Students to serve communities during break
Lourise Hawatmeh
Issue date: 3/3/10 Section: News
Alternative Spring Break, which University Ministry has been hosting for the past 20 years, is on its way to another year of charitable service in six cities across the country.
From March 6-13, UDM participants will be in California, Ohio, West Virginia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas, working toward a common goal of gaining a better insight into the world around them.
Last year's attendance reached almost thirty students, who travelled to five different states. This year there is more participation, as well as a sixth trip.
Drew Peters, campus minister, assists in running the program. He doesn't necessarily go as a participant, but does it as a way to set the table for students at UDM.
"We are trying to give students an opportunity to go out beyond themselves, get a new perspective, learn from the people they meet, touch lives and come back to Detroit with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to serve the community at UDM with knowledge of themselves," said Peters.
2009 was the first year Peters participated in Alternative Spring Break (ASB). He traveled to El Paso, Texas, focusing on the borders of immigration.
"We go into this experience and come out of it hoping that people see the reality of things and get a better idea of what people are going through," said Peters.
This year he is traveling to West Virginia and is going to be devoted to Nazareth Farm, where he and a group of students will be living out the message of the Gospel through the community, prayer and service.
Many students, including Theresa Skora, find it rewarding to travel to faraway places and give up their spring break.
"ASB was a better usage of my time, rather than sitting at home doing nothing," said Skora, a fifth-year architect student.
Skora has gone on an ASB trip three out of the five years she has attended UDM.
During her first year she traveled to Spokane, Wash., and worked at a soup and campus kitchen.
From March 6-13, UDM participants will be in California, Ohio, West Virginia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas, working toward a common goal of gaining a better insight into the world around them.
Last year's attendance reached almost thirty students, who travelled to five different states. This year there is more participation, as well as a sixth trip.
Drew Peters, campus minister, assists in running the program. He doesn't necessarily go as a participant, but does it as a way to set the table for students at UDM.
"We are trying to give students an opportunity to go out beyond themselves, get a new perspective, learn from the people they meet, touch lives and come back to Detroit with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to serve the community at UDM with knowledge of themselves," said Peters.
2009 was the first year Peters participated in Alternative Spring Break (ASB). He traveled to El Paso, Texas, focusing on the borders of immigration.
"We go into this experience and come out of it hoping that people see the reality of things and get a better idea of what people are going through," said Peters.
This year he is traveling to West Virginia and is going to be devoted to Nazareth Farm, where he and a group of students will be living out the message of the Gospel through the community, prayer and service.
Many students, including Theresa Skora, find it rewarding to travel to faraway places and give up their spring break.
"ASB was a better usage of my time, rather than sitting at home doing nothing," said Skora, a fifth-year architect student.
Skora has gone on an ASB trip three out of the five years she has attended UDM.
During her first year she traveled to Spokane, Wash., and worked at a soup and campus kitchen.
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