FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 18, 2006

Contact: Mandy Rey

(662) 329-7119

 

MUW Hearin Leaders devote weekend to helping others

 

COLUMBUS, Miss. – About 40 students from Mississippi University for Women’s Hearin Leadership Program traveled to Jackson and Canton this past weekend to help build houses for those in need.

The students participated in the fourth annual Alternative Break for the Hearin program. Over the past three years, the group has traveled to places around the state providing volunteers for organizations in need.

The first year the group helped clean and serve food at the Greenville Salvation Army and planted more than 400 plants for the city of Greenville. The Biloxi Salvation Army was the benefactor for the second year where students helped with a variety of projects around the center.

The 2005 trip was scheduled to go to Birmingham to work with inner city youth and Habitat for Humanity, but after Hurricane Katrina hit the group decided the help on the Gulf Coast. Once again students helped the Salvation Army by making disaster relief kits, serving meals and giving out vouchers. Students also had the chance to help families of the church that provided their lodging and an elderly woman who lived in a home destroyed by 9 feet of water without flood insurance.

This year the students worked with the Madison Countians Allied Against Poverty, a group that builds homes for needy individuals in the Madison County area. Students also worked with Habitat for Humanity by helping landscape two homes that were close to completion.

Each night after a long day of work had ended, students had the opportunity to do some reflection about the meaning of providing volunteer service and what they were able to learn about themselves, others and service.

Hearin Leadership community service committee member Rachel DuFour of Lexington, Ky., said, “The Alternative Break is a great way for Hearin students to display servant leadership through helping others who are less fortunate than they are. This is my third Alternative Break and I become truly humbled after each experience.”

Wahnee Sherman, Hearin Leadership director and assistant vice president for student services, and the Hearin Council Community Service Committee specially select Hearin Leaders from the program for the annual trip. Hearin Leaders are expected to complete 30 hours of community service per year and attend two monthly events per semester. This trip fulfilled 15 of their hours.

Sherman said, “Alternative Break is a great way for our students to truly experience community service and see what a difference they can make in the world. We give students the chance to work together to help others. Each year our students say that Alternative Break is one of the most rewarding experiences of their year.”

Funding for the trip was provided by the Hearin Foundation Grant, which also funds the Hearin Leadership Program.

Students that participated in the 2006 Alternative Break program include Kristen Barnes of Jackson, Lana Bryant of Millport, Ala., Mike Cantrell of Hackelburg, Ala., Kristen Chipley of Carthage, Ashley Chisolm of Meridian, Leanna Davis of Ashley, Nicole Dilg of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Rachel DuFour of Lexington, Ky., Elise Easley of Ridgeland, Emily Entrekin of Meridian, Stephanie Evers of Biloxi, Madeline Fluitt of Picayune, Rachel Clair Franklin of Ridgeland, Laura Foster of Louisville, Rachel Gillespie of Loretto, Tenn., Jodie Griffin of Louisville, Brittany Henderson of Pontotoc, Anna Beth Hisaw of Louisville, Beth Holder-Cummings of Summit, Maeghan Howton of Caledonia, Amy Marie Humphrey of Ocean Springs, Josh Kemp of Millport, Ala., Lumba Lewanika of Jackson, Briana LoChiatto of Yazoo City, Nicole Long of Pontotoc, Amber Parker of Jackson, Jayde Peterson of Greenville, Justin Pruett of Jasper, Ala., Krystina Rainey of Duck Hill, Danni Rector of Millport, Ala., Tomeka Reynolds of Biloxi, Cherish Roche of Pascagoula, Amber-Leigh Rush of Ethelsville, Ala., Allie Sayle of Greenville, Russell Sklander of Tupelo, Aaron Sparks and Michael Sparks, both of Byram, Leslie Stanton of Etta, Margaret Thomas of Olive Branch, Sasha Tucker of Bankston, Ala., Abby Turner of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Emily Wilks and Alexandra Williams, both of Pascagoula.