“I think it’s important to get college students volunteering in the community, because we tend to get stuck in our little bubbles on campus.”
Remarked Taelor Lather, a sophomore advertising major at the Univ. of Alabama.
Tuesday, Aug. 21st, 2012, 12 freshmen from the Univ. of Alabama spent their last day of summer volunteering with the United Saints as a part of “Ripple Effect.” A few of the volunteers spent the morning painting the exterior of Ms. Robinson’s home; while others helped in general cleanup and yard work. The general consensus from the students were that of eagerness to just simply help and be involved.
The following Saturday, Aug. 25th, 2012, 12 more Bama students arrived on site to lend a hand. Students were participating in “Hands on Tuscaloosa.” They helped Mr. Cameron with several around the house projects including: grouting kitchen tile, staining the deck previously built by other United Saints volunteers, and mowing the lawn. Schilling Nechtman noted that we are “all in it together” when talk of rebuilding Tuscaloosa arose. “Sometimes [we tend to] focus on [our] needs and not the needs of the community,” stated long-term volunteer, Billy Berek. Lather went on to say,
“I really enjoyed working with [the United Saints] twice, because you guys are just awesome. I love what y’all are doing for our community.”
Students from Tuscaloosa were not the only ones active within their community in the past month. Tulane University held it’s 22nd annual “Outreach Tulane” on Saturday, Sept. 15th, 2012. More than 800 students showed up to help out and 250 of those students were able to volunteer with United Saints. They spent the day clearing lots in Central City neighborhoods.
Photo courtesy of Don Paul
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