Miranda in West Virginia - 5

Friday, January 13

I woke up to lots of snow this morning! I was practically giddy, since I hadn’t seen any snow in Kansas over break. So that was a fantastic start to my day. What our group found was that snow meant a two hour delay to our workday, so we decided to try out Biscuit World, a fast food breakfast restaurant not found in the midwest. It was delicious and further improved an already great morning. At the school in Oak Hill, we did not have too much to do. The day was mostly spent doing some final cleaning tasks and talking even more with the Youth Build workers. We had a lot of fun and even brought homemade chocolate chip cookies to share with them.

One interesting thing about this school building is the groundskeeper. Vickie told me that he was a homeless man in the area and that the city asked her if he could live in the building. She agreed, knowing that otherwise he would be freezing during the harsh Appalachian winter, and decided to give him a role in the SALS project as well. He is responsible for keeping the sidewalks clear of snow and cleaning up leaves in the fall. I think it is great that she gave him something to do, that she saw the benefit in making him a part of the organization. Maybe it gives him a sense of purpose and a reason to be productive. When I was handing out cookies to the Youth Build workers, he walked by and I tried to offer him one, and he simply said no and kept walking. I was glad I at least got to say a word to him, and maybe I had some sort of impact on his day by being willing to talk to him.rther improved an already great morning. At the school in Oak Hill, we did not have too much to do. The day was mostly spent doing some final cleaning tasks and talking even more with the Youth Build workers. We had a lot of fun and even brought homemade chocolate chip cookies to share with them.

As the workday came to an end, we said our goodbyes and gave lots of hugs. The Youth Build workers said we were the best volunteers they have ever worked with, and it certainly felt good to know we were able to make a difference and prove our willingness to contribute and work hard. We took group pictures and gave hugs before leaving that school building for the last time.

Our group returned to our dorm and spent a lot of time reflecting on the week. We shared more stories and made plans for our departure in the morning. Artie visited us to say thank you for our time, and we also chatted with John and Gary, two Americorps Vista program participants. They shared with us their life experiences and asked us about our week. It was really nice to have time to reflect and make observations together. That evening we played Uno with more SALS employees - I had forgotten how much fun that game can be. It wrapped up the warm, welcoming attitudes of nearly everyone we encountered in West Virginia, and was a fantastic end to the week.

Though I was a bit apprehensive prior to the trip, I am so beyond glad I participated. I feel it has helped me begin to grow as a person and figure out what I want to do with my life. I’m thankful for Alternative Breaks and the opportunity I had to bond with KU students and volunteers from Appalachia.