During the first week of March, 51 University of Mary Washington students spent Spring Break helping others. The Community Outreach and Resources (COAR) team organized three alternative spring break trips, in Wilmington, N.C., Avery County, N.C., and Cookeville, Tenn., from March 3 through 11. At each location, students worked on Habitat for Humanity projects.
When the rash of tornadoes tore through the Tennessee Valley at the end of February, the Cookeville group made their way to Overton County, Tenn., a small community just south of the Kentucky border.
In Overton, the students worked with residents to clear debris and sort donations, and shared their experiences along the way: http://wearehardcoar.tumblr.com/.
One student took this stark photo of the destruction and captioned it “we were so thankful to have the opportunity to help.”
“Spring Break is one of my favorite weeks of the year since I get to spend the entire week doing hands-on service with such civic minded students,” Christina Eggenberger, director of service, said. “The students learn practical skills but more importantly they help and learn about people in need. It is a transformative experience for all involved.”
