Trip #1
For the seventh consecutive year, we intend to send out a group of about twenty students to work on the Tennessee trail building project Last year, our group sent out forty students and one faculty member to work with members the Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC). The CTC’s stated mission is: To preserve the historical and cultural heritage of Tennessee; conserve natural resources and provide educational and recreational opportunities through the development and completion of the Cumberland Trail corridor; and to establish a foundation of support by interconnecting local communities within the trail corridor to acquire, maintain, and promote the Cumberland Trail.
Specifically, IUP worked with students from four other colleges to build new hiking trails in the southern regions of what will become the Cumberland Trail—Tennessee’s own version of the Appalachian Trail, just on a smaller scale.
Click on the following link to go straight to the CTC’s website for more information: Cumberland Trail Conference
The site leader for the Tennessee trip is Megan Stahl (jxdm@iup.edu). Feel free to contact her to get more information or to get your name on the list of this year’s Tennessee participants.
Trip #2
For the third consecutive year, ASB@IUP is heading to Texas, specifically to the town of Seguin, which is within half an hour of San Antonio in the middle of the state. IUP students will be working as volunteers with SARA—the Society for Recovery and Adoption—helping to rehabilitate abused or abandoned domestic and factory farm animals. We are currently setting the limit for this trip at sixteen.
Go straight to SARA’s website for more information.
The site leaders for the Texas trip are Maggie Dreistadt (m.a.dreistadt@iup.edu) and Veronica Berendt (v.l.berendt@iup.edu). Feel free to contact them to get more information or to get your name on the list of this year’s Texas participants.
Trip#3
For the fouth year in a row, ASB at IUP will be sending out a group of twenty students to work in the Gulf region to work with people who were affected by the ravages of several recent hurricanes. This year we are hooking up with Habitat for Humanity in southern Mississippi town of Lucedale. In all likelihood, work will involve clearing, cleaning, and construction work.
The site leaders for this trip are Kimika Hudson (k.n.hudson@iup.edu) and Bridget Connolly (b.j.connolly@iup.edu). Feel free to contact them to get more information or to get your name on the list of this year’s Mississippi participants.
Trip #4
ASB@IUP will be sending a small group of students (twelve to fifteen) to northern Vermont to assist the staff of America’s oldest meditation center (Karmê Chöling) in giving the facility a facelift. Work will involve painting, light construction, and general cleaning and maintenance. Students will also work to clear the many hiking trails on the property of excess debris caused by a climatic microburst which downed over 5,000 trees two summers ago. Students should be aware that a formal component of this trip is meditation instruction (in the Shambala tradition) provided by staff members of Karmê Chöling.
NOTE: Because of the nature of this trip, site leaders will be screening participants to determine if they are indeed suited for this type of volunteer situation.
Click on the following link to go straight to Karmê Chöling’s website for more information: Shambhala Meditation Center
The site leader for this trip are Dan Burkhardt (D.R.Burkhardt@iup.edu) and Kierstin Bolton (k.l.bolton@iup.edu). Feel free to contact them to get more information or to get your name on the list of this year’s Vermont participants.
Trip #5 - THIS TRIP IS CURRENTLY CLOSED
In light of the recent devastation in Galveston, Texas, due to Hurricane Ike, Alternative Spring Break will send a group of twenty student volunteers to travel to the island to offer any assistance they can to people whose lives and homes have been wrecked. In all likelihood, this trip will involve some sort of construction work, but details on the project are pending as we learn more about needs and opportunities. So more news on this trip as it comes available.
Site leaders for the Galveston, Texas, trip Dave Viscomi (d.s.viscomi@iup.edu) and Alex Grab (a.l.grab@iup.edu). Contact them if you are interested in being a participant on this trip.
Trip #6 - THIS TRIP IS CURRENTLY CLOSED
For the fouth year in a row, ASB at IUP will be sending out a group of twenty students to work in the Gulf region to work with people who were affected by the ravages of several recent hurricanes. This year we are hooking up with Habitat for Humanity in coastal town of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. In all likelihood, work will involve clearing, cleaning, and construction work.
The site leaders for this trip are Sara (s.j.selan@iup.edu) and Martin (mrrq@iup.edu). Feel free to contact them to get more information or to get your name on the list of this year’s Mississippi participants.
Trip#7
For the first time, ASB at IUP is heading to Arkansas!! This trip is designed to learn about intentional leadership while living in community in the wilderness. Intentional leadership is the process of discovering the foundations for how leadership relates to others, yourself, the environment, and God. Be aware that we will approach the topic of intentional leadership and community from a Christian perspective. Though biblical themes lay the foundation for this trip, students of all denominations and creeds are encouraged to participate. Activities will include backpacking and rock climbing in the Buffalo National River in northern Arkansas. The cost includes equipment rental, camp food, and transportation.
Note: Because of the nature of this trip, site leaders will be screening participants to determine if they are indeed suited for this type of volunteer situation.
The site leader for this trip is James Whitacre: james.whitacre@gmail.com.
Direct all other inquiries to ASB’s advisor, Dr. Caleb Finegan: cfinegan@iup.edu.
