NW Missouri Times

Northwest Missouri State University's Alternative Spring Break (ASB) organization made a commitment to assist with hurricane recovery operations in Sarasota, Florida, during their spring break, helping restore infrastructure and communities ravaged by recent storms.

The ASB team, comprising 12 members, partnered with Praying Pelican Missions from March 9-14. Their efforts included beach cleanup, repairs to a church, and implementing measures to mitigate future hurricane impacts.

ASB President Morgan Jaeger highlighted the significance of their work at the church, stating, "We were only there for four days, but the amount of work we accomplished would have taken months for the church to complete or even longer to find volunteers.” The team spent approximately 20 hours painting walls and removing cabinets.

ASB is part of an immersion program offering college students community service and experiential learning opportunities, focusing on social justice and community outreach. ASB Vice President Madison Lutz found the service rewarding, saying, “But when we left, we were amazed at how much we had accomplished. It was incredibly fulfilling to realize that our efforts truly made an impact.”

Emily Rea, a first-year member of ASB, reflected on her experience by stating that the work highlighted "the importance of giving back" and inspired her to help communities struggling with limited resources.

The program, established in 2006 at Northwest, supports service-learning projects, offering students opportunities in various locations domestically and internationally. During the fall semester, ASB encourages local community service, with members accumulating over 20 hours of service work.