This Journey

Day 5
*delayed post that did not upload from my phone on the trip

  Every moment during this trip has been truly amazing. I couldn't of asked for such an incredible 29 other people to be around. We have done so much so far and I can't wait for the final 2 days ahead. Today we went to help our friend Marty bag oyster shells to help him restore the shoreline on deer island. In only a couple of short hours all the bags were filled. A total of about 1200 bags were done in the last two days. If it wasn't for us helping and the previous group the day before it would of taken Marty months upon months to bag that many. It felt awesome to be able to help him and see how appreciative he was for us. It just proves to show that something like filling bags of oyster shells can really impact and make a huge difference.
 
 Not to mention after helping Marty the group traveled to Louisiana. It was a surprise for the group but shortly we arrived at the site where the seniors had helped volunteer only a couple of years ago. The glow in their faces as they saw the house they worked on was so beautiful.  Molly,Nick, and Stephen are incredible individuals and harder workers. They are true role models for ASB and the trip wouldn't of been the same without their passion. Seeing the houses made me feel so much more passionate for service and hopefully I am lucky enough to spend my next three years trying to help communities in need.

   Martha so beautifully spoke yesterday saying, " now this park is a part of you and you can come back and see what you did. So you can come back and see where you stood and say I was a part of this. Even though the ramifications of the BP oil spill are not known yet it has been interesting to learn how much Katrina has been a part of the Biloxi culture. Martha created the Katrina garden to allow a spot for people to turn to to cry or share other emotions during a disaster because the plants will always come back to life. Martha was a true inspiration to me being a former teacher and mow finding her passion in gardens and teacher others about gardens now. She has so much hope, intelligence and strength I hope I can be half as good as Martha is someday. Seeing these motivational and strong people along the journey and hearing stories is truly inspiring. It also puts into perspective how fortunate and grateful we are for the things in our life that many times are not appreciated enough. Every project that has been done so far solidifies the reason why we are here and why Biloxi needs our help.
 
I look forward once I get home to doing even more service than I have done before. This trip has truly been life-changing and unbelievable. I cannot imagine spending the break any other way or with any other 29 friends. I know this is just the beginning for me for service and I cannot wait to continually help in the future in whatever ways possible. Can't wait to see what's ahead for the next two days. I don't want ASB 2013 to ever end and Biloxi needs us!

Love-
Kristen Corbett(2016)

Where Do I Even Start?

Alternative Spring Break 2013 in Biloxi, MS was an amazing experience. I could not possibly put into words how thankful I am for all the hard work of our trip leaders, chaperones, everyone at Community Collaborations International, and every person we encountered in our different projects. Without all of these people, ASB would not have been possible and I am forever in their debt.

Alternative Spring Break had a profound effect on my life in that it was probably the furthest I have ever stepped out of my comfort zone. I never had the opportunity to travel to an area in need and perform different service projects. Therefore, most community service projects in which I have participated in the past were close to home. Being able to travel to a different area of the country and immersing yourself in their culture for a week has been an enriching experience. Each and every person we met in Mississippi was nothing but kind and welcoming. I was fascinated by their firsthand accounts of Hurricanes Katrina and Isaac, thoughts on the BP Oil Spill, and general outlooks on life.

One of the things I learned from this week is no matter how insignificant a task may seem to you, you really are making a big difference. Nothing taught me this lesson better than when we helping a man named Marty with his project to build back up barrier islands that are located just off the coast of Biloxi.  On Wednesday, we first Marty at a shipyard where there was a mountain of oyster shells. Our task was to fill bags made of chicken wire with oyster shells and then stack them on wooden pallets. Honestly, it was hard work and I ended up being a little sore the next day. After we were done working that day, Marty gave us a brief presentation telling us about his project, but I still did not completely understand what he was doing and why. On Friday, we were taken out to the barrier island to get a better idea of what all of our hard work was going toward. I was able to see firsthand the effects of erosion on this island. I was then able to understand that we were bagging and stacking the oyster shells so they could be put in the ocean to form somewhat of an artificial reef that would help to build the island back up. After seeing the island, all that hard work suddenly had new meaning.

Something else that struck me about this past week was how passionate all of the people we met at our projects were. You could tell they were all dedicated to what they were doing and that they had an immense amount of knowledge and wisdom that they were more than willing to share with us. One case where this was apparent was when we met Martha, Kim, and Ed while working at gardens in Hiller Park and at the Katrina Sculpture Garden in Biloxi. These three people made a great team and I learned a lot from them. One thing Martha said that really stood out to me was, "If you are passionate enough about something, then there is someone out there willing to pay you to do it." I could not agree more with this statement, especially after seeing that Martha is basically living proof of it.

Overall, this week was an amazing experience in which I stepped out of my comfort zone and learned a lot. If given the chance to do it all over again, I would definitely participate in ASB for another week. In the future, I will look into different service opportunities in my area and I will, without a doubt, be doing Alternative Spring Break again next year!

-Nevin Lorden
Class of 2016

Michaela Arthur

*Blog originally posted on trip*

     It seems like yesterday we woke up early on a cold Saturday morning to get to the airport for our Mississippi Adventure. Now that our trip is almost over, it is amazing how far this group has come. We entered the airport as friends and I can assure you we will leave Biloxi as a family. We have become even closer as a group, and everu single person on this team inspires me!  Each day I am more and more grateful that I have had the opportunity to work with such a special and passionate group of people. 
     Going into this trip, I thought we would be helping with coast line restoration from the effects of the BP Oil Spill; however, most of our tasks have revolved around restoration projects resulting from various hurricanes, but mainly Hurricanes Katrina and Isaac. It still baffles me that after almost eight years, the people in this area are still trying to pick up the pieces from these natural disasters. On several projects, we drove through neighborhoods and street ways that were completely wiped out and have not had the finances to rebuild. There were neighborhoods that were swept away by twenty foot storm surges and all that was left were piles of brick and a few pieces of wood to mark their property line. I have seen these images on TV, but it puts everything into perspective when you see it with your own eyes. Listening to everyone’s story has helped me realize that even after all this time, people still need our help, and I am honored to be working with this group of individuals to help this area cope with the difficulties they continue to face.   
     The tasks we have completed this far have been small, but something this trip has taught me is that small things add up to much bigger things. On Wednesday, we worked with Marty who is working on a project to help prevent erosion on Deer Island in Mississippi (here's the link to his website: http://www.dmr.ms.gov/deer-island-restoration-project). Marty is one of the hardest working people I have met and he only has four men working for him, but his project is labor instensive and requires much more help. We helped Marty bag about 800 bags of Oyster shells needed to complete his project and to us that seemed like such a small number compared to the eight thousand bags he needed in total to complete the project.  Regardless of how much we did, Marty was so thankful for our help. He personally thanked each and every one of us and hugged us all for the work we did. Granted we only helped him with a small portion of his project, he made us feel like we moved mountains! And that small portion we did will add to something bigger in the future.
      The lessons I have learned on the trip are life lessons I will always carry with me forever. Everyone has a story, and we have learned so much from each other as a group and from people within the community. And although we are only doing small things, someday these small stepping stones will create something much bigger! I am so grateful to be a part of this experience and I want to send a big thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way!

Love you all!
Michaela Arthur
Class 2013

Melissa Knox

*Blog originally written on the trip*  

To begin this blog with one big event that happened to me on this trip to Biloxi, Mississippi would be nearly impossible for me, because every moment whether big or small was an experience that I will never forget. So I will begin with the start of my week.

            It began long before the amazing slumber party provided by the great Molly Buckley, with all the fundraisers and bonding activities, but that Saturday was the day that it all became extremely real for me. After the flight, we had some awesome bonding activities by the beautiful water outside our cabin. That’s when I knew that we had such an incredible and indescribable group of people on this trip. And these are the people that I have found that this trip will be one that we will never forget. I love each and every one of the people on this trip. Each one of them is incredible and beautiful and I’m so blessed to have had this experience with this family.

            One moment that I had found truly incredible was when tall Steve (the leader of Community Collaborations) talked to the whole camp about a very tall live oak tree by the water. He described to us the story about one person realizing after the huge water surge from Hurricane Katrina, the salt on the trees would kill these beautiful trees because there was no rain following the storm. This woman rallied many people and they saved these 400 year old live oak trees lining all down the shoreline coast. Unfortunately, some of these trees did not survive after the salt’s destruction. Instead of leaving the destroyed trees, they decided to have a professional chainsaw artist and carve many things ranging from dolphins to eagles. This was hope for the city of Biloxi. And I was given the opportunity to see these beautiful statues the morning after. I thought this story from Steve was so powerful, and one that I will never forget.

            The work that we had during the duration of this week ranged from cleaning up many different places and planting gardens, to packing up oysters to be used for the prevention of land erosion. With such variety, came such amazing people along for the ride. I had the incredible pleasure of meeting Martha, Marty, Kim and many other inspiring people. Martha truly had the biggest impact on me. Her story behind starting up Horticulture for Humanities was so inspiring. She explained that a week after Hurricane Katrina, sunflowers started popping up all throughout the city and gave people hope through total tragedy and destruction. She said that if this caused people to have hope, then why not create more hope through the city of Biloxi? A powerful thing that stuck out to me was when she said that she knows another storm will come through just like Katrina, but when it does, there will be the flowers to give people hope, just like the sunflowers did for her and many others through the devastating storm of Katrina.

            These are only several powerful things that happened to me and I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity. Without all the support from my family and friends I truly don’t know how this opportunity would be possible. I’m so blessed and grateful for everyone here and every experience I’ve had this week. 

I love you all.

Melissa Knox, Class of 2015 

            

Ali McGrath

What a week! We have one more day left of work and then a plane ride home! I can’t believe how quickly this week has flown by. I wish we had more time to do this amazing work. We have had the pleasure of working with some of the most incredible people I have had the pleasure to meet. Janet, Martha, Kim, Ed, Marty and so many others. They have been an inspiration and have taught me so much about what service truly means. Ed told me this amazing story about how he brought people gas on the side of the highway after Katrina because they were stranded there with their things, without food or water. He just handed over the gas free of charge so they could get somewhere in order to get water. Hearing about him giving without even a second thought was amazing. He could have easily taken advantage of that situation but it wasn’t even a thought.

I had the pleasure of working with Marty for most of the day yesterday. Bagging oysters was one of the most difficult and tiring work I’ve ever done but it was so fun. Helping him and learning about his organization was so rewarding. You could really tell that he really appreciated the help that he got from us. He normally just worked with people trying to do community service because they were in trouble so he was appreciative of the hard work he got from the ASB family.  Working all together was awesome. Being spilt up during the week was so depressing so it was nice change for us al to be together.

We really have become a family over this week. We know so much about each other and have grown to care for each other like life long friends. It’s nice to know that I will have these people in my life because they are an amazing crowd to be around. We have so much fun and truly care for each other and for the greater good. Everyone here is an inspiration to me. They all care so much and do such amazing things. I have learned so much from everyone. I am honored to be able to work with such an amazing crew of people.  The trip leaders have worked so hard to put this together for us and for that I am grateful. Thank you for making an amazing trip and teaching me so much about what service truly means. Everyone here is amazing and I love you all so much.

This week has truly made me reflect on all aspects of my life. Once, getting a good job and making a lot of money was my main concern but after the course of this week I know that those things are not as important to me as I once thought. Being able to help people, truly make a difference in their lives is something that I know I want to do now. I am so happy that I have had this opportunity to lead me to a rewarding, worthwhile life. I know it won’t be a waste now and that I will make a difference and it has started right here in Biloxi, Mississippi. The small changes we make today will be a huge movement in the future. Thank you ASB 2013 and all the people that made it so amazing. You have changed my life.

With love,

Ali McGrath, Class of 2015 

Carly Granville

*Blog originally written during the trip* 

I honestly do not know where to begin. This trip has definitely been one of the best weeks of my life.  We all gathered at Molly Buckely’s house for a sleepover celebration. We were so eager to get down to Biloxi and start our adventure. What I did not know was that it would be the most emotional trip that I have ever partaken on.

            Because this was my first ASB experience, I had no idea what to expect. My friends that have been on this trip told me that it would be a week that I would never forget and I was ready to enjoy every minute of it.

            When we left the Biloxi airport, the sun was shining and we could not have asked for a better day- I feel like it was a sign that something great was going to occur. Right away the ASBers were so positive and ready to start the week (we even started to say our own ASBisms).

            Once Monday came, we already had created this incredible bond. This bond was that we all connected with each other and already felt the love from each and every person. Each person is amazing in their own way and I have been honored to get to know them on a one on one basis throughout this whole week. I know that everyone will agree with me when I say that we are one big happy family that will always stay together, no matter what!
            With the family already in place, I had the chance to work on three different sites. On Monday we worked at the Katrina Sculpture Garden.  While there we met with Kim and Martha. These two women are incredible and gave me a good lesson on how we can make a difference. While cleaning, Martha and Kim explained to us why these gardens were in place and why they were so important. There have never been gardens before Katrina hit- and it was Martha and Kim’s mission to change that. They believed that “beauty goes beyond the beaches”, and that really struck me because these people needed something positive after loosing everything. When Martha talked about how the people reacted so positively to one sunflower being grown, I cried because with everything else that was going on during the time, the fact that life was literally sprouting out of the ground gave them the spirit they needed to move forward. The people are so happy and welcoming to having us here made me feel like I belonged here and did not want to leave- and that was the first day. I want to be Martha and make this difference whether it is small or big (all of it matters in the end). It would be an honor to put aside my time and give it to someone other than myself. I cannot wait to come back and see what this looks like. The best part was that they were both so passionate about what they were doing that it physically made me want to start my path towards helping others.  

            On the second day we worked on a pastors house. I worked on clean up and did some demoing as well. What I remember most from that day was Wes. He moved from Pennsylvania with his wife and was here during Katrina. Although they did not loose as much, Wes felt empowered to help. At the end of the day, both him and Mike told us that we were the generation and that we should be thanked. Hearing Wes say that took it home for me because it was the moment when I realized I have the power to make change. He was an inspiration and I hope that we make his generation proud. Others should take this to heart because it is important that we, as the new generation, take control and make our mark!

            Day three we were reunited as a group and bagged oysters. This day was a day I will never forget because the thing that struck me the most was that we actually do make an impact. Marty, the person in charge, talked to us and I could just see how passionate he was about the project through his words. The best part was that he was so thankful that we helped him because he does this all on his own!! This is crazy!!! He is so dedicated to his cause and I think that there should be more like him in the world. I personally look up to this man and know that he will do great things in his future.

            Day three was also a day that we looked back and saw something that not many people got to see. We went to a house that the now seniors helped build in St. Tammany, Louisiana. It was so emotional to see my now ASB family look back on what they built and taught me that what we did will be going towards something much bigger than ourselves. 

            Today we had our day off. We went on an air boat and saw Biloxi the alligator’s family. Then the biggest surprise of all happened-other than New Orleans- we got letters from our friends and family. Before I even got the packet, I burst into tears of pure excitement because I had no idea who wrote me. While reading the letters next to the tree, I could not help it but to cry. From my aunt to Kendra Dale (you always know what to say) to my cousin to my mom, every one of them was so inspiring and made me feel so important. I can honestly say that I have the best family in the world and I do not know what I would do without them. To see all of them proud of me meant the world and it is exactly what I needed!

            To sum it all up, I have definitely changed since the beginning of this trip. I completely get what all of my friends said when they say that this week would changed my life. I have taken every single minute and loved it for what it is! When writing my application, I wanted to challenge and push myself towards doing something I have never done before, and I have done just that. I can be somewhat quiet sometimes, and I think that I have come out of my shell. Everyone appreciates me for who I am and I love them for that. I have grown as a person and have made 30 incredible friends for I know I will stay in touch with forever. We all will have Biloxi in our hearts and I cannot wait to come back.

            Almost done, I promise! I just wanted to thank Angel, Emily, Loretta for being on this trip and allowing me to get the chance to know them. You guys are incredible and I cannot wait to continue our friendships.

            In addition, I want to thank the trip leaders: Tori- you are truly a beautiful soul that deserves only the best in life. Your smile is infectious and I will forgive you for taking my coffee coolatta. Carolyn- I absolutely adore you! You are the sweetest person who has the best personality in the world.  Lastly I want to thank Molly- where do I begin? You have been my role model since the start of foundations and I do not know what I would do without you in my life. You have shown me how to be a better person and I could never thank you enough. Thank you for giving me this chance to experience what you call “the life changing moment” for myself. You are one of my closest friends and you will always have a place in my heart. I hope to be like all of you ladies J

Love Carly, Class of 2014 

Nick Magliozzi

*Blog originally written during the trip* 

Here we are on my last ASB trip and I am completely amazed at what has taken place over these past few days.  We started off at Molly Buckley’s house the night before our flight. (no rhyme intended)  Then it was off to the airport to catch our flight.  Little did I know that this would be the most emotional ASB trip I would ever have had here at FSU.

            Then we arrived in Biloxi and the weather was absolutely beautiful.  We had the rest of the day to rest and relax.  It also gave me a chance to interact with the other people on my trip. 

            The people on this trip are all amazing in their own way.  I know it sounds cheesy, but it is the god’s honest truth.  Each individual here brings completely different set of strengths to the table.  If I had not gone on this trip I would not have met these great people.  I specifically want to highlight my good friend Stephen.  This trip has reminded me what an inspiration he is to not only me, but everyone he has encountered.  If you don’t like Stephen then you must be ill or have something wrong with you.  He is so full of joy and happiness.  He is not afraid to be himself.  I have learned so much from him on these ASB trips and we have been on three trips together.  I know have confidence in myself to be who I want to be because of Stephen.  He truly has impacted my life and has made me the person I am today.

            Now back to the trip.  I have volunteered at three different locations on this trip.  First I worked on the Hurricane Katrina Gardens.  Here we met two wonderful women named Kim and Martha.  We not only helped restore a garden, but we also got to listen to their great stories and pieces of advice they gave us.  I specifically remember Martha telling us not to knock something until you try it.  That advice gives me the motivation to persue my goals in life. 

Day two I worked on at Pastor’s house.  It needed to be renovated.  Here I cleaned the house and the yard.  What I remember most that day was the graveyard we visited during lunch.  One of the workers on the site named Tim took us to the graveyard after our lunch.  He showed the different graves of people who had died.  He showed us a grave of a three year old boy that he knew.  It touched me deeply.  Seeing that grave made me forget every issue that I have had in my life.  That poor little boy did not get a chance to live his life and my goal now is to be the best person I can no matter what it costs. 

Day three we went to an oyster ranch.  Here we bagged up empty oyster cells and stacked them on top of one another.  It was hard work and it was not glamorous but we made a huge difference.  Marty was the man in charge and he truly appreciated our help.  This was a project he started by himself and he has not received much help.  To see how greatly he was for our help made me smile.  However the day was not over.  Angel and the trip leaders had a surprise for us.  She took us to New Orleans to see the finished product of the house we worked on two years ago during our ASB trip.  I was completely amazed and at a loss for words.  To see something that we worked so hard finished was breathe taking.  To know I helped someone find a home who was victim of Katrina is a great feeling that I really do not know how to explain.  Angel is one of the most thoughtful individuals I have met.  She is truly an amazing individual and for her to go out of her way to see this house truly touched me.  I broke down when I saw the house and for anyone who knows me I do not cry easily.

Then today was our day off.   It was a nice day of rest and relaxation.  There was also another surprise.  The trip leaders had come up with an idea to have our family members send us letters from home.  My eyes are watering as I write this because of my family.  To see my mother proud of me is a great feeling.  I always thought that I was her least favorite son because of all the issues and problems I have brought to my family, but after reading her letter I know that is not the case.  To have my mother be proud of me is probably one of the best feelings in the world.

I just want thank Molly, Tori, and Carolyn for being the best trip leaders I have ever had.  You guys worked so well together and made this trip the best one of my ASB career.  You three are amazing individuals and I thank you for choosing me for this trip.  I was so excited to graduate and leave FSU.  That is not the case anymore.  I am going to savor these last few months because of you.  I love you three and you truly have made my senior year the best year of my life.

From,

Nick Magliozzi, Class of 2013

P.S.   Sorry this was so long.