By Brendan Gorman, Contributing Writer
This past week five groups of students went on S.E.R.V.E. trips to Ecuador, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Florida Keys, and Cove crest (located in Georgia). These trips were designed to show how service can be rewarding, not only
for the communities visited but also for the ones serving the communities. Those that went on these trips felt that they were very successful.
Mandy Altu, the program director of S.E.R.V.E., had a lot of insight into the groups that participated in the Spring Break trips. She described each of
the trips, in detail, and showed how they were so successful.
The trip to Mexico was to help bring technology to the region they visited by building a computer lab. They accomplished building this computer lab through bringing laptops and other technologies, which were not previously available to these people before they came. The trip was interesting as it was a returning trip because they had already built the lab, itself, two years ago and were able to see their work be finished, which Mandy described as “exciting.”
The next trip was S.E.R.V.E. Ecuador, led by Ally Vincent, to a working boy’s camp, which used to be an orphanage and is now a family-oriented organization to find jobs and help people realize the talents and skills they already have to obtain employment.
Mac Culkeen led a trip to Costa Rica accompanied by an organization called Appleseed Expeditions which incorporates education and services into one through stressing conservation through educating the people. Lexi Paul led a trip to the Florida Keys, which was a recreated and hopefully continuing
the trip, where they worked in a wild bird sanctuary, helped RCNA which helps migrant children to mentor them and help with landscaping and
the upkeep of the facility.
The final trip was to Covecrest in Tiger Georgia, led by Jessa Albert. “This was a very spiritually harnessing trip which focused on personal reflecting and helping rebuild the campsite,” said Altu.
This trip had an interesting aspect as these students were able to meet with a Saint Leo alumnus, Amanda Cassar the past Student Government Union
President and 2012 graduate, which Altu said was “very cool.”
One thing that Altu let us know was that these trips do not require religious
affiliation or for the person to be religious but they do require a reflection before, during, and after the trip to show how the core values applied to the trip, that the trips are “more corevalued based than religious-based.”
The S.E.R.V.E. operation at Covecrest focused on the more religious aspects of the student organization and is well known as a trip for the more catholic oriented of the student body. Covecrest is a well-known religious compound where students worked under groundskeeper Michael Berry to shape up the campgrounds for its Life Teen Camp programs it hosts from late May to early August.
“The scenery was beautiful,” said S.E.R.V.E participant Jarrod Gasper.
“I would definitely do it again.”
The complex is located in Georgia’s mountainous northeast national forest accompanied by two waterfalls, which the students readily swam in despite the inclement weather. For faith and reflection, you can also find solitude
at the camp’s 100-year-old chapel.
Ultimately, the vibe from all of these groups was that these trips were very successful and each member took a lot from their trip, learning that serving the community is quite rewarding.
