Alternative Breaks has made me look at the world differently and has inspired some bid life changes. This is my second year participation in the Volunteer Center’s biggest program. One of my closest friends convinced me to apply to be a Site Leader, a large responsibility, but a rewarding one. Being a Site Leader gives you the opportunity to impact everyone on your break and requires you to solve some problems you would have rather avoided. You are looked to as basically “mom”. After being offered the position to lead two breaks, I was terrified but excited to have such an important role in the program.
Winter Break- Supporting Immigrant Populations:
After classes were over for first semester, my group and I headed to Immokalee, Florida to work with St. Matthew’s House. St. Matthew’s House has several locations all over South West Florida with multiple purposes. They provide substance abuse rehabilitation facilities for both men and women. The program that addicts go through in unlike any other provided. They are a Christian based organization that focuses on biblical teachings to help those who find themselves in a dark place in life get back up again. Their seven step program gives them a slow emersion back in the society and helps participants secure a job upon their completion. St. Matthew’s house addiction programs have the highest success rating out of any similar programs. St. Matthew’s house also has three thrift stores around the area that provide affordable and high end clothing. One of the bigger thrift stores provides two hot meals a day for free, year round. The facility that my break and I worked with was called the Immokalee Friendship House. This was a place for families and men in need of a place to stay until they could get back on their feet and earn enough money to buy a place of their own. Because there were people seeking asylum living here, we were not allowed to be present when the residents were which made our service hours from 9-2, a short day for ABs. Our service was mostly indirect. We deep cleaned the facilities and did some much needed reorganizing. The most rewarding two days were when we got to interact with the community. Local grocery stores donated hundreds of turkeys and pies to St. Matthew’s House. A few days before Christmas, we helped them hand out Christmas meals to community members. While it was a rewarding and joyful experience, it was heart breaking to see how many families relied on this non-profit to be fed a decent Christmas meal. St. Matthew’s House is making big moves in South West Florida and assisting the communities in need.
Summer Break- Protecting Land and Water:
At this point in the school year I was done. I was exhausted from intense group projects and my other involvements. My co-site leader had to drop the break and I had little motivation to lead this break. However, my best friend stepped up to lead with me. Just hours after his Commencement Ceremony, he hopped into the vans wit me and 10 other participants to head to South Carolina. For the next week, we worked in the Blue Ridge Mountains with a group called Conserving Carolina. This conservation groups works primarily in southern North Carolina preserving land easements, national land, and state land. The work they had us doing was difficult. Most days we spent in bogs removing the invasive species Multi Flora Rose. Once used as a natural cattle fence, it has now taken over and choked out many native species. It was tough and painful work to remove this thorny bush, but with 12 of us, we did work that would have taken them a month to complete. Everyone’s favorite day of service was the day we got to spend with an Elementary school. Along with conserving Carolina, my group led 500 students on a mile long hike up Bearwallow mountain. I’ve never seen a group of kids more in love with nature and so fierce about protecting it. The inspired me despite the 10 year age gap. Besides a minor issue with our housing involving some black mold, this was by far the most fun and impactful break I’ve ever been on.
To see my latest break click here.
Lauren Comstock 