Spring break is still pretty far into the future. It’s unlikely that students are making plans for their time off, but the Thayne Center for Service and Learning is thinking ahead into spring semester.
Plans are in the works for two Alternative Spring Break [A.S.B] volunteer trips, with one group heading to Kanab, Utah from March 14-18, 2011. The second group will head to Seattle, Washington for a week from March 13-19, 2011.
Service Leadership Coordinator with the Thayne Center Linnie Spor encourages students to consider getting involved in the A.S.B. program.
Spor said the A.S.B. groups will include, “Anyone 17 and up as long as they are a current SLCC student.”
The A.S.B. program “…is for any Salt Lake Community College student who wants to be immersed in an intensive volunteer and travel experience,” According to the Thayne Center’s vision for the program.
Volunteers, including two advisors, will address important social issues of the areas that they serve.
“They find out the needs of the community and then they plan activities or service projects that’s going to help with that particular area,” Spor said. “They can also find out if this is something they want to do for a lifetime, either volunteering or even something they want go into as a career.”
The group headed to Kanab will be serving the needs of the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Past projects of the Sanctuary included repairing and repainting buildings and enclosures, socializing with the animals, and raising funds to purchase blankets for their newfound furry friends.
Environmental projects will be the main focus of the Seattle A.S.B. trip, such as recycling and land restoration and preservation projects. Students headed to Seattle will have input on which non-profit organizations they will serve.
One SLCC student considering the A.S.B. Seattle trip is psychology major, Billy Walker.
“I’ve always been one for volunteering with the community,” Walker explained. “I’d like to see what other communities are doing as far as non-profits, volunteering, and especially Seattle because I’m highly interested in helping out with the environment so that we can sustain the planet for as long as we need it.”
The total cost of the A.S.B. trip to Kanab, Utah is $175.00 per student. The Seattle trip runs $350.00 per student. The cost will include transportation and lodging, as well as most food costs. Considering a round-trip flight from Salt Lake City to Seattle is currently hovering around $300.00, the trip seems like a steal for any college student.
Groups are also given one ‘free day’ to choose other activities for the day. Some past groups have chosen to devote more time to service projects; other groups have elected to sightsee and learn more about the culture history of the region.
Four orientation and training meetings are mandatory for participants involved in the Alternative Spring Break trips. Students are expected to remain drug and alcohol-free during the trip to protect SLCC students and participants, as well as the area in which the groups will be working.
Applications for the Alternative Spring Break trips are available in the Thayne Center, located in the basement of the Student Center at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus. In addition to the application, a non-refundable deposit of $75.00 is due to the Thayne Center by Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010. Space is limited.