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Service Initiatives News

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Alternative Fall Break

For four days over Fall Break nine students and a Service Office Intern participated in the Alternative Fall Break Experience.  The group spent each day working with a local non-profit on a variety of projects.  In the evenings the group participated in activities to help them reflect on their experiences.  Below is a list of projects and organizations the group worked with.

MANNA Food Bank - Apple Picking
Transylvania County Library - Book Sale
Bread of Life - Meal Prep and Serving
Brevard College - Fire Pit Building
Holly Hill Farms - Winter Crop Prep
Silvermont Opportunity Center

Student Spends Summer Volunteering Abroad

This summer student, Maggie McRae, embarked on a one of a kind abroad experience.  For eight weeks Maggie lived in Salvador, Brazil where she volunteered at a home for elderly women.  Daily she led exercises, art and dance classes, and taught the women english.  When asked about her epxerience Maggie says, "It was like having 4-5 gradnmothers.  They were always really excited to see us."  In her free time Maggie took martial art classes, toured the country by visiting museums, national parks, and shops, and took culture and Portuguese classes.  Maggie's trip was sponsored by Cross-Cultural Solutions, an organization that helps individuals and teams travel for volunteer abroad experiences.  Maggie raised funds for her trip prior to going which covered room/board, travel, and spending money. 


 

July 2011

Pre-SERVE 2011
In June eleven incoming students participated in the 2nd Annual Summer Service Experience called Pre-SERVE.  The idea is that new students come to BC for a few days to meet new people, serve local organizations, and get more familiar with what will soon be their new home.  This year the group volunteered at Hickory Nut Forest, by working in the organic garden and orchard, helping build a 17th century cabin, and doing trail maintenance.  The group also prepared and served meals at Bread of Life Soup Kitchen and did work on two Habitat for Humanity homes.  In their down time students hiked in DuPont Forest and enjoyed time at waterfalls, ate dinner with the Dean of Students and other Campus Life staff, and went bowling.  The hope is that these students will become service team leaders at BC in the future.


 

AmeriCorps VISTA Capstone Presentation
On April 19th at 5pm in the Reserve Dining Room BC AmeriCorps VISTA, Jessica Blanford, will give her end of year capstone presentation.  Jessica will report on the variety of projects and programs she has been a part of this year.  In addition, NC-ACTS will be recognized for their outstanding service to the Brevard community.  All students, faculty/staff, and community members are welcome.  


March 2010

Alternative Spring Break Trip 2010
What did you do on Spring Break this year?  Did you MULCH blueberry bushes?  Live in an intentional COMMUNITY?  Hang out with REFUGEES from Burma?  Rewrite a BEATLES song?

This year a group of seven BC students and 3 facutly/staff members traveled to Comer, GA to Jubilee Partners.  Jubilee is an intentional community that houses refugees from war torn countries.  In the last 30 years Jubilee has helped over 300 refugees from over 25 countries get a new start in the United States.  Our BC group was able to work and live along side the residents of Jubilee as well as refugees from Burma.  The group helped teach ESL classes, cook meals for the community, mulch the blueberry patches, chop wood, and build fences.  The group also traveled off site to visit a family from Burma who shared their story of what life was like back in Burma, their escape to a Thai refugee camp, and eventually their travel to the States.  It was an eye opening and life changing experience for all of those involved.  The trip had such a big impact on the group that students have decided to return during Fall Break 2010. 

If you are interested in Alternative Break Trips keep a look out for information in September or email Director of Service Initiatives, Jessica Blanford at blanfojl@brevard.edu 


Alternative Spring Break
For the first time in a few years Brevard College students will have the opportunity to go on an Alternative Spring Break trip.  Alternative trips are not your typical break trips.  The purpose behind an alternative trip is to spend your break helping a community in need.  This year 3 Faculty/Staff members and 7 students will have the opportunity to help a very special community in north Georgia.  Read on to learn more.

When: March 7-12
Where: Jubilee Partners in Comer, GA

What is Jubilee Partners: Jubilee Partners is a faith based non-profit that provides services to refugees from war torn countries such as Sudan, Afghanistan, Burma and Congo. The staff and residents live modestly by growing their own food, and working as a community to maintain facilities. The refugees are given ESL classes, childcare, practical and culture information classes, and a place to rest. After two months refugees move to Atlanta where the International Rescue Committee give them a furnished apartment, help enrolling them in school, and giving them the job skills necessary to live own their own.

Early Bird Deposit $40 December 15th
Deposit Deadline $50 February 1st
Balance Due Remaining amount March 1st

 Cost: $150/person

Fee covers all meals, travel, accommodations, dinner and entertainment in Athens, and snacks!  Not to mention the incredible experience!

Questions? Contact Jessica Blanford or visit her office in the AEC.


Brevard College and Community Package More Than 10,000 Meals for Haiti
More than 100 Brevard College students, faculty, staff and members of the Brevard community packaged 10,080 meals for Haitian earthquake victims on March 1st.

The campus and community-wide packaging effort took place at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts.

A number of Brevard College clubs and organizations coordinated awareness activities over the last month to help raise more than $2,800 to pay for the meals. Each meal, which costs 25 cents, feeds six people. Volunteers helped make, weigh and pack the meals, which are made up of rice, dried vegetables and soy as well as protein, 21 vitamins and minerals.

Brevard College's Service Initiatives Director Jessica Blanford and College Chaplain Shelly Webb, along with TMOVE student service club coordinated the event. Contributing community members included Koinonia Ecumenical Fellowship, First United Methodist Church, and St. Timothy United Methodist Church.

The College partnered with Stop Hunger Now!, which provided the necessary supplies to package the meals.
Click here to view photos

 


January 2010 

BC Hosts the First Ever MLK Challenge
On Monday, January 18th, more than 60 Brevard College students, faculty and staff honored the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday by volunteering at local nonprofits and performing random acts of kindness around Brevard.

During the first ever MLK Challenge (sponsored by the Service Initiatives office), the student-led groups painted offices at the Center for Dialogue; organized clothes at the Sharing House; primed SAFE’s new warehouse and cleaned up fallen limbs at the nonprofit’s shelter; prepared food at Bread of Life; worked on the 50th Habitat house in Transylvania County; painted Brevard College’s new Center for Service; made soup for local Hospice families; and performed a variety of tasks at El Centro.

The groups also brightened the day by performing random acts of kindness around town. Their good deeds included helping people carry groceries, carrying bookcases, returning carts at local stores and buying flowers to give to people. The groups also collected donations – including hygiene items, cooking equipment, diapers and gift cards worth more than $150 – from local stores to be used at the Sharing House.

Brevard merchants that supported the MLK Challenge included: Bi-Lo; Food Lion; Go Grocery; K-Mart; Lowes; Sherwin-Williams; and Wal-Mart.


Students on the steps of MG to help raise awareness for homelessness

 

 

"Night Without A Home" in the Residential Quad

 

 

MANNA Food Bank Project