses to cleaning up debris and making new friends.
"The service trip was even more exciting because I was able to witness and be a part of such a powerful change in peoples and communities lives," said Jennifer Torres, junior, Bronx, N.Y. "In Alabama, every person who made the journey from Sacred Heart was truly excited to be there and everyone was more than willing to work and volunteer, non-stop."