Hope in dark times
Halston Herrera
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: News
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Alternative Spring Break (ASB) is coming to the Motor City, and the University of Michigan-Dearborn will play host to the volunteers from Feb. 21 through March 1.
For the past two years, United Way and thinkMTV have partnered to organize a week-long service event in the Gulf Coast, specifically focusing on the efforts of young people to help rebuild communities affected from Hurricanes Katrina and Ivan.
According to United Way, it all began in 2006 when 100 young volunteers from around the country worked toward the reconstruction of communities in Mississippi and Alabama after the devastation of the hurricanes.
In 2007, 400 young volunteers dedicated their spring break to help out in Lake Charles, La., who had suffered severe damage from Hurricane Rita.
Now, according to Angela Walker of United Way for Southeastern Michigan, in 2008, over 800 volunteers will build on the success of ASB in the past two years by expanding to three locations: Detroit, Lake Charles, La., and Biloxi, Miss..
In each of these communities, volunteers will spend a week helping to rebuild structures and spirits through various service activities.
According to Walker, there will be 25 UM-D students working at the Detroit site, while 15 others will be traveling down south.
"The Detroit site is actually a pilot program," said Walker.
"In the past, volunteers have always traveled to hurricane-ravaged areas. This is the first time we are doing a kind of 'work in your own backyard' approach."
Walker also said this is the first time a university has partnered with the United Way to house the volunteers near the work site.
"In the past, the sites that have been worked on have had specific volunteer housing. Volunteers to the Detroit site will stay in the facilities provided by UM-D," she said.
Approximately 50 volunteers will be staying in the Fieldhouse. Two local sponsors, Panera Bread and Kroger, will provide breakfast and lunch.
National sponsors include FedEx, Deloitte and Target.
"We are really excited. We have a lot of fun activities planned for the volunteers when they return to 'the camp' as we are calling it," said Walker.
In the days leading up to the rebuilding, volunteers will be treated to a Discover Detroit bus tour, dinner in Mexicantown and several bonding activities like the ropes course.
Volunteers will typically be working at sites from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Team leaders will facilitate tasks and reflection discussions.
Student Activities Office's Randy Dillard will act as a operations liaison between the university and major sponsors.
The blog for ASB Detroit 2008 can be found at www.uwsemasb.blogspot.com.
The university has also set up a link to several ASB resources on the university's homepage.
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Axxel Knutson
posted 2/20/08 @ 12:40 PM EST
"With overwhelming economic woes, political scandal and an uncertain future" Detroit is far from on its death bed as this comment would suggest. I hear this stuff over and over again and I can tell you that if anyone is negative about technology, the United States, Detroit or almost anything concerning the human condition they will, in time be wrong. (Continued…)
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