United Way Alternative Spring Break sponsored by Deloitte

It's over? Already?

noreply@blogger.com (Channel De Leon) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:43:00 +0000

Here I am, sitting at my laptop listening to N.E.R.D. and procrastinating on any type of homework. It's cold and rainy in Iowa: go figure. I'm still in an ASB-daze. The majority of my time for the past 3 days was spent daydreaming about the past week and checking Facebook. I am not a fan of Facebook, and yet I find myself logging on 4-5 times a day just to see if anyone's posted any new pictures or videos. I wish school allowed me some time to just recollect.

I completely agree with Eric that this year's ASB was the best...by far. I can't really pinpoint the reason for the change, maybe the different group of people or the new location, but it was incredible. I had my doubts coming in, being a part of this "Alumni Leadership Team" and wondering how my role in ASB would change. It took me a few days to finally recognize my place in the process. I was no longer a participant, and directly assisting the Biloxi community. I was chopping wood for the bonfire,moving chairs and tables into the dining area, and making Powerpoints. Why was I even there? It took me until Tuesday night to figure it out: I was here for the participants. I was there to make their ASB experience enjoyable. Believe it or not, I was giving back. Giving back the experience that was given to me one year ago in Bay St. Louis. This entire program would give these 80 students from across the nation a sense of hope. Hope that they, the youth of America, can come together and cause greatness. That alone could keep me volunteering in Biloxi forever.

I couldn't be more proud of the Drake group. Being able to see each individual's experience was inspiring. I could just sense their expectations being exceeded with each passing day. I'm looking forward to watching them become more involved members of the Drake community as well as Des Moines'.

Coming back home is the weirdest part about ASB. I'm constantly bombarded with "How was ASB?!" at home, at work, and at class. I've come to settle on, "Amazing. Even better than last year." Words just seem to fail me each time. You just needed to be there.

I think it was Mike who said this, but I am craving "ASB-type people." I'm anxiously awaiting our next Student United Way meeting tomorrow night, and our Family Fun Night at the Boys and Girls Club on Friday. It won't be the same as ASB, but it'll do. Miss you all.

LIVE UNITED,
Channel

Don't stop beliven, hold onto that Feeling

noreply@blogger.com (Braun) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:46:00 +0000

Well, as I end my Journey (Get it??) here in New Orleans I have a terrible amount of time to reflect before I'll make it home. I've been gone for 13 days as of today and not one of them worth regret. Seeing as how I've been blogging vicariously through my c0-leader and more importantly friend Alicynn, I feel it's time to lay down a few words of my own. Every year since the Storm Corps year of '06 I always wonder how can the next year possibly out do this one? How can I meet people and work on projects that will be better than what I just went through? Every year I say this and then the next year it feels like the previous year has been out done. Well folks, I hate to say it, but every year from now on that I'm involved in the program will be compared to this one.

This was, by far, my favorite year with the ASB program. The people were amazing to say the least and I felt a real sense of passion with my project this year. I feel bad saying this was my favorite year because I've met some amazing people the past years as well and worked on some very worthwhile projects. So no, it wasn't just the people or project that made this the best year ever. My team was great this year, very dependable and hard working. Always there with a laugh and a smile. Then again I think, I've had some great teams the past years and it's like picking a favorite child, you just can't. So no, it wasn't just my team that made this week the best ever. I had a great time working with the local UW and the UWA staff, but I've worked with them all before so no, couldn't be them that made this the best week. My site hosts (Ms. Jackie and Ms. Andrian) were so great and I actually feel like I"ll get updates on the work we did, but I've worked with some great people in the past. Again, couln'd be JUST that to make this the best week yet. I got to see and spend a great time with some old friends and some new ones in New Orleans, but I got to do that last year, so not that either.

I can't help but stuggle to see why I will tell people this was my favorite week out of all them. It wasn't just the combination of people and project. It wasn't just the local and national staff. I'm finding way too many common denominators and not any outlayers. (yeah those are math terms I just used, be impressed) So in the time I've taken to write this blog, it kind of dawns on me what it was that made this year best two weeks of my ASB career. It Just Was. How simple is that? This week you couldn't find me without a smile on my face, I was so happy every second I spent there. I cried in front of people, something I never do, because I was so happy with them and sad to see them leave. I can only hope I'm writing something to this effect next year, but I highly doubt it. So I'm about to jump on this midnight plane heading anywhere and I say, thank you people, thank you for making this the best week ever.

The Beauty of Mississippi

noreply@blogger.com (Alicynn) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:58:00 +0000

This experience has been life changing for so many people here. I have seen many participants come out of their shell and learn important lesson about themselves. The picture sums up the recovery here in Mississippi. A Florida artist has carved the dolphin out of a dead tree that was left after Hurricane Katrina. All along the beach there are these beautiful sculptures made out of something that would of just ended up in a dumpster. The residnets know how to turn such a tragic event into a life of hope, love, strength, and courage. They are truly inspiring and you cannot help but be humbled by the stories here.

They say that Mississippi is the hospitality state and I do not doubt it. I have not met one resident of the Gulf COast that is not sweet to the core and generous. The United Way of SOuth Mississippi has bent over backwards to make sure that each student has the best experience. Their love for a group of 75 strangers is amazing. In one week we have become an extended family sharing a week that cannot be described.

No matter how many entries I post about this past week, you cannot understand the power behind ASB unless you come. Spring break may last a week but ASB lasts a lifetime. I hope that when everyone leaves tomorrow they remember this experience and the strength that one person can have. If anyone ever doubts the character of this generation, send them to ASB and let them see just what we can do. If anyone ever has doubts about the beauty of a group of people send them here and they will never doubt again.

Difficult Conversations...

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:50:00 +0000

Yesterday was such an exhausting day, mentally and physically. I’ve had to deal with hearing a lot of difficult stories. Rusty and Megan alerted me of this wonderful talkative elderly woman in the neighborhood, Mrs. Eddie Mae Smith, and they said I had to come over and tape her. So I walked over and she was such an intelligent woman! She told us about the neighborhood and her life and her needs and how the storm affected her. It was just really amazing to capture her on video.

Through other conversations with neighbors I learned more about the neighborhood. I realized that prostitution runs rampant down here, and so does alcoholism. When I was helping conduct some of the needs assessment surveys, I witnessed a prostitute getting picked up by a john in his car on the street.

The main concern down here is that there is nothing to do. There are no community centers, there are no after school activities. Children are just roaming the streets, and adults do want to be trained and educated, but there really are no programs available at the moment.

Mental health services are badly needed down here. Many of the residents said that after Katrina they were able to access services, but after Katrina was just a news item of the past, people and services pulled out, and they community was and still is in need of services.

Businesses are not coming back to the community. There are no restaurants at all! People literally have no services AT ALL!

Okay I know my thoughts are a bit scattered but I just wanted to post this!
-Kathleen

A picture is worth a thousand words!

noreply@blogger.com (Alicynn) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:37:00 +0000

Today was an AMAZING day! There could not be a more inspirational day. We were able to finish the "to do" list for the club and the mountain of cardboard is officially recycled. The news crew came and interviewed the team for the six o clock news. See We also had to say goodbye to our home for the past four days, since tomorrow we are at the East Biloxi Boys and Girls Club for a completely different project.

As we were putting our final touches on the club, I got to speak to Mr. Hugh the contractor. He told me how he has donated to United Way for the past five years (which I thanked him profusely for). He said that this past week he has been calling his buddies to tell them about a bunch of college students that have spent their spring break helping the community. He was shocked and so were his friends. It was great to hear about a donor who is so happy that his money is spent for good causes.

Since tonight's dinner and event was hosted at the new club, we decided to stay there instead of coming home and showering. That hour, we spent reflecting on our week, taking group pictures, and talking to Miss Jackie (the Unit Manager) about her hopes for the club. It was wonderful. Especially to see how much Miss Jackie loves her job and how gratful she is. Our team surprised us with letters saying thank you...needless to say we all teared up a bit! We also surprised Miss Jackie with a thank you, her response was priceless. She was shocked that we would say thank you to her. We spent about five minutes all saying thank you to one another, it was humrous! I guess when you have such a powerful experience all parties involved are grateful.

At the dinner, one of our teammates (with her fellow Drake Girls) lead the group in a GREAT cheer! Tomorrow is our last day, I bet there will be lots of laugh, lots of tears, and lots of hugs.

Back at The Gulf Coast!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:56:00 +0000

It is totally different! Last time I was here was in 2006 with Storm Corps. The Gulf Coast has Change so much since then. United Way of South Mississippi is just awesome. The charm and joy of them towards us is just breath taking. Getting to see how young adults are still giving up a spring break to lend a hand to the needed is marvelous. They will have a tremendous experience out of this years ASB.

I like the way all the teams are getting along. It's just funny listening participants give shout-outs to their teams each night. Team "Fridgeworthy" is to me the funniest. Team "Walk It-Out" got together and made they're teams name by just... walking I guess! Lol! The awkwardness of team "Awkward" was just and adjective a participant gave himself and everybody picked it up. Team "B-A" has even a motto! Each night they say, "Team B-A, from top to bottom" in a very southern style of speaking. Team "Dirty F-Channel" got it's inspiration from a day at work!

The Alumni Leadership Team, which I am part of, is a necessity for this ASB to be successful. We have the duty to organize each nights "Town Hall Meetings", coordinate activities with the sponsor United Way team such as games, presentations, gatherings, press releases and what we have called "behind the scenes" work. It is a tremendous responsibility we have. We are basically a "liaison" between the ASB team leaders and the sponsor United Way.

I am having a great time here in the Golf Coast. I am full of energy every day when I wake up and see the beach. This place is beautiful and the entire staff of ASB and specially the United Way of South Mississippi is what I call "extended family". This ASB will definitely will be a life changing experience for all of the participants.

ASB 09-Terre Haute Style!

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Rebel With a Cause) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:28:00 +0000

So of course no ASB blog would be complete without a recap of the week in Terre Haute! Excuse us for being late, we were so busy and time went by SOOOO fast!

First of all, I'd like to thank EVERYONE who made United Way Alternative Spring Break in Terre Haute possible...especially Jessie Wozny, Heather, Honnalora, Al, and everyone else. Thanks to Indiana State University for being an awesome hope, thanks to United Way of Wabash Valley for everything! Thanks to Clabber Girl, Ryves, TGI Fridays, and all the others who donated their food, time and resources to welcome us!

I was a team leader for the second time, and it was my third year returning to ASB, so I was definitely pumped! Team Leaders arrived on Thursday at Indiana State University, and while we had a blast during training, we couldn't wait for the participants to arrive!

Saturday March 7, 2009, the participants arrived by car, plane, trains, etc. We were so happy to see them and meet our teams! We welcomed them with a rap to "Livin my life" by TI and Rihanna...classic! if I find the video, I'll repost it on here.

Sunday we went on the community tour of the Terre Haute/Wabash Valley region and then had a program back at ISU for the participants. Then Monday came and we were ready to work!

I was a proud team leader of the then named Walnut Warriors (later renamed the Messy Mikes), and we were so excited to do some demolition, drywall and paint a house severely damaged by the June 6 floods.

We didn't get a chance to do that.

My team spent three days cleaning out a house damaged by the flood, and we didn't know that our team was in way over our heads, until we got there.

Still, despite all the craziness with our site, we made the best of it, and eventually got to drywall. I'm not so sure what is appropriate to post and what isn't appropriate to post on this blog, so I will err on the side of caution, and not post too much else. We had a fairly difficult site for an ASB, but it all ended on a good note. We found out the day before we left that our site's family was possibly in line for a great deal of aid, which relieved us to know that they would be taken care of! it made our ASB experience totally worth it.

The rest of the teams had a pretty good experience...we had Team Chewbacca at the Warehouse and the demolition site. We had the BeJacles at the Saginaw site doing some drywall and painting (I think), and another team doing Demolition.

We had a cheer just for Terre Haute (you had to be there) and even a leadership quote (it sucks, but whatever).

Terre Haute was an awesome experience. Indiana State was more than hospitable to us, letting us stay in their dance studios, and use the AACC (African American Cultural Center) for the week. Big ups to the Terre Haute/Wabash Valley region for being so gracious to us in our stay there.

The media coverage was amazing...seems like we were in the paper every day, getting visits at every site by various TV stations as far away as Illinois, the next state over, and even did a few radio interviews.

We ate out EVERY day at a different location for Breakfast AND Dinner, at places such as the ones mentioned above (Clabber Girl, TGI Fridays, etc).

We got tons of free stuff.
But that's not why we came to Terre Haute.

We came to help a community in need.

Upon arriving to Terre Haute, Indiana, we found out that we were the first group of outside volunteers to come in and help rebuild after the June 6 floods.

We hadn't heard alot about the devastation and what happened until we got there. But once we got there and learned about it, we knew we had to help, and that we wouldn't forget.

We realized that a small group of people really can make a difference and make the world a better place.

The leadership team especially had our trying times and periods of frustration. But we remembered why we came, and got our focus back. We were just like a real family-we laughed together, cried together, worked together, danced together, and overall...we bonded and came together to help kickoff a recovery effort in the Wabash Valley region.

It was so awesome to be a team leader again, I had the best team, and best co team leaders. As I am nearing the end of my collegiate years, it is unsure if I will return another year. But I know that all the memories made in Terre Haute, Indiana, will be cherished, and I'm pretty sure that all of the ASBers left their mark on the community.

ASB 2009-Terre Haute, Indiana

Terre---Haute Haute!!! (you had to be there!)

Day Two

noreply@blogger.com (Alicynn) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Team Fridgeworthy rocked day two! Our mission today was to clean the whole upstairs of the Boys and Girls Club. We had to "stage" the rooms, organize the materials, and clean EVERYTHING. Katie was in charge of cleaning the bathrooms, with WD40 I might add, and she was such a trooper. Kevin got to clean all of the windows in the upstairs...mind you the place is mostly windows. That took us the whole morning.

Eric and I treated the group to sonic for lunch, a nice change from ham and cheese sandwiches. If you ever want to see pure excitment on a group of peoples face, take them to Sonic after a long morning. It was a blast! After lunch, Adrian (our tourguide/bus driver/Boys and Girls Club awesome employee) took us to see Hancock County's Boys and Girls Club. They will have a building renvoated starting in June. Currently they working out of trailers, making the best of the little space they have.

After seeing that, we had a renewed energy. We continued to work on odds and ends around the club. It was amazing to realize what type of new home these kids will have June 1st. They have pool tables, air hockey tables, an arts and crafts room, a multimedia room, a gym, and so much more. It is also exciting to see the staff! They are extatic about the new facility. It is a great gift to be a small part of this process.

When we got back, we got to hear about the other participants stories. They involved painting, putting up drywall, talking to residents, and roofing houses. After a great town hall we are now off to a bonfire! Happy St Patty's Day!

Boys & Girls Club

noreply@blogger.com (Channel De Leon) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:54:00 +0000

So yesterday the ALT followed the Boys and Girls Club teams. It was fun getting to know the two teams as they worked hard loading and unloading stuff from the old club to the new one. The new B&G Club is insane, with a movie theater room, full-sized basketball court and fully-stocked art rooms. I think this is one of the best projects offered in this year's ASB program, especially since we will see the final product by the end of the week. I can't wait to see the local kids enjoying their new facility after so many years. They definitely deserve such a great place to grow and develop into amazing people. I hope "Team Fridgeworthy" has a great time this week, and I wish I could stick around with them all week!

LIVE UNITED,

Channel

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:56:00 +0000

It feels so good to be back down here in Mississippi. My days have been jammed packed with helping out the different groups on their projects, taking TONS of pictures and collecting video footage and uploading it on YouTube.

This year we have continued "BlueTube" which is United Way's ASB version of video confessionals of the week and having the public see what the sites we are working at are like.

I really like filming the groups working because I want others to see AROUND THE WORLD how much help Biloxi, Mississippi needs even though Hurricane Katrina occurred a few years back....

The girls in my dorm are sooo funny! Even though I try to "enforce" a 11:30pm lights out, I find myself the one gabbing away and cracking up in bed.

Even though we are "roughing" it. I am still having a blast!

Everyone keeps congratulating us on giving up our spring breaks, but the thing is, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else but here helping a community in need.

much love!

-Kathleen Adams

Fordham University

Alumni Leadership Team Member

~Shaker Heights, Ohio~

Team FridgeWorthy

noreply@blogger.com (Alicynn) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:18:00 +0000

Its official. We have a team name... Team Fridge Worthy. Since we are working at the Boys and Girls Club, we wanted it to reflect children. There is nothing better as a child then a piece of artwork or a test making the fridge. We are hoping our work during this week will be "fridge worthy".

Today, we moved the old club out of it's temporary home in a school cafeteria into the new club. There were tons of boxes but our team is AMAZING! They are so quick and extremely efficient. In addition, they have the best attitudes and there is nothing they cant or wont do. It is a joy to work with them! The Unit Director, Miss Jackie, was surprised at all we got done. We asked her to put a giant list together of all the things she would love for us to get done. Team Fridge Worthy is now determined to complete everything on her list.

Tonight, at our town hall we will get to hear what everyone else did. I cant wait! Everyone around camp is exhausted and happy...perfect time for dinner.

Community Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Alicynn) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:24:00 +0000

Today was the community tour. The Boys and Girls Club was nice enough to let us use their buses for the rest of the week. The tour started with the executive director of Southern Mississippi United Way giving her story about Katrina. It was interesting to hear the non-profit perspective, to hear about how they attempted business as usual without any supplies, phone, or electricity. It was incredible. Then we loaded on the buses and took a 3 hour tour of the gulf.

It was surreal to see steps or a fire place but no house, to hear the stories of a bridge that was just recently built and to see the water lines up close to the roofs. While there is so much that has been done to return to normalcy, there is so much left to be done.

We stopped for lunch (po boys and barqs root beer...yum) at the newly built Boys and Girls Club. It was stunning! The country of Qatar has donated $100 million to the Katrina Relief Fund and part of that has gone to rebuild the centers. They are incredible and it will be wonderful for these kids that have seen too much for their age. It is set to open June 1st just in time for their summer session. The staff is extatic since the centers have been running out of FEMA trailers.

When we returned to camp, we FINALLY told our group their assignment. They were thrilled! It was great to see their excitement, since Eric and I could hardly contain ourselves. After our team meeting, we played volleyball....with a soccer ball...ow. It was great since we were playing against the team that will be assisting us tomorrow. But we got rained out, so we moved our festivities in doors.

After an evening of Walmart runs, Cranium, Catchphrase, Scattegories, and countless other things, it is finally time for bed. We start early at 7:00 tomorrow with our first day on site. I cant wait!

What's good weather?

noreply@blogger.com (Channel De Leon) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:46:00 +0000

I love the beach. By the graces of God, we had a bright and sunny couple of hours this afternoon. I pretty much raced off the bus toward the ocean, facing the heavy traffic of highway 90. I'm okay, but I definitely pissed off some Mississippians. Sorry! Living in Iowa for the past three years has made me thirsty for any type of good weather. Ice, hail, rain, you name it, Iowa has had it in the past 2 weeks. The sight of sand and ocean was such a relief, and the sense of spring break finally set upon me. The good weather seemed to make everyone in an excellent mood: playing frisbee, football, and for some reason human-pyramid-making? It was quite the experience, and thanks to Jason, we have the ENTIRE thing documented. It was a pretty great picture though, much props to the girls of ASB. One thing is for sure: as soon as I graduate pharmacy school, goodbye Iowa, hello California.

LIVE UNITED,

Channel

Rainy Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Alicynn) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 03:39:00 +0000

Today it rained all afternoon, but even with the rain spirits were high. The volunteers arrived throughout the day and the dorms slowly filled up. There are 26 states represented with undergrads and grad students.

We kicked off ASB with a brief welcome and we broke out in our teams.For dinner, in true Mississippi style, we had red beans and rice. After dinner we learned more about this community during Katrina.

The evening program started with a video of pictures after the hurricane struck. It is true when they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words".After we heard personal stories of four young professionals. They spoke about the day before, the day of, and the recovery. It is hard to fathom what they went through, yet they were so candid with their stories. They spoke to the character of the residents of Biloxi and how grateful they are for volunteers.They also spoke about the needs they still have, like food in the food bank, affordable housing, and help for the emotional recovery. It was a powerful two hours.

I feel like it's the first day of school

noreply@blogger.com (Braun) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:23:00 +0000

I woke up today about 30 minutes before my alarm went off. I was up before anyone else in our room and I was just thinking today everyone gets here and our fun factor will probably triple, which is hard to believe could happen. We've already had such a fun time with people who were complete strangers two days ago and the bonding experience couldn't be any better. A few games of catch phrase have already occurred, and we already know who needs practice. Our host United Way (UW) treated us to a minor-league hockey game last night and the home team won in overtime which provided some major excitement. Walmart is already a staple having had trips there both nights. It seems like ASB for us is really in full swing and our groups haven't even shown up yet.

The past couple of days we've been preparing for our week with a little team leader (TL) training. The TL training has been a combination of embarrassing name games and a lot of gearing up to make the experience for everyone a great time. I found out yesterday I will be working with the Boys and Girls Club of the Gulf Coast in Pass Christian. All of the BGC's in Harrison county were gone after the storm and this facilty will be a great venue for the children of the area. I was very excited to be working with the BGC as I've spent time there as a kid and worked at one through college. My co-leader and no doubitly better half for the week is Alicynn. Alicynn is here representing the UW of Touscon and seems to bring a sense of maturity and wisdom that sometimes I clearly lack. I think the combination will bust out some great results and I can't wait to see where the partnership will lead us.

That's about all I have to report today, I'm sure more will come as everyone shows up later. Stay tuned ya'll.

Day Two

noreply@blogger.com (Alicynn) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:03:00 +0000

Today we had leadership training to better prepare ourselves for the arrival of the volunteers. It was a great mix of laughter and information. We also received our team assignments. I will be working to set up the Boys and Girls Club in Pass Christian. My partner in crime is an ASB veteran Eric, this is is fourth year and I am very excited to be paired with him.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of the MS Gulf Coast lost all six of its units in Harrison County during Hurricane Katrina. The new Pass Christian facility is almost complete and we will be doing the finishing touches to prepare it for the grand opening. Currently the Boys and Girls Club has been operating in crowded schools and this new unit is highly anticipated.

On Thursday, hopefully we will be done because we are having a fun evening of games at the completed Boys and Girls Club. It will be a great way for the participants to show their hard work to their follow ASB'ers.

Now we are off to a Seawolves hockey game that are gracious hosts have put together for us. Needless to say, we are incredibly pumped for tomorrow for the rest of the group to join us!

Day One

noreply@blogger.com (Alicynn) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:56:00 +0000

We have all arrived in Biloxi.There are twelve team leaders, comprised of United Way staff and returning participants. We have come from all over and most of us have been traveling all morning.We are tired and extremely excited.I am writing this from my phone so I apologize for any spelling or formating errors.

We are staying within walking distance of the beach in a really neat church. One of the buildings was the original school in Biloxi and has a ton of character. As you drive into town there are tree stumps, that were left after Katrina, that are now beautiful sculptures made by a local artist.

This evening after a few ice breakers, we spent some time hearing stories about the journey back after Katrina from two local United Way staff.Many were shocking and hard to imagine. But what shocked me most was the hope, the humor and the love that these women conveyed. They spoke of their journey so matter of factly that it was inspiring. We could all learn something from their strength and humility.

I <3 ASB

noreply@blogger.com (Channel De Leon) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:45:00 +0000

Wow, I can't believe Alternative Spring Break is here! I'm so excited that I'm not studying for my Pharmacy Midterm in 2 hours. Oops! Well, last night we had a pre-ASB photo shoot during our Student United Way meeting (yes, we're doing the robot.) It really pumped us up for spring break especially with midterms still looming.
Unfortunately the group from Drake is one woman down, since one of my best friends Calli is ill with mono :( We'll miss her, and you all would've loved meeting her, she's the best. But don't worry, "Paper Calli" will be making special appearances in Biloxi. We're leaving for Omaha Friday afternoon and having an ASB kick-off dinner before we leave the following morning for Biloxi. (WARNING: We will probably not be in the prettiest shape considering our flight is at 6:30 AM.) This is my second year going to ASB, and I can't wait to show the other Drake girls a good time. I'm so excited to meet new people and get to work! Okay, I really should study...

LIVE UNITED,
Channel

The Night Before

noreply@blogger.com (Alicynn) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:55:00 +0000

It is the night before I leave for Mississippi and I can hardly contain myself! All the team leaders are to arrive in Biloxi tomorrow by four, with all the students arriving on Saturday. During the next week, we will be working to repair badly damaged homes, preparing a Boys and Girls Club for grand opening, and/or doing needs assessments of the local residents.

For the past year, the Student United Way Group at University of Arizona has told me countless stories about the amazing time they had at last year's ASB. Their stories are inspiring and their excitement is infectious! Because of the diverse stories from last year, I have no idea what to expect and my suitcase is filled with possibilities. This is just in case its hot, this is just in case its cold, this is just in case it rains, and this is just because. I have everything I need to represent United Way of Tucson, I have my EITC shirt, LIVE UNITED Pins, and of course the good old Days of Caring Shirt. The president of our Student United Way has even designed shirts for all us Tucsonans! Needless to say, I am ready for what I am expecting to be an incredible week....I just hope I can sleep tonight!

Time to Go...

noreply@blogger.com (Madelyne) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:25:00 +0000

I'm sitting at the airport with the last of the ASBers getting ready to go home. We've had an awesome week and accomplished a lot. Our small group got really close and had great laughs. It's sad that the week is ending, but we are so proud of what we did and are glad we could help with all the continuing efforts.

One of the most interesting parts of the week was going into New Orleans and the French Quarter. Obviously, this being ASB, we didn't do the typical stroll around Bourbon Street, but we got to take in some of the culture and have beignets. We noticed how much the area was rebuilt. Its hard to see the evidence of the hurricane down there, which is good for tourism and bringing money into the New Orleans economy, but hard to take in when just a few miles away in St. Bernard parish there are so many homes still in bad shape. The contrast between the two areas is huge. There are so many restaurants and bars that are thriving on Bourbon Street, but St. Bernard doesn't have a hospital or a Wal-Mart yet. Obviously it's good to have New Orleans up and back together, but we're hoping that people don't take that area and it's success to be true for the whole area. There is so much left to get done, and we hope our experience here will inspire more people to come down and help.

And as we go home, we wish the best to the 2009 ASBers yet to come. If our week says anything about what this year will bring, you will all have a fantastic time. Enjoy your time and work hard! :)

St Bernard Day Three!

noreply@blogger.com (Madelyne) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:14:00 +0000

So Day Three of St Bernard ASB is done! We had another hard day of work, and finally a little warm weather (well much warmer weather, but all week has been nice). Our houses are moving right along. We've hung dry wall and mudded more than we knew a house could ever need. Our construction skills are growing daily, and I think we'll all be construction foreman soon! By the end of the week we hope to have both houses read for texturing and painting! Working with the folks from the St. Bernard project has been so great. The group is so organized and excited to have volunteers that they've added to our experiences here. Even the Secretary of Homeland Security came to visit today and see how awesome the work is.

Today some of us were able to take a tour of the lower ninth ward of New Orleans and saw the levies that broke during the storm. It's hard to see just how much work still needs to be done. A lot of the homes have been gutted, and many of them are being torn down now.

It's normal for a residential neighborhood to have more cement slabs than actual livable homes. See what has been done, and what still needs to be done makes us all grateful to have the opportunity to help in this community. St. Bernard Parish has been so welcoming to us, and we've really enjoyed being here. Tomorrow we'll get another chance to see New Orleans and just how different the city is than the surrounding parishes.

St. Bernard Parish

noreply@blogger.com (Madelyne) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 03:37:00 +0000

Here is St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana ASB 2009 is under way! We all arrive Sunday afternoon (minus one who got stuck in the North East snow storm who finally made it in today) and got settled in to the Blue Stone Ministries housing. This place is BEAUTIFUL. It's a large home that survived the storm and has now become a volunteer housing center. There are big rooms with lots of bunk bed, which is a very traditional ASB setting, but we get to cook our own food and even have a barbeque! We had full days of work today and came home dirty and tired. We're spit into two teams, but both groups are rehabing houses, and both got to meet our home owners today. It's so great to be back in the Gulf Coast and working hard.

This week our projects are with the St. Bernard Project. You can check it out at stbernardproject.org. The organization is amazing. They have completed 190 houses in St. Bernard parish, as of this week, and have several in the works that should be done by the end of March. The organization was started by Liz McCartney and Zach Rosenburg who had a passion for the cause. They have build an awesome organization and Liz won CNN Hero of the Year for 2008! We're so excited to be working with such a wonderful and passionate organization and are looking forward to the rest of the week.

We're a small group out here, but we're going strong and are totally fired up. We'll keep posting through the week and hopefully get you a little bit more excited for your trips. ASB 2009 promises to be another great year, and the shirts this year are SO fantastic. You'll love 'em!

Ready.........

noreply@blogger.com (Braun) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:29:00 +0000

I don't know why, but for some reason I'm very nervous about this years program. It could be that this year will be comprised of mostly new faces. Despite what people may think, I do get nervous when faced with meeting new people. I quickly adapt, however, and I am eager to meet all the new friends I'll be making. While I am a bit nervous I think most of it excitement. I'll be reconnecting with some old friends that I missed seeing last year and I'm very excited about that.Â

I'm very eager to see the MS coast once again. This will be my fourth year on the gulf coast, 3rd in MS, and I think this year will offer more to absorb since the first year due to the hurricane season this past year. The first year being the one immediately after Katrina. Also, I'm excited to feel weather above 10 degrees and see something other than snow.Â

While I don't know the what the jobs will be in detail, I do know there will be some working with the Boys and Girls Club, doing surveys and of course rebuilding homes. All important. I know working with the BGC is great because not only did I go there as a kid but I worked at one through college and I know what the impact of a BGC can be on a community.Â

In short, I'm just ready to get down there and I've been looking forward to this since the applications went live. I know ASB kicked off yesterday in the Motor City and I hope they all have an amazing time. I hope the alums going to New Orleans make the most of their trip and enjoy the time. Also the other "big" group going toÂ Indiana, I'm very eager to hear of the work going on there. I'll do my best to keep everyone posted on the goings on in Southern MS. Good luck to everyone and know what you are doing, whatever you are doing is making an impact because walking across country starts with a step. Good luck everyone and make the most of your trip. Big E.

United We Can Achieve! ASB 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Amal) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Time always flies by but for me it is going too slow. There are ten more days left for alternative Spring Break to start its kick-off here in Detroit. I was a participant last year as ASB came to Detroit for the first time. It was an exquisite experience that was unexpected. I helped paint a homeless Shelter for mothers and their children. I learned about recent issues here in Detroit such as homelessness and single parenthood. It helped me achieve new goals and create a new life for myself. I am thrilled to be involved with another week of change. I am part of the Alumni Leadership Team this year and I am ready to embark this new journey.

Alternative Spring Break is a force of change and I tried to get as many people involved because I know our world need change and together we can achieve anything! I am trying to visit the United Way for Southeastern Michigan office to help the ASB planning Team as much as I can.

I am excited and humbled to be part of ASB again! It is an inspiration to give myself to the service of others. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said: "What will happen to humanity if I don’t help?"; I say if "we don’t help" as a group we can help humanity so let’s Live United.

Just another ASBer

Amal Hassan

Detroit, MI

Welcome to ASB 2009!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Administrator) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:48:00 +0000

Welcome to another wonderful year of United Way Alternative Spring Break! This year we will be in 5 different places! From Detroit to New Orleans to Terre Haute to Houston and finishing up in Biloxi. Less than two weeks before the start of the first ASB week. Use this blog to connect with people you'll be attending ASB with and to discuss what you hope to accomplish during your ASB week. You can follow all of the ASB action on this blog. Get ready for the best week of your life!