During spring break, many students
look forward to sleeping, partying or
vacationing with friends and family. But
some VCU students spend their break
protecting the environment, building
houses for flood victims and helping
the homeless.
Alternative Spring Break is a student
organization that provides community
service during the university’s one-week
vacation every March. Even though
spring break is four months away, the
deadline to apply for ASB is fast approaching.
Students must sign up by Monday,
Nov. 26, if they wish to participate in
this year’s ASB.
ASB volunteers travel to other states
and sometimes other countries to participate
in various projects. During Spring
Break 2008, VCU students will
– Work at a resort in Florida that
serves children with life-threatening
illnesses.
– Assist at a sports program in Tennessee
for disabled children.
– Build houses in Alabama as part of
a Habitat for Humanity project.
– Serve meals and provide employment
assistance to homeless people in
Atlanta and New York.
– Help at a camp for disadvantaged
children, including children with AIDS,
in Minnesota and a camp for disabled
children in Michigan.
– Clean up beaches in Texas.
Also during the March 8-14 break,
VCU volunteers will go to New Orleans
to help victims of Hurricane Katrina
rebuild their homes and lives. VCU
went there last year during spring break.
On average, about 100 VCU students
volunteer for ASB each spring, according
to the VCU ASB Web site. Tiffany
Kimmel participated in 2005.
“We were volunteering in the Ninth
Ward, the worst hit area in Louisiana.
The entire area was quite literally
unrecognizable. We completely gutted
nine homes in one week,” said ASB
president J.R. Johnson, who participated
in last year’s trip.
“I did a Habitat for Humanity (project)
in Alabama. It was really fun, and I met
a lot of great people,” she said.
Kimmel said ASB helped prepare her
for what she is doing now that she has
graduated from VCU.
“It was a good learning experience for
me to help build houses, because now
I’m working in architecture,” she said.
Applications for ASB are available
on the group’s Web site, vcuasb.org.
Applicants choose the projects they are
most interested in, and by Dec. 9, ASB
plans to notify students who have been
accepted of their assignments.
Many volunteers consider ASB a
life-changing experience, but they are
often questioned about their decision
to do volunteer work for spring break,
Johnson said.
“There is no answer for this question.
You truly have to experience an
Alternative Spring Break to know why
you chose it. I would have to say I didn’t
choose an Alternative Spring Break – it
chose me. One week will change your
life forever,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity to challenge
yourself physically and mentally. It’s an
opportunity to discover new places and
people. It’s an opportunity to get out
there and make a difference.”
—
—
“What’s the difference between real
and potential? The trip had the
potential to suck. It could have been
a total chaos and it could have failed.
These people had the potential to be
selfish losers only interested in a cheap
trip to New York. In reality, this trip
was great, these people were great, and
I wish I weren’t graduating. I’m totally
satisfied with this trip … I would do
it again in a second. I will miss all
of these guys, my buds. The positive
energy is what I will miss the most.”
-M. Edwards, a former VCU student