December
17, 2004
MHC
Students and Staff to Help Sea Islands Residents in March
Photo
by: Todd M. LeMieux
Vicha Hajdamowicz
(left) and James Moynihan |
The Sea Islands of South Carolina
might sound like the ideal spring break destination, the name
conjuring images of ocean surf, blue skies, and carefree days
on the beach. But the Sea Islands communities that a group of
30 students and professional tradespeople from Mount Holyoke
College will head to in March are instead places of extreme poverty,
where migrant workers and the descendants of slaves struggle
to maintain their homes and their communities.
From March 11 through 20, a group of 30 volunteers, including approximately a
dozen students and an equal number from the College’s facilities management
staff, will be in the Sea Islands to paint, repair roofs, install insulation,
fix floors, replace windows, and do yard work. The journey, undertaken in conjunction
with Rural Mission, Inc. of Johns Island, South Carolina, a Christian-based group,
combines the students’ desire to make a change in the world with the expertise
of the College’s facilities workers, responsible for maintaining a campus
frequently cited as one of the most beautiful in the nation. The students will
be on break; the College employees on the trip will be using vacation time.
The group will live in a local church during their stay, sleeping on the floor
and cooking meals together in the church kitchen. The group will share in Christian
worship each morning and evening; participation in the trip is not limited to
Christians, however. Each participant has contributed $100 toward the $8,000
cost of the trip, but another $4,500 remains to be raised through fund-raisers
and appeals to community and church groups.
“It’s exciting to me, because it is so novel,” said the Reverend
Andrea Ayvazian, the College’s Protestant chaplain. “We are grateful
for the opportunity to work side by side with our sisters and brothers on the
island. We are going with hearts filled with love, because this is an opportunity
for us to do what we are called to do. We know we will receive more than we give.
We will bring needed labor and some good energy, but our souls will be nourished.”
The idea for the trip originated in SoulFood, a monthly spiritual gathering Ayvazian
launched in January 2002 for facilities management workers. The members of the
group approached Ayvazian with the idea of organizing a mission trip, and soon
made a connection with Rural Mission.
“This mission trip combines will and intent with expertise,” said
James Moynihan, a plumbing supervisor and one of the organizers of the trip. “These
students are eager to get their hands dirty and do something they will be remembered
for. I think it’s a great opportunity for these young women, and hopefully
from this they’ll carry a commitment to community service that will stay
with them throughout their lives.”
Charisse Pickron, a first-year student from Amherst, volunteered as soon as she
heard about the trip, even though she has little experience in carpentry or painting. “I
trust that I’m going to be with professionals, and just go with the flow,” she
said. “I figured this would be a pretty awesome thing to do. I’m
excited about traveling and working with a diverse group of people.”
Another student who immediately volunteered is Jackie Lena Wood, a senior from
Minneapolis, Minnesota. “Even though I am not Christian, I have a deep
respect for faith-based community service. I think it is so much more meaningful
to engage in a personal interaction than to simply write a check to a charity
organization,” she said. “I see this as an opportunity to not only ‘help’ a
community in need, but also to learn from them and be open to what they may be
able to teach me about compassion and service.
“I’m thrilled that students have an opportunity to work with facilities
management staff,” Wood added. “We so rarely get a chance to really
get to know the incredibly talented and dedicated staff that make this College
so successful. I also think that it’s important for students to bridge
the gap between intellectual and experiential learning. Although this isn’t
an academic trip, I know that it will be a learning experience in its own way,
whether it’s learning the history of the Sea Islands, the cultural heritage
of the Gullah
people, how to install plumbing,
or most importantly, how to communicate across differences and work together
for social justice in a diverse community.”
“I spent last spring break being highly unproductive, lazing around my
house, and feeling guilty about the work I knew I should be doing but undoubtedly
was destined to ignore,” said Sheila Vennell, a sophomore from Kennebunkport,
Maine. “Thus, when Andrea pitched this fantastic opportunity, I jumped
right on board. Here is a chance to take one week of my life and dedicate myself
to an extremely worthy mission. I feel so lucky to be able to give of myself
and potentially have a great impact on the lives of others. With the unique composition
of the group, I think we can really do something significant for these people.”
Vicha Hajdamowicz, office coordinator at facilities management, is looking
forward to the trip. “Why am I doing this? Because I’m selfish
and love the feeling of helping others,” she said. “I grew up
in an environment helping others. Our neighbors needed a garage, my dad was
there; we needed our own church, my dad was there; many times my mom was
very ill and neighbors always helped out (since there were five children).
The only thing I want to achieve is the completion of our assignment at Rural
Mission. This means a great deal to me mostly because of the group I’m
going with. I have a great respect and love for Andrea; I’ve worked
for many years with most of the folks from facilities management, and I look
forward to working with students, both learning and teaching what I know
about renovations and construction.”
The main obstacle to the trip remains financial. An account has been set up
to accept donations. Tax-deductible checks may be made payable to Rural Mission
Trip and mailed to Rev. Andrea Ayvazian, Office of Religious Life, Mount Holyoke
College, South Hadley, MA 01075.
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