The Daily Bulletin Archive

Spring break—a time for relaxing, beaches, and catching up on sleep. Right? Not for 11 Buffalo State students and a few Newman Center staff members.

For the fifth consecutive year, students and staff traveled outside Buffalo for a reward far greater than a week of relaxation: a week of service. Staying at a center for the Claretian Volunteer Program in southwest Chicago from March 24 to 29, the group prepared bags of food at the Chicago Food Depository for children in 26 city schools and six suburban schools; assisted residents of Villa Guadalupe, a senior citizens housing complex; and transformed a run-down People’s Park into a neighborhood hub.

Bill Vaughan, a campus minister at the Newman Center who accompanied students, recalls several heartwarming stories from last week’s experiences.

“Students felt an immediate connection to what they were doing and could see the results,” he said. “At the Chicago Food Depository, we had a goal to package 1,500 one-pound bags of rice, and learned at the end of the day that we completed 3,200 bags. For students, they felt like they were part of something amazing.

“At Villa Guadalupe, students got so into the painting, cleaning, and various chores for residents that one morning, they decided to do ‘Jazzercise’ with them,” he continued. “The residents absolutely loved it.”

Some of the best reactions came as a result of the work at People’s Park, where students cleaned the area, fixed equipment, and mulched the grounds (left).

“One local resident stopped by and chatted with our volunteers, asking, ‘Why aren’t you on a beach?’ The students replied, ‘This is fun for us,’” said Vaughan. “As we continued working together over a few days, more people stopped by. One person said, ‘I want you to know how proud our neighborhood is of you.’ And a homeowner who lived next to the park became inspired on our second day and started cleaning up his cluttered yard. When he finished, two of his children came outside and started playing. It was a really moving sight.”

Vaughan said that a group of 11 students is about average for Alternative Spring Break, and that if not for this year’s unusual combination of the Easter holiday and spring break, more students might have participated.

The cost per student was $100, which covered travel, lodging, and meals. But some students were able to offset costs with fundraisers throughout the academic year. The Newman Center held two child-care servicenights, offered a “rent-a-student” program, and recently held a pancake breakfast.

As in past years, United Students Governmentrecognized the benefit of Alternative Spring Break for students and provided two vans for travel. Past tripsincluded visits to Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Baltimore. The group also helped some of the same organizations in Chicago during the 2006 trip.

Since 2004, the same candle has accompanied each Alternative Spring Break trip for evening group discussions. This symbolic sense of interconnectedness is reflective of the Newman Center as a whole, which serves all faiths within the larger community.

“We’re like a typical parish,” said Vaughan. “We serve about 150 families besides everyone at Buffalo State, and are one of the few Catholic ministries in the Elmwood Village. All are welcome here, and I’d estimate that more than half the students who participate in our activities arenot Catholic.”

The services at the Newman Center are many and varied, including Mass celebrations, religious-education classes, scripture study, Thursday-night community dinners, retreats, and even yoga classes. Vaughan said his top concern is to make all guests feel welcome.

“We have a motto that we’re here to help find the beauty in ugly—in other words, finding the best in any situation,” he said. “I think our staff members can guide others in down times. And we’re not here for just the students. We’re here for the entire campus. That’s our mission.”