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Spring break is just around the corner, and many students are looking forward to soaking up the sun at exotic locations. One group of students, however, has a different idea of how to use the two academics-free weeks.
About 50 University of Maine students plan to volunteer their time and efforts to various causes through the Alternative Spring Break program. Most groups are set to leave March 7.
Although the group has been diligently fundraising since last spring, funds remain about $5,000 short of the $22,549 needed to cover all trip expenses. Student Government gave ASB a head start by giving them $10,000 at the beginning of the semester.
Volunteers are expected to pay a flat fee of $80 out of their own pockets, but that number could increase if they don’t raise the remaining funds. Expenses may also be cut accordingly if they don’t reach the goal by spring break.
“Because we already have to work hard to fundraise, everything is included,” Michelle Leclair, a fifth-year biology major said. Leclair is the section coordinator and site leader for one of this year’s trips and has participated in the program for four years.
The group sold 50/50 raffle tickets at home ice hockey games, held several bottle drives and worked at the Alumni Center’s Homecoming Craft Fair in October, among other ventures.
Leclair said the group raised between $600 and $650 working at the craft fair. They helped set up and dismantle craft stations and took tickets at the door.
Alternative Spring Break members also raised money through a deal with Pizzeria Uno. They distributed coupons that allocated 20 percent of the entire check, excluding tax and tip, to the ASB cause. Coupons were available to anybody, but had to be used on a particular day during dinner hours.
The group planned a similar deal with Governor’s Restaurant in Old Town. Governor’s donated 10 percent of the check to the cause. The offer was good for all business hours on Feb. 23.
Students can help the ASB cause by participating in the “Adopt-a-Breaker” option. To Adopt-a-Breaker, sponsors donate an amount of money for their choice of a volunteer and receive a postcard in return.
Raffles and other fundraising projects set up in Memorial Union have been successful. The “Lollipop Tree” was particularly popular, Leclair said. Students paid 50 cents for a lollipop with the chance of winning additional prizes, depending on the colored sticker on the bottom of the lollipop. The Lollipop Tree raised about $100, Leclair said.
The Choose Your Prize raffle began Friday, Feb. 21, at Shaw’s Supermarket in Bangor. Participants can purchase a raffle ticket specified for the prize of their choice. Prizes were donated by local businesses. Raffle tickets for Choose Your Prize are available all next week at Shaw’s, Fogler Library, Memorial Union and Bell’s IGA located next to Spotlight Cinemas. Winners will be announced March 3.
This year, ASB volunteers will work in Pennsylvania, Greensville, S.C., New Orleans, La., Nashville, Tenn. and Kincaid, W.Va. They will build homes, work with school children, provide Meals on Wheels and spend time with the elderly.
“They’re just there to try to make a difference and work hard,” Leclair said. “It’s so rejuvenating.”
Tutoring homeless children through the Salvation Army in Atlanta, Ga. last year was a rewarding experience for Casey Kanuh, a fourth-year English major and ASB fundraising chair.
“For most of the group, that was the most important and influential thing that we did,” Kanuh said.
He said the most memorable part of the trip was returning to a particular school to throw a birthday party for one of the children. Kanuh said the boy and his father were delighted by the group’s effort, but it had a greater effect on the volunteers.
“Going back and making that connection was really important for us,” Kanuh said.
He said the trip also allowed him to connect with people from UMaine whom he wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to meet.
Leclair considers her volunteer trip to Detroit, Mich. in March 2000 one of her most memorable experiences. Her group worked with the Save Our Sons and Daughters program. She said it helped her gain a new perspective. She said all the students were deeply affect by violence.
“It’s such a different culture out there,” Leclair said. “All of the kids we talked to had had a family member killed. They were surprised that crime was not prevalent in Maine.”
The elementary, middle and high school students were impressed that the UMaine volunteers chose to come out to talk with them, Leclair said. She said it was also great to work with people at the Gay Men’s Health Crisis Center in New York City in March 2001.
“I’ve been really lucky. Every group I’ve worked with has been so amazing and so wonderful,” Leclair said.
