Friday, January 18
On Friday, we were back at College View with students with whom we had started building relationships. It was a beautiful day again this day, so we had outdoor recess again. We began the day by playing Drop That Cookie with the younger students. Drop That Cookie is like tag, but everyone is trying to tag the players that have dodge balls in their hands. When a player tags a ball holder, the tagger yells “Drop that cookie!” and the tagger can then pick up the ball and they are now the person everyone else is chasing. Since we are much bigger than the kindergarteners and first graders we played the game with, it was a lot more fun for us to play. We ran around the field for a long enough time to the point where the kids would still chase us, but once they started getting tired that’s when we would slow down so the kids had the chance to tag us. Despite the part were I twisted my ankle in a divot, it was probably the most fun I had all week when it came to playing with the kids. It’s very clear that the students enjoy playing games with adults, and in turn, we loved playing games with them.
This day was one of the more difficult days for our group. Since we had been around College View for four days now, the students began feeling more comfortable around us. It was difficult for us to know that it would be our last day at the school. What made it even more difficult is that the students really began to open up and show their trust towards us. One student in 4th grade was sitting at a picnic table on the playground and avoiding doing any physical activity. Another group member and I tried to find out what games he wanted to play, but his only response was that he was tired and didn’t feel like playing any games or running around. All he wanted to do was sit. As the other group member asked more questions about why he was so tired, it came out that he was tired because he has to take care of his pregnant mom and his two younger siblings. His older brother recently died of cancer. He went to bed at midnight the night before we talked to him, and was woken up two times early in the morning to change his baby sister’s diaper. The other member in my group sat with this boy the whole 15 minutes they were at recess. When I came back over, the 4th grader seemed like he was happier, and thinking less about his responsibilities at home. He ended up making jokes about how we all sound like cowboys and cowgirls because we have accents. He told me personally that he could “definitely see me riding a horse,” to which I responded with a laugh and informed him that I am really terrified of horses.
Friday was a very relaxed day, because we had recess and one class. It made for a great wrap up to a very eye opening and fun-filled week.
Each Winter, Spring, and Summer Break, Alternative Breaks at the University of Kansas sends groups of seven students to communities around the nation to serve and learn more about pressing social issues. These are their stories.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Lindsey- Playworks- Day Four
Thursday, January 17
On Thursday, we went to Hallett Academy and spent the day with Coach Cal. When we arrived, the morning program had just started. From our understanding, the students can start arriving at the school at 8:30 am, but classes do not begin until 9:00. During the morning program, students can eat breakfast in the cafeteria, watch a movie in the auditorium, or visit “The Store” in the gym. The Store consists of prizes that have either been purchased by Cal, or donated to Playworks. Students receive “Cal Bucks” for being respectful at recess, high-fiving their classmates, or showing a positive attitude during recess or class game time. They can then go to The Store to purchase any of the items they choose. There was a very wide selection of items from which students could choose.
Hallett Academy was different from College View in that they had a gym teacher and gym classes every other day. While we were at Hallett, the students were working on jump rope routines that they were going to perform for their teacher. The school also has a competitive jump rope team that competes against other elementary schools in the Denver Public School District, but on Thursday we just helped students choreograph their jump rope routines.
After one gym class, we helped Coach Cal set up outside for lunchtime recess. We played a few of Cal’s favorite games in our free time before the students came outside, and it definitely wore all of us out. My favorite game from this day was Ultimate Ball. Ultimate Ball is exactly like Ultimate Frisbee, but instead of throwing a Frisbee, players throw a four-sqaure ball. Also, instead of having a goal to shoot the ball in, there were four cones set up at the end of the field, and each team had to knock over the opposing side’s cones in order to win the game. If any player dropped the ball, the ball would go to the other team. I thoroughly enjoyed playing this version of the game, because I can’t throw a Frisbee at a specific target. The adaptation makes this game much more fun for a group of people with a wide range of athletic abilities.
When the students came outside for recess time, our group made the observation that students line up at cones before they are released onto the playground. This adds organization to the beginning of recess. During this time, the Playworks coach also tells students what their options are for activities that day. At Hallett, students are only allowed to play on the playground equipment on certain days. The day we visited was not one of these days, which made it more fun for us because there were more kids for us to play with.
Once we were done playing with kids for the day, Collin had a question and answer session with us, where we could ask any questions about Playworks as an organization, or ways to become involved with Playworks. We learned that each school pays $25,000 to establish their Playworks program, and Playworks fundraises the other $25,000, meaning that it costs $50,000 for each school to have a Playworks coach. Collin also told us how coaches and volunteers are selected for the schools. Typically the applicants will meet the hiring staff in a park or open area, and they will have about ten minutes to explain and play a Playworks-type game with the other applicants and the interviewers. This was really interesting to me, because so many of the games we played with both Coach Tim and Coach Cal were games they had come up with on their own.
On Thursday, we went to Hallett Academy and spent the day with Coach Cal. When we arrived, the morning program had just started. From our understanding, the students can start arriving at the school at 8:30 am, but classes do not begin until 9:00. During the morning program, students can eat breakfast in the cafeteria, watch a movie in the auditorium, or visit “The Store” in the gym. The Store consists of prizes that have either been purchased by Cal, or donated to Playworks. Students receive “Cal Bucks” for being respectful at recess, high-fiving their classmates, or showing a positive attitude during recess or class game time. They can then go to The Store to purchase any of the items they choose. There was a very wide selection of items from which students could choose.
Hallett Academy was different from College View in that they had a gym teacher and gym classes every other day. While we were at Hallett, the students were working on jump rope routines that they were going to perform for their teacher. The school also has a competitive jump rope team that competes against other elementary schools in the Denver Public School District, but on Thursday we just helped students choreograph their jump rope routines.
After one gym class, we helped Coach Cal set up outside for lunchtime recess. We played a few of Cal’s favorite games in our free time before the students came outside, and it definitely wore all of us out. My favorite game from this day was Ultimate Ball. Ultimate Ball is exactly like Ultimate Frisbee, but instead of throwing a Frisbee, players throw a four-sqaure ball. Also, instead of having a goal to shoot the ball in, there were four cones set up at the end of the field, and each team had to knock over the opposing side’s cones in order to win the game. If any player dropped the ball, the ball would go to the other team. I thoroughly enjoyed playing this version of the game, because I can’t throw a Frisbee at a specific target. The adaptation makes this game much more fun for a group of people with a wide range of athletic abilities.
When the students came outside for recess time, our group made the observation that students line up at cones before they are released onto the playground. This adds organization to the beginning of recess. During this time, the Playworks coach also tells students what their options are for activities that day. At Hallett, students are only allowed to play on the playground equipment on certain days. The day we visited was not one of these days, which made it more fun for us because there were more kids for us to play with.
Once we were done playing with kids for the day, Collin had a question and answer session with us, where we could ask any questions about Playworks as an organization, or ways to become involved with Playworks. We learned that each school pays $25,000 to establish their Playworks program, and Playworks fundraises the other $25,000, meaning that it costs $50,000 for each school to have a Playworks coach. Collin also told us how coaches and volunteers are selected for the schools. Typically the applicants will meet the hiring staff in a park or open area, and they will have about ten minutes to explain and play a Playworks-type game with the other applicants and the interviewers. This was really interesting to me, because so many of the games we played with both Coach Tim and Coach Cal were games they had come up with on their own.
Lindsey- Playworks- Day Three
Wednesday, January 16
The weather on Wednesday was finally the beautiful, mild winter weather that everyone had been telling us about since we arrived in Denver. Since it was warm enough, we were able to have outdoor recess with Kindergarten through 5th grade students. We played some games that I have come to identify as popular in the Denver Playworks network.
The first game I played with some younger students is called Switch. This game is played on a foursquare-shaped area, with four cones on the outer four corners. In the middle of these four cones, there is a cone of a different color. It’s very similar to musical chairs, but the person at the middle cone yells, “Switch!” and everyone tries to run to a cone that isn’t already taken by someone else. Participants may not run to the center cone. If two players reach the same cone at the same time, they play Ro Sham Bo, or Rock, Paper, Scissors, to decide who will go to the recycle line. In Playworks, there are no “outs” or “losses,” so often times you refer to the line of participants waiting to enter the game as the “recycle line.” The person at the front of the recycle line then enters the game and stands at the center cone. In this game, players may also choose another word besides “switch” to signify the time to run. The word should stay consistent throughout the game, though. The person standing at the middle cone may also choose a different action that everyone must do to reach the target cone. These actions can include jumping on one foot, hopping like a bunny, skipping, or any other action that comes to mind. The game switch is pretty easy to play, and the kids at College View Elementary loved playing it.
Later in the day, Coach Tim had class game time. Class game time is a time where the Playworks coaches introduce the rules of new games that the students can play on the playground. After explaining the rules, the students then get to play the game. In Playworks, volunteers and coaches are supposed to avoid separating groups based on gender. At the end of the class game time, Tim had one girl shoot a basketball. If she made it, the girls in the class could get drinks of water first. If she missed, a boy had a chance to shoot the ball for the boys to get water first.
After class game time, Collin called us all together for a collaboration time. He wanted us to brainstorm some other methods Tim could use for splitting up the class besides dividing them by gender. We decided he could have them put their toes on the line of the circle at the center of the basketball court. Then, he could choose one student from one side of the basketball court to represent that half of the circle in a shooting contest, and another student from the other half of the circle to represent the other half of the circle. During our collaboration and brainstorming session, we also pointed out that many of the students at College View wore their College View T-shirts to school each day. The shirts came in three colors: pink, navy, and gray. Tim also could choose a person to represent their peers based on what color shirt they are wearing that day.
After we brainstormed ideas for splitting the class up, Collin also asked us to brainstorm methods to increase activity on the sidelines during basketball knockout. As it was, Tim instructed the students to sit on the sideline if the person behind them in line made a shot before they did. Playworks wants students to stay active, so sitting on the sidelines was not an ideal activity. Our group came up with the ideas that students could do dribbling drills to help with fundamentals of basketball, or they could do some sort of physical exercise, like jumping jacks or sit-ups. In some games, the students could do a certain number of jumping jacks, then go back in the game. In other instances, students would do dribbling drills and wait for the next person to come over to the sidelines.
The collaboration time gave us more insight into the administrative side of Playworks, and showed us how they are constantly changing and improving their program to accommodate all students without leaving anyone out.
The weather on Wednesday was finally the beautiful, mild winter weather that everyone had been telling us about since we arrived in Denver. Since it was warm enough, we were able to have outdoor recess with Kindergarten through 5th grade students. We played some games that I have come to identify as popular in the Denver Playworks network.
The first game I played with some younger students is called Switch. This game is played on a foursquare-shaped area, with four cones on the outer four corners. In the middle of these four cones, there is a cone of a different color. It’s very similar to musical chairs, but the person at the middle cone yells, “Switch!” and everyone tries to run to a cone that isn’t already taken by someone else. Participants may not run to the center cone. If two players reach the same cone at the same time, they play Ro Sham Bo, or Rock, Paper, Scissors, to decide who will go to the recycle line. In Playworks, there are no “outs” or “losses,” so often times you refer to the line of participants waiting to enter the game as the “recycle line.” The person at the front of the recycle line then enters the game and stands at the center cone. In this game, players may also choose another word besides “switch” to signify the time to run. The word should stay consistent throughout the game, though. The person standing at the middle cone may also choose a different action that everyone must do to reach the target cone. These actions can include jumping on one foot, hopping like a bunny, skipping, or any other action that comes to mind. The game switch is pretty easy to play, and the kids at College View Elementary loved playing it.
Later in the day, Coach Tim had class game time. Class game time is a time where the Playworks coaches introduce the rules of new games that the students can play on the playground. After explaining the rules, the students then get to play the game. In Playworks, volunteers and coaches are supposed to avoid separating groups based on gender. At the end of the class game time, Tim had one girl shoot a basketball. If she made it, the girls in the class could get drinks of water first. If she missed, a boy had a chance to shoot the ball for the boys to get water first.
After class game time, Collin called us all together for a collaboration time. He wanted us to brainstorm some other methods Tim could use for splitting up the class besides dividing them by gender. We decided he could have them put their toes on the line of the circle at the center of the basketball court. Then, he could choose one student from one side of the basketball court to represent that half of the circle in a shooting contest, and another student from the other half of the circle to represent the other half of the circle. During our collaboration and brainstorming session, we also pointed out that many of the students at College View wore their College View T-shirts to school each day. The shirts came in three colors: pink, navy, and gray. Tim also could choose a person to represent their peers based on what color shirt they are wearing that day.
After we brainstormed ideas for splitting the class up, Collin also asked us to brainstorm methods to increase activity on the sidelines during basketball knockout. As it was, Tim instructed the students to sit on the sideline if the person behind them in line made a shot before they did. Playworks wants students to stay active, so sitting on the sidelines was not an ideal activity. Our group came up with the ideas that students could do dribbling drills to help with fundamentals of basketball, or they could do some sort of physical exercise, like jumping jacks or sit-ups. In some games, the students could do a certain number of jumping jacks, then go back in the game. In other instances, students would do dribbling drills and wait for the next person to come over to the sidelines.
The collaboration time gave us more insight into the administrative side of Playworks, and showed us how they are constantly changing and improving their program to accommodate all students without leaving anyone out.
Lindsey- Playworks- Day Two
Tuesday, January 15
On Tuesday, the Playworks program director Collin came to College View. Collin is about 6’7” tall, always has a smile on his face and is extremely friendly. Since it was still pretty cold outside in the morning and early afternoon, we had indoor recess for lower grades and played basketball bowling and dodge ball.
Coach Tim uses a different method for dodge ball than what I am used to from my years in grade school. I have never really enjoyed playing dodge ball, because I always thought it was just a time for the athletic students to gang up on their non-athletic peers. However, the younger grades at College View Grade School played a dodge ball bowling game. Instead of targeting their peers to win, the students threw the dodge balls at cones set up on the other side of the gym. The older grade levels got to throw the dodge balls at each other, but they had to hit their peers below the waist.
Despite the below-the-waist rule, some students can still get hit in the face. During dodge ball, one student got hit in face and her glasses smashed into her face. She was crying on the sideline, so Collin came over and asked what was wrong. When she explained what had happened, he took her glasses off and said, "Can you do this for me?" And put the collar of his shirt over his eyes and shook his head back and forth quickly. The girl followed his lead, giggling, and did the same actions. By the end of it, she walked away with puffy eyes from crying, but a smile on her face. Another person in my group and I watched the whole situation, impressed with Collin's ability to help this young girl who was in pain.
Luckily, it was warm enough on Tuesday to have outdoor recess for 5th grade, so we learned and played a new game called aerobic kickball. The team in the outfield has to chase after the ball after it has been kicked. When they all get to the ball, they have to pass it over their heads and between their legs, alternating from person to person as the ball is passed backwards through the line of the outfield team. The team in the outfield must accomplish passing the ball in this manner before the kicker of the other team makes it back to home base. It was a really fun way to play kickball, which was a game I used to dread in grade school. It took away the focus on athletic ability of the kicker, and focuses more on teamwork and getting all of the players active and engaged. It took away the focus on how far someone kicks a ball since everyone has to move around the field each time the ball is kicked. Personally, I got pretty winded from running all over the field. However, it was completely worth it because I felt like I actually participated in kickball, instead of standing around in the outfield, not moving much.
On Tuesday, the Playworks program director Collin came to College View. Collin is about 6’7” tall, always has a smile on his face and is extremely friendly. Since it was still pretty cold outside in the morning and early afternoon, we had indoor recess for lower grades and played basketball bowling and dodge ball.
Coach Tim uses a different method for dodge ball than what I am used to from my years in grade school. I have never really enjoyed playing dodge ball, because I always thought it was just a time for the athletic students to gang up on their non-athletic peers. However, the younger grades at College View Grade School played a dodge ball bowling game. Instead of targeting their peers to win, the students threw the dodge balls at cones set up on the other side of the gym. The older grade levels got to throw the dodge balls at each other, but they had to hit their peers below the waist.
Despite the below-the-waist rule, some students can still get hit in the face. During dodge ball, one student got hit in face and her glasses smashed into her face. She was crying on the sideline, so Collin came over and asked what was wrong. When she explained what had happened, he took her glasses off and said, "Can you do this for me?" And put the collar of his shirt over his eyes and shook his head back and forth quickly. The girl followed his lead, giggling, and did the same actions. By the end of it, she walked away with puffy eyes from crying, but a smile on her face. Another person in my group and I watched the whole situation, impressed with Collin's ability to help this young girl who was in pain.
Luckily, it was warm enough on Tuesday to have outdoor recess for 5th grade, so we learned and played a new game called aerobic kickball. The team in the outfield has to chase after the ball after it has been kicked. When they all get to the ball, they have to pass it over their heads and between their legs, alternating from person to person as the ball is passed backwards through the line of the outfield team. The team in the outfield must accomplish passing the ball in this manner before the kicker of the other team makes it back to home base. It was a really fun way to play kickball, which was a game I used to dread in grade school. It took away the focus on athletic ability of the kicker, and focuses more on teamwork and getting all of the players active and engaged. It took away the focus on how far someone kicks a ball since everyone has to move around the field each time the ball is kicked. Personally, I got pretty winded from running all over the field. However, it was completely worth it because I felt like I actually participated in kickball, instead of standing around in the outfield, not moving much.
Lindsey- Playworks- Day One
Monday, January 14
Today was our first day working with our organization, Playworks. We began our cold and snowy day in the Denver Playworks office with some of the program coordinators. Naturally, the very first thing we did upon arriving was an active ice-breaker. Playworks is all about getting to know the students on a personal basis. Even though we already knew each other pretty well from the car ride out to Denver, it was still a fun activity that helped us learn more about each other.
After playing our ice-breaker game for about ten minutes, we dived into orientation and guidelines. We learned that in order for schools to be eligible for a Playworks coach, 50% or more of the school’s students must receive free or reduced lunch. Some of the most difficult take-aways to remember were to avoid using the word “guys,” when addressing a group of students, and also not to treat female students differently because of their gender. The second one was important because it gives female students the notion that they are different and they deserve or need extra help completing tasks. Avoiding addressing a group as “guys” was really difficult for us the first few days. Sometimes Playworks coaches will refer to groups as “y’all” or “friends” in order to avoid calling the students, “guys.” I was happy that Playworks has tips and guidelines that address the potential gender inequalities in elementary schools without making it obvious that female students are vastly different than their male counterparts.
When we finished orientation, we played two more games. I thought that the best part about these is that no one ever “gets out” or loses. My favorite of the three games was called “One Fish, Two Fish.” In this game, participants try to gently give other participants a butterfly tag on the shoulder or back. When a participant is tagged, each player they previously tagged is back in the game. In the meantime, the tagged player takes a knee and waits for the person who tagged him or her to be tagged by someone else. In our particular game, we had to move around without bending our knees. Not only was this game as awesome way to get us moving and laughing, but it also required thinking and paying attention.
Eventually we left the Playworks office and went to our first school of the week: College View Elementary. The coach’s name was Tim, and it’s pretty obvious that everyone in our group loved him right away. It may have had something to do with the fact that he greeted us with “Rock Chalk… Ben McLemore, huh?” or the fact that Time is an energized and down to Earth coach. Regardless of our reasons, we didn’t have problems getting to know him throughout the day and later in the week.
Today was our first day working with our organization, Playworks. We began our cold and snowy day in the Denver Playworks office with some of the program coordinators. Naturally, the very first thing we did upon arriving was an active ice-breaker. Playworks is all about getting to know the students on a personal basis. Even though we already knew each other pretty well from the car ride out to Denver, it was still a fun activity that helped us learn more about each other.
After playing our ice-breaker game for about ten minutes, we dived into orientation and guidelines. We learned that in order for schools to be eligible for a Playworks coach, 50% or more of the school’s students must receive free or reduced lunch. Some of the most difficult take-aways to remember were to avoid using the word “guys,” when addressing a group of students, and also not to treat female students differently because of their gender. The second one was important because it gives female students the notion that they are different and they deserve or need extra help completing tasks. Avoiding addressing a group as “guys” was really difficult for us the first few days. Sometimes Playworks coaches will refer to groups as “y’all” or “friends” in order to avoid calling the students, “guys.” I was happy that Playworks has tips and guidelines that address the potential gender inequalities in elementary schools without making it obvious that female students are vastly different than their male counterparts.
When we finished orientation, we played two more games. I thought that the best part about these is that no one ever “gets out” or loses. My favorite of the three games was called “One Fish, Two Fish.” In this game, participants try to gently give other participants a butterfly tag on the shoulder or back. When a participant is tagged, each player they previously tagged is back in the game. In the meantime, the tagged player takes a knee and waits for the person who tagged him or her to be tagged by someone else. In our particular game, we had to move around without bending our knees. Not only was this game as awesome way to get us moving and laughing, but it also required thinking and paying attention.
Eventually we left the Playworks office and went to our first school of the week: College View Elementary. The coach’s name was Tim, and it’s pretty obvious that everyone in our group loved him right away. It may have had something to do with the fact that he greeted us with “Rock Chalk… Ben McLemore, huh?” or the fact that Time is an energized and down to Earth coach. Regardless of our reasons, we didn’t have problems getting to know him throughout the day and later in the week.
Amelia- Florence Crittenton- Day Five
Thursday, Jan. 17
This was our last day volunteering with Florence Crittenton. Our group tackled various small tasks, like adding more items to the linen closet, sorting and taking inventory of keys, and placing letters in the welcome baskets. Another volunteer Molly and I took care of counting and organizing keys. Just like every other task during our week, we worked on small tasks that may have initially seemed unimportant, but the Florence Crittenton staff thought the world of us for it. A lot of us didn’t necessarily feel worthy of the praise they were giving us for these odd jobs we completed over the week. It’s not that we didn’t do a great job, but rather that we were taking on seemingly small projects.
The week flew by. About five staff members and two residents ,with their recently-born babies, wished us a safe trip and thanked us. Many have heard the quote, “It’s the little things in life that matter,” but I would like to edit this. It’s the emotions, feelings, passion, humility, and kindness that matter, which are often the result of those little things.
This was our last day volunteering with Florence Crittenton. Our group tackled various small tasks, like adding more items to the linen closet, sorting and taking inventory of keys, and placing letters in the welcome baskets. Another volunteer Molly and I took care of counting and organizing keys. Just like every other task during our week, we worked on small tasks that may have initially seemed unimportant, but the Florence Crittenton staff thought the world of us for it. A lot of us didn’t necessarily feel worthy of the praise they were giving us for these odd jobs we completed over the week. It’s not that we didn’t do a great job, but rather that we were taking on seemingly small projects.
But you have to start somewhere. Looking at the big picture, those little projects held more significance because it allowed the professionals to accomplish what they needed to instead of worrying about the small tasks that weren’t a part of their job description. In addition, we were strongly impacted by the encounters we had with the staff and residents, no matter how brief they were.
Toward the end of the day, Andrea informed us to come to her office once we were done with our task. She said the staff wanted to thank us and wish us well. We didn’t expect to have cupcakes, a gift basket, and gift bags for each person waiting for us. I was overwhelmed and touched by how much they thought of the group. They also gave us a card addressed to the “Wonderful Kansas Seven” – a nickname that we acquired, unbeknownst to us, during our week there.The week flew by. About five staff members and two residents ,with their recently-born babies, wished us a safe trip and thanked us. Many have heard the quote, “It’s the little things in life that matter,” but I would like to edit this. It’s the emotions, feelings, passion, humility, and kindness that matter, which are often the result of those little things.
Amelia- Florence Crittenton- Day Four
Wednesday, Jan. 16
We began our day at Florence Crittenton earlier than usual because of a need for babysitters. Instead of arriving at 10:30 a.m., we came to the facility at 8:30 a.m. to babysit four children: two infants and two toddlers. Their names were Nevaeh, Na’Vaeh, Nalaeh, and Eli.
We began our day at Florence Crittenton earlier than usual because of a need for babysitters. Instead of arriving at 10:30 a.m., we came to the facility at 8:30 a.m. to babysit four children: two infants and two toddlers. Their names were Nevaeh, Na’Vaeh, Nalaeh, and Eli.
If you think babysitting for only four hours wouldn’t be very difficult, you’re wrong. Also, if you think it would be an easy job with a ratio of seven to four, adults to children, you are wrong again. Maybe I’m just bitter about the toddler, Naleah, who stole all the crayons while I tried to color. All in all, our time with the four kiddos gave me perspective on how difficult being a mom is.
During the Olympics, I remember seeing a TV commercial for Proctor & Gamble, which focused on the job of being a mother. After showing a series of shots of various mother/child duos across the country, these words came up on the screen: “The hardest job in the world is the best job in the world.” This referred to how much work goes into being a good mother and, in turn, getting to see the person you’ve been raising grow up and become who they are.
I don’t think I’ll fully understand this concept until I have children of my own, but I did get to experience a tidbit of what it’s like. I could also see how much the two older children, who were siblings, adored their mother – she was the most important person in their lives.
Near the end of the day, the entire group collaborated to create welcome baskets for incoming residents. This task was a lot more light-hearted and less physically draining, but it allowed us to see and appreciate the little things Florence Crittenton did to make their residents feel at home. Down our small assembly line, we placed maternity books, photo albums, toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, nail polish, lip gloss, and other toiletries that had been donated into a small blue basket. We put together almost 40 welcome baskets for incoming residents.
Amelia- Florence Crittenton- Day Three
Tuesday, Jan. 15
About every six weeks, Florence Crittenton Services of North Carolina hosts a “Baby Item Auction” in its multipurpose room for residents from the facility’s maternity ward. Large items, such as cribs, strollers, high chairs, and bassinets, are auctioned off and small items, mostly clothes and toys, are bought with “baby bucks,” which residents can earn. Today, our group set up and supervised the Baby Item Auction, which allowed us to interact one-on-one with the residents and learn a few things about them.
First, there was Vernice (pronounced like “Bernice,” but with a V instead). Before today, our group had encountered her in the lunch room, where she seemed very guarded and angry – borderline mean. However, today she had an upbeat disposition, as she possessed the greatest amount of baby bucks, 525 to be exact. Vernice humored all of us with her excitement about all the items she was able to buy for her “baby girl”. With almost every outfit she picked up, she announced to the room what occasion it would be for. “My baby’s goin’ to church,” she said, as she showcased an infant-sized white, silky dress. She nearly had us rolling on the floor when she attempted to do a clogging dance.
Another woman named Rosie came to the auction. Her personality was nearly polar opposite from Vernice’s. She didn’t talk much and stood with slouched shoulders, but she had a small, sweet smile on her face the entire time she was there. Personally, I didn’t hear Rosie speak a word that day, but when one of our group members relayed something she said during the auction at our end-of-the-day reflection, it resonated in my mind all night. Rosie said that before she moved into Florence Crittenton, she honestly didn’t think she would be able to get any supplies or items for the baby – at all. Rosie was so thankful and so happy she could provide for her baby after the pregnancy. There were many other women who reacted similarly to how Vernice and Rosie did, but it was these two young ladies who made the greatest impression on me, at least at the auction.
I would say the two ladies who left the biggest imprints on my heart that day were Hailema and Erika. The two seemed close, but what was most interesting about this pair was that they were the oldest and youngest at Florence Crittenton. Hailema was 34 and Erika was only 12 and a half. However, both were probably in the same phase of pregnancy. Regardless, I could tell that Hailema had the role of a mother, or maybe an aunt, figure for Erika.
Erika’s age struck me. At 12 and a half years old, I just began having periods. My mom told me I crossed the brink of womanhood when it happened. If Erika had started at the same age as me, she sure made one fast leap from the beginning of womanhood to the difficult job of motherhood.
About every six weeks, Florence Crittenton Services of North Carolina hosts a “Baby Item Auction” in its multipurpose room for residents from the facility’s maternity ward. Large items, such as cribs, strollers, high chairs, and bassinets, are auctioned off and small items, mostly clothes and toys, are bought with “baby bucks,” which residents can earn. Today, our group set up and supervised the Baby Item Auction, which allowed us to interact one-on-one with the residents and learn a few things about them.
First, there was Vernice (pronounced like “Bernice,” but with a V instead). Before today, our group had encountered her in the lunch room, where she seemed very guarded and angry – borderline mean. However, today she had an upbeat disposition, as she possessed the greatest amount of baby bucks, 525 to be exact. Vernice humored all of us with her excitement about all the items she was able to buy for her “baby girl”. With almost every outfit she picked up, she announced to the room what occasion it would be for. “My baby’s goin’ to church,” she said, as she showcased an infant-sized white, silky dress. She nearly had us rolling on the floor when she attempted to do a clogging dance.
Another woman named Rosie came to the auction. Her personality was nearly polar opposite from Vernice’s. She didn’t talk much and stood with slouched shoulders, but she had a small, sweet smile on her face the entire time she was there. Personally, I didn’t hear Rosie speak a word that day, but when one of our group members relayed something she said during the auction at our end-of-the-day reflection, it resonated in my mind all night. Rosie said that before she moved into Florence Crittenton, she honestly didn’t think she would be able to get any supplies or items for the baby – at all. Rosie was so thankful and so happy she could provide for her baby after the pregnancy. There were many other women who reacted similarly to how Vernice and Rosie did, but it was these two young ladies who made the greatest impression on me, at least at the auction.
I would say the two ladies who left the biggest imprints on my heart that day were Hailema and Erika. The two seemed close, but what was most interesting about this pair was that they were the oldest and youngest at Florence Crittenton. Hailema was 34 and Erika was only 12 and a half. However, both were probably in the same phase of pregnancy. Regardless, I could tell that Hailema had the role of a mother, or maybe an aunt, figure for Erika.
Erika’s age struck me. At 12 and a half years old, I just began having periods. My mom told me I crossed the brink of womanhood when it happened. If Erika had started at the same age as me, she sure made one fast leap from the beginning of womanhood to the difficult job of motherhood.
Amelia- Florence Crittenton- Day Two
Monday, Jan. 14
The Florence Crittenton Volunteer Coordinator Andrea McGhee welcomed the seven of us at the front desk with wide eyes and a big smile. If it had been the first time I met her, I would have never guessed she was the mother of a rambunctious kindergartener and over the age of thirty. Her young and warm heart instantly made us feel relatable to her and I could see she had the same effect on the residents of Florence Crittenton. Andrea had a kind of joy and energy that I rarely encountered and as she dove into the history of Florence Crittenton, it was apparent that these traits emerged from a true appreciation and passion for her career, coworkers and clients.
Andrea assigned us with several tasks for our first day: organizing and taking inventory of the linen closet, the holiday storage closets, and the game closet. Another alternative break volunteer, Molly, and I tackled the linen closet. As we scattered bed sheets, towels, baby blankets, fleece throws, and quilts along the hallway outside of the closet, staff and residents who walked by slowed their pace to get a look at what we were doing and who we are.
Some passing residents asked if I was moving into Florence Crittenton. Having been asked this question shocked me initially, but as the day went on, I remembered this is a place that welcomes women from all different paths of life – some that come from personal choices and others that simply result from the life one is born into.
The first day at Florence Crittenton consisted of familiarizing ourselves with the facility, learning about its history, rummaging through and organizing closets, and broadening our horizons to a culture and lifestyle that none of us had ever been so deeply immersed in. Before we entered the facility parking lot, I saw a yellow sign near the entrance that read “safe place”. I wondered if the sign was an accurate depiction of the atmosphere inside.
The Florence Crittenton Volunteer Coordinator Andrea McGhee welcomed the seven of us at the front desk with wide eyes and a big smile. If it had been the first time I met her, I would have never guessed she was the mother of a rambunctious kindergartener and over the age of thirty. Her young and warm heart instantly made us feel relatable to her and I could see she had the same effect on the residents of Florence Crittenton. Andrea had a kind of joy and energy that I rarely encountered and as she dove into the history of Florence Crittenton, it was apparent that these traits emerged from a true appreciation and passion for her career, coworkers and clients.
Andrea assigned us with several tasks for our first day: organizing and taking inventory of the linen closet, the holiday storage closets, and the game closet. Another alternative break volunteer, Molly, and I tackled the linen closet. As we scattered bed sheets, towels, baby blankets, fleece throws, and quilts along the hallway outside of the closet, staff and residents who walked by slowed their pace to get a look at what we were doing and who we are.
Some passing residents asked if I was moving into Florence Crittenton. Having been asked this question shocked me initially, but as the day went on, I remembered this is a place that welcomes women from all different paths of life – some that come from personal choices and others that simply result from the life one is born into.
Amelia- Florence Crittenton- Day One
Sunday, Jan. 13
Around 4 p.m. today, we arrived at our housing hosted by Myers Park Presbyterian Church. Our contact person, Jody, met us at the housing site, which is a beautiful 1920s house used by the church for housing mission groups, volunteers, and sometimes homeless families. Jody provided a tour of the place, which ended in the living room, where all of us sat down to go through logistics and emergency procedures.
Among everything Jody told us, there was one bit of information that stuck out to me as the most important. It wasn’t the fire safety procedures or the emergency contact numbers. It wasn’t the check-out procedures, either. It was that we were about to work among a group of women who focused on surviving, while we focused on succeeding. We were about to face individuals whose first thought of the day is about how to live or keep their baby alive, while all of us Alternative Break volunteers are probably thinking about what to eat or what to wear. This notion brought me back to an Alternative Breaks class about privilege.
Privilege is an inherent quality or trait people are born with and usually cannot control. What Jody said reminded me that none of us have control over the body, race, gender, or income we’re born into, or what kind of family or country we live in. Because of his involvement with Florence Crittenton through Myers Park Presbyterian Church, Jody knew that many of the girls and women we would be working with often come to the facility after living in multiple foster homes or without a home at all.
On top of that, Jody told us about the homeless problem in Charlotte, which primarily consists of homeless families. I thought about the rich neighborhood around the house we were staying in. I thought about all the Charlotte residents we saw upon arriving, jogging on sidewalks and riding bikes, who seemed perfectly content but were probably oblivious to the pressing issue of homelessness in their city.
Around 4 p.m. today, we arrived at our housing hosted by Myers Park Presbyterian Church. Our contact person, Jody, met us at the housing site, which is a beautiful 1920s house used by the church for housing mission groups, volunteers, and sometimes homeless families. Jody provided a tour of the place, which ended in the living room, where all of us sat down to go through logistics and emergency procedures.
Among everything Jody told us, there was one bit of information that stuck out to me as the most important. It wasn’t the fire safety procedures or the emergency contact numbers. It wasn’t the check-out procedures, either. It was that we were about to work among a group of women who focused on surviving, while we focused on succeeding. We were about to face individuals whose first thought of the day is about how to live or keep their baby alive, while all of us Alternative Break volunteers are probably thinking about what to eat or what to wear. This notion brought me back to an Alternative Breaks class about privilege.
Privilege is an inherent quality or trait people are born with and usually cannot control. What Jody said reminded me that none of us have control over the body, race, gender, or income we’re born into, or what kind of family or country we live in. Because of his involvement with Florence Crittenton through Myers Park Presbyterian Church, Jody knew that many of the girls and women we would be working with often come to the facility after living in multiple foster homes or without a home at all.
On top of that, Jody told us about the homeless problem in Charlotte, which primarily consists of homeless families. I thought about the rich neighborhood around the house we were staying in. I thought about all the Charlotte residents we saw upon arriving, jogging on sidewalks and riding bikes, who seemed perfectly content but were probably oblivious to the pressing issue of homelessness in their city.
Brenda- Humane Borders- Day Five
Day five, our last day, we teamed up with a group of students from South America who are studying at the University of Arizona, they came from Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay. They joined us on the BANWR (Buenos Aires National Wildlife Reserve) water run that had 6 stations. Juanita also joined us again and acted as a translator for the other students. They were very curious as to the rules and the challenges that were involved in crossing over. They thought it was ludicrous that people were risking their lives to come over, but Juanita calmly explained that the situation has to be horrendous and the people that desperate to risk their lives crossing the desert for a chance to make money and send it back home. The highlight of the trip was going down to the border in Sasabe. None of the students could cross but we were all content with seeing the border and the process that one had to endure before driving down and coming back. Betzi drove down and delivered the remaining water to Grupo Beta, the equivalent of Humane Borders in Mexico. The Border Patrol agents were dickwads. They were very rude and Betzi had given me the impression that they were actually quite nice and approachable and open to questions. Juanita later explained that it was probably because we had a group of 20 Hispanic students that quite blatantly did not look WASPy. I wandered over to the other side of the parking lot, because the agents said we had to stay in the parking lot and saw a Man and his Son loading up all of their stuff into their truck. It didn’t hit me until they were pulling up to enter Mexico that they had to take all their stuff out for border patrol to inspect their truck for illegal items or people smuggling. Border patrol wasn’t even helping them put their stuff back on the truck, and they had a whole ton of stuff! The fence itself was absolutely nasty. It was the ugliest thing I had ever seen. It marred the landscape and Juanita explained to us that the labor that was used to build it came from undocumented construction works….ironic.
Brenda- Humane Borders- Day Four
Day four we went down to Nogales to a church called St. Andrews. The contact there, Roger explained to us that there were very visible trails. He explained to us that the migrants sometimes sleep in a shed and wait for someone to pick them up. The church is a safe haven for them. I likened it to “this is how they know they’ve made it” their only obstacle after that is passing through border patrol. Betzi later explained to us that the drivers would make the migrants get out before hitting the checkpoint and make them walk to a reststop without being seen by border patrol and that is where they would be picked up. While on the trails, we were picking up trash and our group of three ventured way out in our orange vests and found a couple of abandoned migrant camps. We were instructed to search the backpacks for some sort of identification before we tossed them. Between both groups combing the trails we had a total of about 20 bags of trash. I never realized about where migrants would toss stuff when walking in the desert. Betzi explained to us that in addition to being arrested for crossing illegally, they are charged with littering. When she said that I was just like, “You have got to be kidding me”. After that day I realized I have never hated cacti and thorns and hills and barbed wire more than the plus minus system. I also realized that I could not last even 2 hours walking in the desert to find a better life up north so the people that did this of their own free will have got to be some of the bravest people out there.
Brenda- Humane Borders- Day Three
Day three was pretty uneventful. The original mission was to go to some migrant trails with a group called Samaritans and pick up migrant trash. The Samaritans are made up of mostly retired people and they look for migrants in distress and offer them help. They can’t transport them anywhere, since that would be aiding them and thus a criminal offense for both parties involved. Trash pick up fell through and our other contact for that day, Mike Hyatt (Betzi was with us for the whole week; she’s awesome) told us that we would just be going along ‘popular’ migrant paths searching for any that need help. I chose to go in Betzi’s truck since I went in Mike Wilson’s last time. Betzi told us about a situation that happened a while back ago about two minors that took a migrant to a hospital. All they did was transport him to a hospital because Border Patrol could not get there and so they took matters into their own hands. They were charged like criminals and eventually all charges were dropped but the condition as that there be no press coverage on it. There had to be a reason they didn’t want press coverage on this case… Betzi took us out to a water station and we hiked around a bit and we stopped. She told us to hush and listen and we did, and we heard nothing. You could probably hear a pin drop. I was unsettled. I only knew where the road was because I came from that direction but these migrants crossing don’t know which direction is which. It was a powerful experience just standing there in the middle of the desert ,and thinking. At the end of the day we didn’t find any migrants but it was still a tiring day.
Brenda- Humane Borders- Day Two
Day Two we were told we’d be visiting the courts and seeing Operation STREAMLINE. We would not be going out into the desert at all today. We met an elderly woman named Lois who explained to us why migrants choose to cross the desert and the causes of their decisions. She explained to us that the North American Free Trade Agreement was the catapult to pushing more migrants to the US. Before immigration became such a hot topic issue people from Mexico and other Latin American countries would cross over in the US illegally and legally and work for 9 months then go back home and repeat. They had no issues, they would cross in border towns, and it was safe. There were no desert walkers, there were hardly any deaths, it was a system that worked, even if it was flawed and allowed for undocumented people. It wasn’t until around ’94 that crossing illegally was made a minor offense and NAFTA was passed. US grain and other agricultural products flooded Mexico at cheap prices and put Mexican farms out of business leading to no work. This is what caused an influx in undocumented migrants crossing. In ’96 crossing illegally was made a criminal offense. This was done so that it would discourage people from crossing. If they were caught it would mean there would be a criminal offense on their record and to get a visa to come over legally one cannot have any kind of criminal record. We headed to the court and Lois had told us that they do 70 trials a day but seeing the 70 migrants, 69 men and 1 woman seated and in chains and shackles almost made me want to cry. They were called seven at a time and they had earphones on that allowed them to hear the interpreter. Each migrant was represented by a bilingual lawyer and that lawyer represented up to 6 migrants that same say. They were asked questions and they all answered yes, or no in unison. At the end of their sentencing they could get between 30 days or 180 days in prison. The migrants at that days trial were all repeat offenders. They had tried entering the country illegally before and so they were charged with a criminal offense with up to 20 years in prison, but because there are so many migrants to sentence they are always offered a plea bargain and it is moved to a misdemeanor. The judge always asks at the end if anyone of them has something to say; most say no, some ask for forgiveness, that they just wanted to work and get money to pay for their wife’s surgery or kid’s schooling; some even ask to serve their time in another prison not in Tucson. They asked to be moved to Pennsylvania, or Indianapolis, or somewhere in California, because that is probably the last time they will be able to see their family that is here before they are deported back to their home countries. We didn’t get to see all of the migrants’ sentencing, but I left with the biggest headache of my life that day. It was such an overload of information and emotions that just pushed me to the edge.
Brenda- Humane Borders- Day One
Day One of working with Humane Borders was full of surprises. We pulled up to the House of Neighborly Service in South Tucson where the offices were located. I was anxious and nervous and had no idea what the water run would entail. We met our primary contact Betzi. Betzi grew up in Kansas; she lived in Wichita so it was nice to see a face familiar with where we were from. We also had another guest, Mike Wilson, as in the Mike Wilson from the movie Crossing Arizona. Mike Wilson is a member of the Tohono Ohnhom nation and sets up gallons of water on the reservation as the tribal leaders do not want to place. They and the director of Humane Borders, Juanita explained to us their mission. To stop human beings from dying in the desert from lack of water. They make water runs once a week to different areas. That day we were doing the North and South Arivaca run. We split into two groups, three with Betzi, and three with Mike Wilson. I headed to Mike Wilson’s truck and we set out. On route to the first water station took 30 minutes and we passed by border patrol. We took a dirt path that was very bumpy. Betzi explained to us how she checks the water levels and this water station was empty so she showed us how the pump works and had one of us fill it up. Mike Wilson had other ideas and took some of us on an adventure and we hiked around looking for migrant trash or migrants crossing. We did this for every water station, in total about 6 or 7 and each road to getting there was even bumpier and hillier than the last. It took all I had to not get motion sickness. Something I also noticed while doing this water run was that some stations would be vandalized: Bullet holes in the signs, spigots broken and hidden or just missing. I was appalled. Migrants crossing the desert run out of water after the third day, and are forced to drink out of cattle ponds. This can make them very sick and leads to further dehydration out of diarrhea, and vomiting. To know that someone would willingly stop someone from getting water just because they are looking for a better life shook me. Mike Wilson commented on these acts of vandalism: “Some people call it vandalism, I call it sacrilege.” Day one set the tone for the rest of the trip, and I knew that I would learn and experience many many things.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Lizzy- Freedom House- Day Six
Our last day we had a talent show at Freedom House. It was pushed back an hour than we had originally planned, but a group of us danced until we were forced to begin. The impromptu dance party was especially wonderful simply because it was unplanned—we just all wanted to be there.
The talent show had everything from magic, to skits, to dance, to singing and lasted over two hours.
Our group from Kansas ended the show with our Alma Mater and the Rock Chalk Chant. They were
especially enamored with the chant, and joked that they would have to remember how to do it for when
March Madness begins.
The residents had another class for a couple hours, which gave us time to pack and stop by Detroit’s
History Museum, where we met Elizabeth, Aaron, and others from Summer in the City. It was our last
opportunity to say goodbye and thank you to many of our hosts, and the learning more about the city
we had come to love’s history was an appropriate way to end our week. The history museum left us
feeling optimistic about Detroit’s future, and I can’t wait to visit it again when it’s back to its full glory.
After our last dinner at Freedom House, I played chess with another one of my closest friends from the
house Z. and one of his friends mentored my strategy. Z. was originally a journalist in the Middle East, so (after asking if he felt comfortable talking about his past) I asked if it was possible if he knew my cousin, who also was a journalist in the Middle East for a couple years. Though the short answer would have been “no,” Z. told me stories about all of his different jobs for well over an hour. I was shocked by his willingness to divulge details, but I felt like his actions were a testament to the trust we had received from the residents.
Goodbyes were as emotional and sentimental as I had expected, but we by the time we had reached our
house three miles away, I had already received two emails from residents. They were clearly thankful for the work we had done, and we are all looking forward to keeping in touch.
I can’t believe we had only been there a week. Z., A., S., C., and so many more became important parts
of my life, and the girls I shared this experience have all of my respect. This experience could not have
been better.
Lizzy- Freedom House- Day Five
Today we hosted an arts and crafts day. Though attendance was limited, we all enjoyed our time
creating some art to hang in Freedom House. It felt like a small way to say thanks, and it was nice to be
in the presence of some of the female residents I hadn’t gotten to know as well.
While the residents were in their group therapy session, we were able to visit the Heidelberg Project
downtown. Before the project began, it was simply a few blocks with an exceptionally high crime rate.
However the project aimed to make the area into a community attraction by painting the homes with
polka dots, shoes, and messages. The artist’s idea worked, and since the project began in 2008, crime
has dropped dramatically. We ran into a man who worked for a local news channel, who interviewed
Haven about our experiences in Detroit and her thoughts on the work.
We headed back to Freedom House for an early dinner before their Bridge to Freedom benefit concert.
Reverend N. offered a free bluegrass performance, and many of our Freedom House friends participated in Ugandan or Rwandan dances. Reverend N. was a phenomenal performer and storyteller, and the dance numbers were incredible. I was so impressed with how talented all of the residents are in so many ways: after the concert we even played quick game of Scrabble, and even as the only native
English speaker I got second-to-last place.
The evening ended on a little bit of a sentimental note as we all began to realize we only had one day
left. Some of the residents explained to us that the community room we always hung out in was usually
empty. It seemed hard to believe because of how packed it was with singing, drumming, chatting, and
games it had always been. Though we told ourselves it would be an early night, we didn’t leave until
after 1AM.
Lizzy- Freedom House- Day Four
Once a month Freedom House has a deep clean, which was scheduled for today. I spent most of my
time scrubbing microwaves and stovetops (all industrial sized) with a woman named S., who became
one of my closest friends at Freedom House. Many of the appliances needed to be scrubbed outside,
which was cold and uncomfortable, but this was probably the most technically productive afternoon we
had at Freedom House.
Before dinner we made three different cakes with the residents: vanilla, chocolate, and butter pecan.
For some reason we were thinking this would be a class – actively teaching the residents something –
but most of the attendees were very, very good cooks. S., for example, worked making cupcakes in a
grocery store for years. Afterwards we enjoyed dinner and dessert with the residents. We were able
to hang out for a couple hours (including more reading homework with A.), but we had to be back at
Summer in the City by 8PM; we had told Elizabeth we would have a discussion with one of her interns, but were not sure what all that would entail.
Elizabeth’s interns, Aaron and Don, eventually led us in a discussion about privilege and volunteerism. It was not unlike many of the discussions we had had in our Alternative Breaks lecture, but the reminders were refreshing during our volunteer experience. Our group revealed more personal details than before, bringing us closer together and also helping us understand each other. Aaron ended the discussion after two hours, though it could have gone on for much longer. We ended the evening with games and chatting, and at first I think we felt guilty for not spending as much time as possible with the Freedom House residents. However this evening gave us perspective on our purpose and our goals and overall made our week into a more fulfilling experience.
Lizzy- Freedom House- Day Three
Today was the day I realized how much the residents appreciate our presence here. Katie had warned us that there is a period of time (between their Visa expiring and being granted asylum) that the residents are not allowed to have jobs or leave Freedom House on their own accord. Because they are less than 100 miles away from an international boarder, Border Control has jurisdiction to ask for anyone’s papers for any or no reason. Last year, two residents were walking back from a nearby grocery store when they were stopped because they “didn’t look American.” One man had his papers, but the other was immediately detained for four days before Freedom House was able to bail him out. Though he was respectful and cooperative during the incident, its mark on his record added an additional 18 months to his asylum processing. Freedom House has been more strict on residents staying on their property ever since. For the same reason, only staff answers the doorbell.
In the morning we held an American Slang class. Easily 20 adults attended, and each one took notes. I
was surprised with how engaged they were, though it makes sense since they will eventually need to
work with this language. We organized slang phrases into the “ABCs of American Slang,” covering topics from “the bomb” to “swag” to “watch a flick”. They were constantly clarifying and making comparisons to phrases in their native languages – constantly helping each other. In the middle of our lecture, a resident sneezed and Shannon instinctively said “bless you”. The residents asked about this habit, and thought it was funny we said it for sneezing, but usually not coughing.
After dinner (and helping A. with her reading again) we hosted a movie night. I couldn’t believe how
excited they were – we decorated the room with red theater-style curtains, made a concession stand
with popcorn and soda, and organized a ticket booth. One resident made himself the bouncer of the
movie room while we were decorating, and another dubbed himself the ticket collector. Nearly all of the 35 residents attended our movie, and I’ve never heard people laugh so hard at “Finding Nemo”.
We spend as much time as possible at Freedom House, because we all really enjoy simply hanging out.
However, today they had a two hour English class at the YMCA, so we all got to stop by the Motown
Museum and explore Detroit more in addition to volunteering.
Lizzy- Freedom House- Day Two
Our first night at Summer in the City, the organization hosting us all week was perfect. Elizabeth, our
main correspondence, immediately worked hard to ensure we all felt welcome. She suggested an article
about political asylum for us to read and assured us that anything they had in the house was at our
disposal. After spending ten minutes reading her recommended article, we were mostly confused: the
article highlighted our ignorance, which was an important reality check before we arrived at Freedom
House the next morning. We spent about 45 minutes discussing what we didn’t understand about the
article, and I felt nervous about the upcoming week.
The next morning, Katie, the program coordinator of Freedom House, spent about two hours explaining their mission, logistics, and problems with seeking political asylum in the United States. I asked at least twenty questions during her explanation, but by the end of her debrief I felt comfortable getting to know the people who lived in the house. I couldn’t help but notice the occasional face pop in the glass window of the door, indicating that the people of Freedom House seemed as anxious to get to know us as we were to get to know them.
She had explained that Freedom House is its occupants’ first American family, but the familial
atmosphere still caught me by surprise. Deb, the program director, explained that someone’s personal
belongings were almost always left unattended because of the communal trust they have developed in
the house. Children called many adults in the house mom or dad, which made determining family trees
difficult, but also were an undeniable sign of their closeness.
I very quickly developed a friendship with an eight year old from Uganda, A., and her little sister C. I was originally helping A. with her reading homework, but by the end of the evening was crawling on the floor with the two girls. During dinner I met a 39 year old from Rwanda, who was exceptionally outspoken and idealistic. It didn’t take long for this former-activist to ask each of us what we would say to President Obama if we could only talk to him for 60 seconds. Though most of the residents spoke French natively, they seemed eager to develop relationships with us and were all extremely intelligent.
The evening was filled with community dinner and watching the KU game with the Freedom House
residents. During our break we took some quick trips to Greek town and exploring Little Mexico (where we lived), and already were surprised by the friendliness encountered in a city with such a dangerous reputation.
Lizzy- Freedom House- Day One
We planned on leaving for Detroit about 8AM, so we could arrive early that evening. We divided the
drive into three four-hour chunks for each driver, the second of which I was assigned. The girls seemed
nice, but mostly I was relieved I was sitting in the back corner so I could lean against the window and
sleep. Riley, a junior from San Antonio, surprised me with her willingness to take the middle-seat in the
back row, seemingly unperturbed.
The first four hours of the trip was filled with napping, small talk, and White Castle burgers. It was then
my turn to drive, and Riley volunteered as navigator, which simultaneously got her shotgun and made
her my personal DJ. The first two hours flew by; Riley was humbly well-versed in music, and her nature generous, kind, and honest.
Ninety minutes into my shift the weather picked up dramatically. I slowed down and recognized I’d have to drive longer to compensate for it, but I was enjoying the company of our group and wasn’t bothered by the idea. Unfortunately the roads became slick, visibility was extremely poor, and I was so focused on the road to really pay attention to any conversation or Riley’s music selection past that point.
Shannon had the shift after me, and after four or five hours of driving was thrilled to pass the buck. By
the time she began her shift it was dark and traffic was heavier, but the road conditions didn’t seem to
stress her. She immediately established herself as the outgoing story-teller of the group, and navigated
traffic while cracking jokes with the ease of a gracious host navigating guests.
By the end of the drive I was impressed with all the other girls too: Haven was a secure freshman with
a quirky, intelligent sense of humor; Amber was a fellow senior ready to laugh and happy to challenge
people; Nicole was sweet and petite, but had an impressive strength of standing up for herself; and
Miranda was as generous and real as people can get.
Josh- Big Bend- Day Five
Friday, January 18th.
Since we had finished the conservation efforts earlier in the week, Friday was spent on cleanup.
Until recently, telephone cable had run freely across the ground, over a saddle in the mountains,
and down into the Chisos Basin campsite. These wires had been used for communication and
internet purposes, but had recently been replaced with easier and more eco-friendly methods.
Taking a back round, we went off the main road and into the mountains. After going as far as
the cars would allow we began to go up into the mountains on foot in search of the cable. After
finding it halfway up, our team split and began to cut and roll large segments of the wire, and
bring them back to the trucks. Friday was by far the hardest work we performed all week. This
half day of hiking did not stop us from going on our own hike that afternoon. We hiked the Lost
Mine Trail, a 4.8 mile hike that took us over 1100 feet in the air. As we climbed higher and
higher I began to understand what our conservation efforts could lead to. We saw miles and
miles of beautiful forest and grasslands, mostly untouched by humans. But as we reached the
top I could grasp the full scope of the park, and its habitat. We could see for miles and miles
around us, until often it faded too far into the distance or was blocked by another mountain
range. The park had miles of untouched and unused land. This land was rarely, if ever, touched
by a human and had in maintained its own balance. Much of the work we were doing was
repairing the damaged caused by humans. As Joe had told us through the week, Big Bend had
been a large grazing ground for the cattle industry, and it had taken its toll on the park. Though
much of Big Bend had always been desert and badlands, our conservation efforts were needed
to return the balance to the areas that had been destroyed by others misuse. What this week
has taught me most is that it only takes small changes to permanently alter our environment,
and that it will take much more effort to fix the problem later then to deal with the causes now.
Josh- Big Bend- Day Four
Thursday, January 17th.
As we had finished most of the work in the badlands/grasslands, they had some new work in
store for us on Thursday.Keith, another scientist working with Joe in his preservation efforts,
was going to take us down by one of the campsites near the Rio Grande to help in their efforts
of replanting of willow trees. As Keith explained, we would be cutting down younger stalks of
the willow trees and strip them of their branches, so they could put cut to length, stuck in the
Rio Grande, and be able to grow new roots and branches. These newly created saplings would
transplanted to other parts of the park that had harsher conditions that the small seeds could
rarely survive. This effort started with us walking down the river banks in search of the trees.
As we found them a way off, we began to cut off branches and haul them back to the boat
dock. After we had collected a big pile of branches we began to strip them off excess, smaller
branches, and cut them to length. After lunch and all the willows had been stripped we headed
back around our original site and were able to see where our efforts with the grass might lead.
Keith brought us to an area where a previous volunteer group had done much the same work
with the grass we had, and the results were less than spectacular. Not only had only a few small
groups of grass sprouted up, but much of it was long yellowed and dead. Not until then did I
really understand how much effort these people had put in, and what little results could come
of it. As Keith explained, there had been a good patch of grass but they had had a dry year,
and much of it had died off shortly after. But there was still hope for the area. The brush spread
there had done much of its job, the ground was still moist from the previous weeks rain, unlike
the barren, dry, cracked ground around it. And to take advantage of this we did the only thing
we could, we spread buckets upon buckets of seed on the ground in hopes that some would
take root and grow. This really hit me as the breaking point for what conservation efforts mean.
You cannot take one set back and claim defeat,but must use what you have to your advantage
and reclaim what little ground you can at a time.
Josh- Big Bend- Day Three
Tuesday, January 15th and Wednesday, January 16th.
Both Tuesday and Wednesday morning started out very similar to Monday, with the exception
of Joes presentation. A quick breakfast and hurriedly packed lunch, and off to the field for
work. Since we had already tilled and seeded the land, we began on cover the seeded areas in
brush. The brush served to main purposes, as a protection for the seed and a wall against the
water. The brushed protected the seed from extreme sun, wind, and animals, while provided
a place for the water to collect and pool over the seed, providing the much needed and often
scarce water. The piles of brush we were using were all recycled from the nearby area. Trees
that were head and needed to be cleared, brush cleared from paths, and other brush that had
been cleared to provide fire protection for the residential areas.The piles ranged from tree limbs
to thorny bushes, and palm leaves to cactuses. At the end of Wednesday’’s work day we had
finished moving all the piles of brush, and had provided a large area of land with protection
and the hopes of rekindling its grasses. After our long days of work we headed back to camp
to prepare dinner, then went to take showers at the firehouse. During dinner Tuesday we had
started the telling of our “life stories,” every interesting or not detail you were willing to share
with the group. These continued throughout shower time and our nightly games of Uno, and
for the rest of the week until they were all told. After the three long days of work I was really
beginning to see the true work it took to restore the land, especially knowing our efforts were
only a very small percentage of the works going on in the park. Joe continued to tell us facts
about the park and how it was managed, and what they had been doing as a whole to help
improve the environment. The entire group felt the effects of our efforts and this, along with the
bonding over our “life stories” drew the group dynamic even closer.
Josh- Big Bend- Day Two
Monday, January 14th
We woke up early Monday morning, warmer, though our layers could not protect us from all the
cold. We headed out to find our contact and learn about our volunteer work that week. We met
up with Joe, the parks botanist, who was to be our main contact for the week. He presented
the work he had been doing to preserve the park the last few years; the work we would be
continuing. After listening to his speech about the work, I thought I understood what we were
in for. We followed him out to the work site, and after some explanation we got to working. We
spent much of Monday tilling the paths we would plant seed in and help prevent the continued
erosion of these badlands/grasslands.We continued to till the land until lunch. We spoke to Joe
over lunch and he explained of the interesting features of the park, from the rocks and plants
to the best trails and sites. After lunch we continued our work in the field. Not long after starting
work again the “Hydro Mulcher” arrived to start seeding the area. The “Hydro Mulcher” takes
a combination of grass seed, mulch, water, and a sticky material to help the seed stick to the
ground and make it harder to be carried off by the animals. After finishing the long strip of land
that needed to be tilled, and making sure it was all covered in seed, we headed out. We got
back with time to spare before dark and start cooking dinner; quesadilla Monday. Though I was
a bit sore after the long day of using a pickaxe, I didn’t yet understand the large amount of work
we had to put in to even make a little difference. Joe had mentioned that they had spent years
trying to figure out the best way to get grass to regrow, and many times it failed. What we were
trying now had the best success rate, but still wasn’t nearly a sure fire way.
Josh- Big Bend- Day One
Saturday, January 12th and Sunday, January 13th
Our drive to Big Bend was rather uneventful, other than a three hour delay at Walmart to get
supplies. It is already late, about midnight, as we pass through the front gates of Big Bend and
we can see nothing around us other than what our headlights illuminate on the side of the road.
A little over an hour later we arrive in our campsite and get out to stretch our legs and prepare
the tents. At that moment, we all look up and notice the clear night sky illuminated by the stars,
unobstructed by any other lights. It had to be one of the greatest views of the night sky I, or any
other in our group, had ever seen. After looking at the night sky for some time, we finally got to
unpacking and putting up the tents. Twenty one long hours after hitting the road, jammed into
the van like sardines in a can, we could finally sleep. We woke up the next day freezing, but
as we looked outside our tents we realized we were not only in the mountains, but surrounded
by them. After a long while of taking in our surroundings we ate a hurried breakfast and made
some sandwiches for lunch before heading out for our day off. Our first stop was the hot spring,
situated right on the bank of the Rio Grande. After spending some time in the warm 105 degree
water we ate lunch and began our drive down the scenic route. Along the way we encountered
the Tuff Canyon and spend a good deal of time hiking from one side to the next. We arrived to
camp after dark and made the most awful dinner we would have all week. We decided then that
cooking after dark was no longer an option. We packed on the layers then headed to bed for our
first day of volunteering. After being packed in the van, and spending a fun filled day together I
could really feel the group coming together. Though we hadn’t learned much about our work yet,
we knew it was going to be a long, fun filled week.
Erin- Cumberland- Day Five
Friday 18 Jan 2013
Today was our final day of work, and we really did make the most of the time we
were given. With the stretch of trail that we had successfully cleared yesterday,
today we created a real hiking trail out of it and I have to say that I will never
look at any trail I hike the same. All of the hard work that goes into creating a trail
from start to finish (and maintaining it) is incredible and unrecognized by many.
Those who do work and volunteer to create the trails that so many hike must be
very dedicated and passionate because the work can become quite tedious and
strenuous. I am amazed with the prospects of building 300 miles of trail mainly
through volunteer labor and excited by the idea that these trails could be there and
be enjoyed for centuries to come. Even though I only spent a small amount of time
working on the trails, I come away with a new appreciation for trails and for those
who devote their lives to trail building.
To turn our cleared pathway into an actual trail, there were many more steps. First,
the leaves had to be raked off the path. Then, the top layer of soil (the ‘duff’) had to
be removed. This is the layer that has the organic material, which doesn’t make good
trail soil. Then once the duff was removed (and all of the rocks that came with it) we
had to shape the path so that it was level and not sloped with the rest of the hillside.
This involved removing quite a bit more dirt. Finally once the path was pressed
down and walked on a few times, it really did look like a hiking trail!
The work today was quite hard again but not as hard as yesterday. Today we
worked with another group of about five. They were a hiking group (comprised
mostly of retired men) that was based in Crossville. Many of them volunteer their
time frequently, helping to build the trails that they love to hike on. It was nice to
get to interact with another group of volunteers and see the variety of people that
have helped build the Cumberland Trail. Looking back on the week, I see all of the
challenges we faced as a group, but also how rewarding the week was and how
much closer we grew. I thank Alternative Breaks for giving me this opportunity and
hope to have more in the years to come before graduation.
Erin- Cumberland- Day Four
Thursday 17 Jan 2013
Today was our first real day of work. We worked in an area that will be a trail but
that is now basically nothing—simply a forest-y hillside. When we first started out,
it was hard for me to imagine a trail running through, the only indication we had of
where the trail would be was a flag on a tree every now and then. The first step in
the process is removing the smaller trees that are in the trail—the trail is designed
around the larger ones, but the smaller ones must simply be removed. This involves
hacking endlessly at the ground around the trunk to break free the roots. Then,
pulling at the tree with all of your might until it begins to break free. Then more
hacking at the ground. When I watched the demonstration, I was quite excited. This
was the reason I had come on the trip in the first place! I was excited to get some
pent up energy out and put it to a good cause. The other group members felt the
same way. We all started off very strong, moving fast, working as productive as a
group of inexperienced tree removers could. In fact, the entire morning went by
quickly, all of us entranced in our work, finally relieved go get a bit done.
After lunch, however, we hit a wall. Suddenly I realized why it was so hard and
time consuming to build a trail in the first place. After swinging a seven-pound ax
for a couple hours, our hands were cramping up, our backs were aching and all we
wanted to do was take a nice hot bath. This was not an option whatsoever—we still
had a couple more hours to work. I came on this trip knowing the work would be
hard, knowing I would have to push myself, but in that moment when I still had a
couple hours of working and I felt like I couldn’t move my arms, I began to question
why I had been so crazy to come. Why hadn’t I been training all of winter break?
I scolded myself for my laziness, and then sucked it up and grudgingly got back to
work. The afternoon passed slowly but when we were done and as we walked back
through our work, we got to see what we had accomplished. Even though there was
not yet an actual trail built, we saw all of the removed trees and we could actually
see the path that the trail would take. This was the most rewarding part of the
day. I can’t wait for tomorrow to actually build the trail and get to see the finished
product.
Erin- Cumberland- Day Three
Wednesday 16 Jan 2013
Two days have past and unfortunately we have not been able to complete any real
work on the trail. It has been raining off and on the past two days. Myself and the
rest of my group definitely feels bad about not being able to do work on the trail yet,
but with this weather, there is not much we can do. To look in a more positive light, I
have definitely continued to learn a lot even though we have not necessarily worked
on the trail.
Yesterday we were given our break day. We decided to drive about an hour and a
half to Chattanooga, Tennessee and explore the city with our free time. This sounds
like a grand idea, but we didn’t think very logistically about it. We didn’t go with
much of a plan and due to the rain that was quite a silly decision. Chattanooga is
the outdoors capital of this region, thus most of their attractions are outside. This
caused some problems for us and we found ourselves walking around in the rain
with little to do. In the end, everything worked just fine, we made the best of what
we had, but I do wish we had spent some more time planning ahead of time. We
went to an art museum in the morning, ate at some local restaurants for lunch, went
to a thrift store, and played laser tag and bowled. It ended in quite a big day of fun,
but also a time for me to learn that it is better to trust that everything will work out
and that there is no reason for me to stress about small worries.
Today we went on a 6.6 mile hike to see Laurel Falls. This is an eighty-foot waterfall
that is quite majestic. http://www.cumberlandtrail.org/laurel-snow.html. The hike
was very enjoyable; we walked along a river for a ways and then up a mountain,
following the creek most of the time. Finally getting outside after a couple of days
cooped up inside was very helpful for our morale. The stretch we hiked was part
of Cumberland Trail, so it was nice to finally see part of what we’ll be working to
complete.
Erin- Cumberland- Day Two
Monday 14 Jan 2013:
Our first day of work! Unfortunately it is still raining… Tony found us a project that
needed to be done in the state park where we are staying. It is loosely connected to the
Cumberland trail, but I think we would really do anything that would help out. Everyone
is feeling slightly disheartened that we can’t work outside and explore the beautiful
outdoors of Tennessee but we are grateful that we do not have to be cooped up in our
cabin all day.
We spent the morning and afternoon painting a house that will be turned into a hostel for
hikers The house was located in a valley surrounded by mountains and will eventually be
a spot where the Cumberland Trail will be routed through, but the trail has not yet been
built in this area. More information on the trail: it will eventually be connected to other
trails to the north and south and will one day rival the Appalachian Trail. This means that
there will be many hikers that will take three to six moths to hike the trail and thus need
camping areas and hostels to stay in along the way.
The house we painted was fairly old, and very very dirty inside. It looked as though
no one had lived in it for years. The work was very calming—I love spending time
painting, having nice conversations with my painting neighbors. By this point in
our trip, everyone began to feel comfortable around each other. No longer were our
conversations forced or uncomfortable; we have really started to get to know each
other and could begin to express interest in the lives of one another. After painting,
our spirits were very high. We had spent the day laughing, getting to know each
other while being active. It is nice that everyone has stayed positive even though we
don’t know what is to come with the rain. I could not have asked for a better way to
start the workweek.
Erin- Cumberland- Day One
Sunday 13 Jan 2013:
Today was the first full day spent together; yesterday was just on the road. Things
are looking quite ominous for the week. There is a chance of precipitation through
Thursday, which isn’t the best thing to happen to a group that is supposed to be
working outside. So far, my group has stayed positive, but as a site leader I’m
getting slightly worried of what will happen if we get rained out of the job. Tony, the
Cumberland Trail Conference director, seems sure that we’ll find stuff to do if the
rain keeps us from working outside.
Today was interesting nonetheless. We had our orientation and learned all about
the history of the Cumberland Trail Conference and basics on trail building. We
watched a video that had been made about the trail and its history and then heard
a lot from Tony. The goal for the trail is for it to span 300 miles and reach from the
southern to northern edge of Tennessee. Currently there are about 150 miles of
segments through the proposed route. The biggest backing for building the trail
came in the 1970s and 1980s when the government was funding its creation to
create more scenic areas in Tennessee. There was much expansion of the trail
during this time. Unfortunately in the early ‘90s funding was cut and the work
was taken up completely by volunteers. This majorly slowed down the work and
actually reversed a lot of the work that had been done because there was no one to
maintain the trails. In the late ‘90s the Cumberland Trail Conference was founded to
privately continue the expansion of the trail with support of the state but no state
funding. Since then, mainly volunteers (like our group) have continued the trail
building with grant money and donations.
This is a very valiant effort and I am impressed with the perseverance that people
like Tony have had. They have fought for this trail when there wasn’t much going
in their favor. The trail not only gives people a chance to experience nature and
exercise but also is a conservation project because as the trail is built, the entire
span of the trail will be state owned and thus will decrease the amount of mining
and logging that has long gone on in that area. It will also protect endangered
species of the area. I am very excited to learn more about the project this week and
also learn more about those who are truly passionate about the work.
Eyad- Atlanta- Day Five
During this journey I have been able to witness my evolution first hand. My perspective on life has changed to the positive and I have become much more spiritually aware of my surroundings on this planet. Being exposed to homeless people of different societal standpoints and degrees of poverty really showed me the fragility yet determination of the human body. At any moment in time one may undergo a life threatening event that will leave them unable to carry on a normal life. A member who was eating at the cafe told us he was stabbed in the stomach with a knife and ever since has bad post traumatic stress disorder that left him unable to hold a regular job. Other members have told us that their past environment surrounded them with alcoholics and drug abusers that left them forced to adapt such lifestyles. The members of the cafe were part of a rehabilitation program that helps them identify their problems and teaches them how to deal with their own emotions. This is especially important for those with depression and other psychological disorders. I did dishes with Mike who was a previous member of the cafe but with the positive impact they have made on his life chose to come back as a volunteer. We also had the opportunity to work in the administrative building of the ACSS where we reorganized their entire storage room and hung up clothes. I sat behind a desk and collected stubs from program members who were there to pick up life necessities such as soap, winter hats, lotion, pillows, blankets, and especially clothes. They had dress clothes for them to wear in case they receive a job interview. Multiple people came in asking for socks but the center did t have any so our group decided to donate a bunch of sock packets to the center. That was a simple task for us that I felt carried a massive impact on many homeless people's lives. Today was very emotional for all of us because we had to say goodbye to all the people we had met and accommodated us. I got to know over 5 homeless people on a personal level during this trip. During the homeless dinner on Wednesday at the church I sat with a veteran who had fallen through the cracks of the system and told me there are thousands of others like him. I gave him my ice tea and food after he told me he is in survival mode. He gave me much insight on life and told me not to worry everything will be alright. That phrase had the biggest impact on me this whole trip. The Reverend of the church we stayed at ate dinner with us the last night at Jeff and Frank's house, a married couple who had a beautiful house and cooked us great food. We stayed up till midnight discussing our own life views and perspectives on issues such as HIV, Religious intolerance, societal injustice, poverty, and how anyone can make an impact on the world. This trip has been a blessing and eye opener for me. The overarching message I received from this trip is: To improve the world we live in, we must show unconditional love to our surroundings. To see a positive change in the world, we must project a positive energy and not rely on others to improve the world for us. Make a change because even the intention of doing good will eventually lead you down a path of genuine love and appreciation for the people and world around you. We are all one.
Raeann- GKTW- Day Five
I can’t believe my week at Give Kids the World is over. It has gone by so fast! I cannot even begin to describe what this week has done for me. I won’t say that I have changed in any drastic way, because I don’t think that I have. However, I do believe that I have changed for the better in some smaller ways—fine tuning to my character.
This week, I made it a point to look past any wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, or any other indicators that a child might be different or sick. When I was trying to describe one of them to my group, I tried my best to never describe them in that way. For example, instead of “the little girl in the wheelchair,” I said “the little girl who has dark hair, glasses, and wears a lot of pink.” I have also noticed that this effort has carried over to all people that I meet. I am now much better at looking past any “abnormalities” to see who a person really is.
This morning, I helped run the carousel. Since the ride is completely handicap accessible, everyone was able to find a place to ride. My favorite moments were when entire families got on and rode together. I could see in their faces that, for a moment, they were able to forget the illness that had brought them there. Wheelchairs and other hindrances didn’t matter. They were simply free to be a family together.
After my morning shift was over, I was blessed to be able to meet Henri Landwirth, the founder of Give Kids the World, who was on property today. His story is truly inspiring. He barely survived the Holocaust during World War II, and then came to America where he was inspired by a little girl to start this organization. He started from basically nothing, and has built something incredible. Today, he is over 90 years old, but is actually also running another nonprofit that helps to provide food and clothing for those less fortunate. He is truly an incredible man. I introduced myself and thanked him for the wonderful work he had done. When told him I was a volunteer, he just wouldn’t stop thanking me. After all this man had been through and accomplished, he was thanking me. Henri’s never-ending compassionate and humble attitude has truly inspired me. Meeting him today was a special blessing that I will always remember.
As I think about this week, I realize that although it is time for me to leave Give Kids the World, my work is not done. I will continue to do my best to see the value in each person for who they are. Although I am still the same person, I can only hope that I am a little bit better version of me.
Kelcy- GKTW- Day Five
1/18/13
I refuse to believe that today is our final volunteer shift at Give Kids the World! They say goodbyes are bitter sweet, but this parting is just plain sad. Before these last five days in the village, I have never experienced such a happy place. That may sound cliché, but the routine volunteers are so passionate at providing just that—happiness. During breakfast at the Gingerbread House a fellow volunteer reminded me of an important rule: “If a child asks for the moon, we will figure out a way to give them the moon.” The endless compassion offered by the volunteers is extremely contagious; you can’t help but carry it with you. Both the volunteers and the families have made me grow in so many ways. They’ve taught me selflessness. I will now strive to put my concerns aside and instead take the time to genuinely ask about others’ days. They’ve taught me patience. I will now offer up my spot in line to strangers. They’ve taught me appreciation. I will now be thankful for the simple, yet impactful things that I used to neglect. I hope I have touched these families’ lives as much as they have touched mine.
I will never forget one family in particular. Not only because they’re fellow Jayhawk fans, but also because they are just incredible. Every time we saw them we would do a Rock Chalk Jayhawk chant and strike up a twenty-minute conversation. They offered each of us a small package containing a picture of Rudy (their wish child), a pen, a bookmark, and best of all—a link to Rudy’s blog. As volunteer’s we’re not allowed to request to keep in contact with a family unless they initiate the exchange of information. This gesture meant so much to me, because it shows that we were more than just volunteers to this family, we were friends. I’m so eager to keep in touch and follow Rudy’s future. Not knowing what will become of these children is the hardest thing about leaving Give Kids the World.
I’m not sure how it’s possible, but my final day in the village topped all the rest. I was one of the lucky few to meet Henri Landwirth, the noble man who founded Give Kids the World. Though he is 92 years old, he walked straight and tall without a cane or assistance. This man is incredible. I guess it goes to show that a life full of continual giving and laughter will result in a healthy life. He took my hand in both of his and continually thanked me for my volunteer service. This small gesture summarizes the devotion his foundation has for its volunteers. Meeting Henri was the closure I needed before heading back to Lawrence. All week I have thought about his amazing story and what I would share with him if I had the chance to meet him. When my time came, I was almost speechless; however, I managed to express how much he inspires me to do good for the world. I will always remember my life changing experience at Give Kids the World. This week has been an absolute blessing.
Kelcy- GKTW- Day Four
1/17/13
Today each of my shifts allowed me to bond with the families. I was able to talk with each of them individually about their theme park adventures and experiences at Give Kids the World. Throughout this entire week I have been so impressed by the children’s optimistic attitudes that I never stopped to consider the perspective of the parents.
I began noting the interactions between the family members, and I was incredibly overwhelmed with emotions. These families have endured more heartache than the average home, yet their love for each other has only strengthened. There is a family here that calls themselves “The Magnificent Seven.” The oldest son designed matching t-shirts for his family with this title printed on the front along with a fist-pumping stick figure in a speedy wheelchair. Their extreme closeness is apparent at a first glance. I envy the parents, like those responsible for “The Magnificent Seven,” that are able to keep up the excitement despite the undeniable obstacles. Having a family member in a wheelchair can be stressful in itself, because extra time and energy must be spent loading it into the car, maneuvering tight spaces, and accommodating his/her needs. However, these parents are able to spend entire days at theme parks with numerous kids in tow while also caring for an ill or disabled child. Then, if the day isn’t long enough already, Give Kids the World kicks off a special holiday party each night. The constant enthusiasm that these parents dish out is unbelievable. There is no way I could even keep up with these kids all day! It truly shows how devoted these parents are to their children. These parents don’t rest until their child’s every wish is granted. I saw one father loop two plastic bags full of new toys around his arm, push a stroller in one hand, carry a sugar cookie in the other, while also holding a snow cone between his teeth. He was superman to his kids.
I think siblings of the wish children are also heroes. They don’t see the illness or the disability within their sibling; they treat them as equals. I have only seen kind words of encouragement exchanged between the siblings. They joke with each other and make the most of their situations. Many siblings will offer a helping hand to their parents. I have seen younger siblings pushing wheelchairs and older siblings carrying their brothers and sisters. I have come to realize that these families depend on teamwork to function. It truly is a group effort.
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