Instead of going to parties and watching Netflix during Spring Break, I decided to attend the Un-BULL-ievable Spring Break Asheville. The trip was an alternative spring break that focuses on an act of service. We worked for the YMCA of Western North Carolina to help increase access to sports and recreation. There were eight students who participated in the USB Asheville trip, led by a professional staff advisor, James Greene.
Day 1 and 2
While the children were in school, we assisted the sports coordinator. Our morning-time task was to organize and take inventory of football equipment.
Once the children were out of school, we helped with the after-school program. A majority of our group played dodgeball and basketball with a larger group of students. Gloria Mariah, another student on the trip, and I noticed a little boy named Jack playing in the sandbox alone. We decided to go over and help him build sandcastles, and he was ecstatic when he realized that we wanted to play with him.
Once playtime was over, we took the students inside to do homework. Jack wanted us to help him with his homework, which was a big deal because he never wanted someone to do homework with him unless it was his mom or dad. By the time his homework was done, it was time for the children to leave.
We knew that we had made an impact when a YMCA employee told us that Jack’s mom was crying tears of joy when she learned that her son quickly opened up to people and allowed them to assist him with homework. This was the moment I knew I did the right thing by giving up my spring break to help others.
Day 3
This was our time to explore the city. We planned to visit the most popular tourist attraction, but we ran into several difficulties. The first place we wanted to visit was the Blue Ridge Parkway, so we could get close-up pictures with the mountains and potentially go on a hike. This plan fell through because several roads were still closed due to poor weather conditions.
Our next stop on our tour was the Biltmore Estates, but we weren’t told that it cost $55 to get in. After another epic fail of a tour, we decided to go shopping downtown, visiting several boutiques to find souvenirs for our loved ones. Following several hours of shopping, we found the Asheville Botanical Gardens and went for a hike.
Day 4 and 5
The last two days of our service project were spent at the Southern Conference for women’s basketball. Our tasks were simple both days. We ran the silent auction and sold programs. All the proceeds were going directly to a sports scholarship for students who want to play sports, but can’t afford the fees that come with playing sports. During our two day span we raised over $2,000.
I’m glad that I was able to attend the Asheville trip. It showed me that a small gesture of kindness can make a big impact on someone, even when I don’t realize it.
