Students to build houses over break

Like many students, College freshman Anne Hyson plans to spend her Spring Break in Mexico. But instead of relaxing on the beach in Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, she and eight other students will be busy building houses for impoverished residents of Matamoros -- a town near Tijuana -- as part of the "Alternate Spring Break" program. And 11 other University students expect to take part in the program without even leaving town, program coordinator and Nursing freshman Andrea Gregor said. Those students will work in North Philadelphia, lending their time and energy at a construction site at 19th and Montgomery streets. The Alternate Spring Break program, which three University students organized for students interested in "giving something back to the community," is designed to give students the chance to volunteer several days next week at the construction sites, Gregor said this week. Gregor said the houses at both locations are being built by Habitat For Humanity, a national grass-roots community organization whose projects include building and renovating homes, as well as developing community centers and playgrounds. Since the organization is "volunteer-dependent," Gregor said student involvement is vital to the project. "The whole idea is that this is a constructive way to spend a spring break," she said. "It's not attempting to be a solution or the volunteer activity for people to swear themselves to. It's the alternative to going to Florida." Several participants agreed with Gregor in "application/interest surveys" which program organizers asked them to fill out. "The idea of an alternate spring break is so attractive because it has elements of a vacation from school without the apathy of a vacation from life -- the real world and its problems that continue when one is not studying or learning about them," Hynson wrote. "For quite some time, I have been disturbed by the real sense of need evident in this city," wrote College sophomore Carl Bergamini. "Philadelphia is afflicted by poverty, decay and hunger. I feel a sense of duty to bring change, to use what I have been given -- my education for instance -- and to help others." Gregor said specific tasks for students "could be anything from hauling dirt to using tools on the houses." "We'll be nailing, roofing, laying foundation," said College sophomore and program organizer Pam Urueta. "We won't just be standing there. Whatever it is we do, we can honestly say we played a very important role in building the houses." Once the sun sets and the building stops, the student volunteers will stay "on site" and live among community residents. At the Philadelphia site, program participants will make a presentation at a local elementary school aimed at teaching the young students about college life and goal setting, Gregor said. Urueta said students' experience in Matamoros will be a "rough life" because they will be staying in a "dorm-like building," -- but without the conveniences of running water or electricity. She added, however, the benefit of experiencing a different lifestyle will outweigh those inconveniences. The purpose of having two sites was to attract a greater number of participants, according to Urueta. "We wanted to give something back or be able to contribute here," she said. "But we also wanted to give people interested in Alternate Spring Break the chance to go away." Gregor said students participating at the Philadelphia site will have to pay only $50 plus spending money for the entire week. But the students going to Mexico must pay for their plane tickets to San Diego, one night in a San Diego hotel and a bus ride to Matamoros, she said. For both sites, Gregor said Alternate Spring Break will cover the cost of room and board, food and a contribution. The group also plans to subsidize the trip to Mexico for two students who could not afford all the costs, she said. College sophomore Kathleen Sullivan, who is handling most of the program's financial arrangements, said Alternate Spring Break's costs will exceed $3000. She said the majority of the costs involve accomodations, but she added that $700 will be spent on contributions to the two sites. To make up the costs, Sullivan said Alternate Spring Break applied for and received part of the money made during last fall's Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness conference, which was held in Philadelphia. Several faculty donations, flower and bake sales, as well as an expected contribution from Hillel have helped the group meet expenses, she said. If organizers of this year's Alternate Spring Break have their way, the program will become an annual event at the University.

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