| Show Service in Ecuador Luci Luei Webb Contributing Writer College student Brooke Flannery will never forget the experience she had helping children in Ecuador The hardest thing about my time in Ecuador was knowing that I could not make drastic changes that were needed so badly Flannery said Flannery is among a growing growing growing grow grow- grow grow- ing number of college students stu- stu students students stu stu- dents who are providing I service to those in need while also enjoying a cultural al experience in another country or state Many different service opportunities for volunteer service ranging ranging rang- rang ing ng from cleaning a a cultural temple in j Hawaii to caring for newborn orphans in tl Ecuador is a program affiliated t with the Utah Rotary clubs The hardest thing about my time in Ecuador was knowing that I could not make drastic changes that was needed so badly organizations need volun VOlUn- A few of these are Orphanage Support Services and the Thayne Community Service Center located at the Redwood Campus of These organizations provide varying that encourages young people peo peo- pIe to commit to humanitarian j 4 service both locally X and abroad f The students first com com- v t I 60 hours of service service ice in their own communities r J ties and then can receive J 1000 1000 in scholarship io j money toward a service t experience in a developing country Current programs programs programs pro pro- grams include week two-week projects in Kenya Mexico and n Peru My favorite part of m my y trip was working with the amazing chil- chil 4 j See Ecuador i I on page 5 r s dIo Ecuador continued from page 3 dren then that suffered so much from their disabilities said Melissa Jensen who participated in the Piedras Negras Mexico service project I didn't know Spanish so the language barrier was tough to work through at times But the trip was such a great experience it was well worth the work Volunteers with the program provide a weeklong day camp for children with disabilities disabilities disabilities ties and also work on positive additions to the communities like building playgrounds that are accessible and usable to children children children chil chil- dren with special needs For more information on opportunities visit Another opportunity for service in another country is the Orphanage Support Services Organization OSSO OSSO isa is isa isa a nonprofit charitable organization tion providing service to abandoned abandoned abandoned aban aban- and disadvantaged chil chil- dren OSSOs OSSO's founders Rex and Melodie Melodic Head developed the idea in the mid believing there must be many compassionate compassion compassion- ate people who would want to help the orphans of the world OSSO ossa currently has programs in two cities in Ecuador Cuenca and d Q Quito 10 t a f r c h l e The participation fee is is currently current current- ly 2990 for I 12 10 weeks 2590 for 6 5 weeks and includes expenses such as airfare room and board etc Though the experience is expensive many volunteers find sponsors to pay for part or all of this More information information information mation on OSSO can be found at ww The feeling you have around the kids is amazing said aid Flannery a participant in OSSOs OSSO's Ecuador service project I learned humility from the kids because they basically had nothing nothing nothing noth noth- ing yet were willing to love you and give you anything they possibly possibly possibly pos pos- sibly could For those students who are interested in shorter service projects projects projects within the United States Salt Lake Community College provides provides provides pro pro- vides many different opportunities ties for service through the Thayne Center at the Redwood Campus One of the most popular is the Alternative Spring Break pro pro- gram This year three different groups will go to Hawaii California and Oregon The groups are comprised of 15 10 students and one faculty or staff advisor Depending on the cost of the trip groups will decide either to pay their own way or have fundraising projects to pay for the trip Students in the past have built homes with Habitat for Humanity worked in homeless shelters and soup kitchens worked with the American RedCross Red RedCross RedCross Cross and helped preserve cultural cultural cultural cul cul- tural monuments Each area our student groups go to will need a different type of service said Gail Jessen lessen Service Learning Coordinator at atthe atthe atthe the Thayne Center The uTh point is isto isto to find find what out out what is really needed in the communities we are going to and whatever need is strongest is what we will work on on All interested students must fill out a 3 short application form to be part of an Alternative Spring Break trip The Thayne Center accepts applications in the fall divides into groups and then the groups meet monthly from October until the day of the trip to plan what services will be provided provided provided pro pro- vided and logistics If students cant can't afford the time or cost of any of these service trips they can also go to the Thayne Center to join service projects around the campus The Thayne Center will soon be starting starting starting start start- ing monthly service projects held at the Center Students can drop by between classes for a few minutes or stay all day and help To find out when these monthly month month- ly service projects will be held call or just stop by the Center and ask Also watch for posters and flyers in the lobby of the Student Center Volunteers agreed that helping people has been a very rewarding way to use their time and energy The only downside to their service service service ice experience was that they could only do so much When I left there were still children without parents begging begging begging beg beg- ging for f food od on the streets Flannery said I I felt limited feeling like I couldn't make as I 1 Wanted much o of ot a difference as It mo bo mo how itis it is that I make it back to Ecuador to do more O p |
