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Day 3 (Feb28) - Snow in Chavies!

We found out this morning shortly after breakfast that the snowy mountain roads, too narrow for plows, would make it impossible for us to drive the large work vans to the home sites we will be working on for the rest of the week. Instead we were able to help out around the service center, cleaning out the large storage barn, moving a shed and organizing records. We were able to help organize the storage area for the supplies and tools, making it more accessible for future groups. Dr. Carol Gregg of the Discovering Vocation Office taught the students a “find and bump” dance to use while sorting nails. Other students helped out in the office converting paper records to more accessible computer databases.  After a muddy morning failed attempt to move a fully assembled shed by truck, time after lunch was spent reassembling the shed in its new, safe location. Theft has been a problem with the tool shed so close to the road and its new location, right outside the caretakers’ living quarters, will prevent further theft.

Our work was completed around 2:30 and the afternoon was spent watching October Sky, a movie about an Appalachian who overcomes social pressures to become a coal miner.  Free time before dinner was spent napping by some while others chatted or worked on our second jigsaw puzzle of the week. This evening we gained a deeper understanding of Appalachia Service Project’s mission and the root causes of the poverty via an information session with the staff members. We then shared a devotional time in which we discussed poverty and compared our previous experiences with poverty to that in Appalachia. We ended our productive snow day with hopes for clear roads and sun for tomorrow. 

 

Story by Toshia Williams '07

Pictures, captions and layout by Tom Harding '07 and Sarah DeYoung '07 

(left) All of the trip participants and ASP staff worker, Christy Bigelow of Hockessin, DE, start out the day with a smile despite the snow. (middle left) Katrina Bundy '07 of Dayton, OH, Toshia Williams '07 of Decatur, MI and Sarah DeYoung '07 of Kentwood, MI take time to try and catch snowflakes on their tongues. (middle right) Amy Kline '06 of Hillsdale, MI and Kristin Kuczera '08 of Kentwood, MI remain inside the ASP office to help file old paperwork. (right) Teamwork is key to moving this old toolshed to its new home.

 

Students learn important leadership principles for the 21st century from internationally recognized speakers like Madeleine Albright and Vicente Fox and by participating in international study opportunities through inventive programs like the Center for Responsible Leadership and the Posey Global Leadership Fellows Program.

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Student Profile

Brett Seymoure

Brett Seymoure
Graduation: 2009
Major: Biology
From: Paw Paw, Michigan
Interests: Sports, Politics

Alma’s close faculty-student interaction provides numerous benefits such as the ability to do undergraduate research on a graduate level. Alma’s professors treat students more as peers welcoming student input and collaboration on faculty projects. When students are involved in research, faculty aggressively pursue publication of findings including students as co-authors.

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