| by
Jessica Railey
The Newman
Center offers good experiences, new friendships and an opportunity
to help people in need with its alternative spring break to Crossroads
Ministry in Louisville, Ky., this semester.
“We always say there are three pillars for the alternative
spring break: community, service and spirituality,” Brian
Oliver, the campus minister at the Newman Center, said. “Those
kind of capture all the things that are great about the trip.”
This year Oliver and a maximum of 20 students will travel to Louisville
to St. William’s Church to lend their services to the Crossroads
program. The Crossroads program regularly coordinates youth learning
centers that include tutoring for students in after-school programs,
and senior centers where they do different community activities.
“We’ll be spending most of our time between these
two demographics that Crossroads regularly works with, tutoring
students and volunteering at their senior centers” he said.
There are now five spots left for this year’s trip; 20 spots
were available. Students can apply by talking to a representative
at the Newman Center’s table during Bengal Pause in the
student union or by e-mailing Oliver (Oliverbp@buffalostate.edu).
March 20 is the deadline for signing up. The only qualification
for those interested is everyone must be 18 or over. Students
and faculty are welcome, though the trip targets mainly students.
The cost of the trip is $60 per student and this includes travel,
food and lodging. The Newman Center contributes and fundraises
about $5,000 to make the trip possible, and Buffalo State College
USG donates the van for traveling.
There have been three alternative spring breaks before this year’s.
The Newman Center has traveled to:
• Philadelphia
• West Virginia
• Baltimore
Last year, at the soup kitchen, Our Daily Bread, in Baltimore,
many students were moved by the type of people who came in for
lunch.
“Every day they’d see people come in wearing their
work uniforms,” Oliver said. “People presume that
these folks are lazy or just didn’t try hard enough to get
jobs. But really, these are people that come in on their lunch
break, and didn’t have enough money to pay for their food,
or a place to stay that month.
“There are a lot of surprises that change people’s
ideas ….”
The students who have participated are not all active members
at the Newman Center. Some are Buffalo State students looking
to do something different.
“Only about three or four students know each other this
year… You get to meet a whole bunch of new friends,”
Oliver said. There are only two students from last year’s
trip attending this year’s trip and they are the team leaders
of the group.
“Also, it’s not a mission trip. Its mainly just volunteer
work, which I think may make it more comfortable for kids who
are not part of the Newman Center.”
Students see it as a good way to meet new people. “I think
it would be interesting to meet new people,” said Adam Frost,
a senior at Buffalo State. “But I would also want to hang
out with my own friends for vacation.”
“I would consider going,” Cameron Rector, a senior
at Buffalo State, said. “Besides the community service,
you can visit towns and cities you might not normally get to see,”
he said.
“You get to see a whole different side of sight-seeing,”
Oliver said. “Not just the nice parts of town, but you get
to see what makes them so nice, what makes that actual city tick.”
Oliver coordinated last year’s trip as well as this year’s,
in regards to “where we go and what group we work with,”
he said. His number one outlet to find groups that need volunteers
is the Catholic Network of Volunteer
Services.
It has listings based on:
• geographical regions
• type of service
• length of service
“The rest is usually personal contacts,” Oliver said.
The Newman Center participates in two service projects every month
in Buffalo. The second Saturday volunteers participate in Red
Cross’ Project Life. This is a service to senior citizens
in the community who live independently and who need help with
chores and tasks in their homes.
The third Saturday finds volunteers at Little Portion Friary,
a Catholic soup kitchen at 1305 Main St.
“We try to get involved whenever and wherever we can, with
whatever opportunities arise,” Oliver said.
For more information: Newman
Center's Alternative Spring Break
Jessica Railey can be contacted at Railjl11@buffalostate.edu
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