Fall break is a fun time for most students when they can return home to spend time with their friends and family. Yet, this year, 187 students chose to go on a fall service trip. They worked hard on their break to help serve others all through out the community around the country.
Kayln Flierl, an Arts & Sciences freshman was one of many to go to Winnebago, Neb. to help out on the reservation there. They helped out with the St. Augstine Mission School while they were there. It was a kindergarten through eight grade school, and they got to interact with the children.
“We got to work in the classroom with the teachers and kids, ate lunch with the kids, clean up the outdoor classroom, and get to know the kids,” Flierl said.
Another activity that the students got to participate in was rebuilding a sweat lodge on the reservation. A sweat lodge looks similar to an igloo and the only opening is the door. It has a small fire pit that lava rocks are put in to create smoke. Then the people on the reservation go in and say their prayers, half in English and half in their native tone.
“It’s really cool they let us take part in it since it’s sacred to them,” said Flier. “ I also like how we got to interact with the people and hear their stories. They really open up if you show an interest. They are cool people and I would totally be comfortable with going up there again. I never really felt like an outsider.”
Another place that some students went to was Oakridge, Tenn. There they worked with Habitat for Humanity. They stayed at a local non-denominational church.
“We gutted out an old home for a women to make it better and did yard work for an elderly women. We got to bond with the community and local churches,” said Arts & Sciences senior Taylor Baumann. “My favorite thing was the bonding between members of our group.”
This group went through Campus Ministry and had been doing hospice every Monday together.
“We got even closer though this,” Baumann said. “This let us see Creighton’s mission beyond just academics. It is something that should be on every student’s bucket list to do before graduation. I have never known anyone to go on these trips and not like it. There’s not much in someone’s college career that can change someone’s perspective as radical as these trips. My only regret is waiting until my senior year to take a trip”.
These were just two of the many service trips that were offered for students during the fall break. The Creighton Center for Service and Justice offers trips for both the fall and spring breaks. If you are interested there is a participant info meeting Nov. 7 from noon to 1 p.m. and another one Nov. 8 from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. the applications for the trips are due Nov. 13 at 4 p.m. If you have any questions regarding the trips their office is located in the Harper Center room 2067.