Alternative spring break trips 2014

By Justin Callas

For the first time, the Frederick Alternative Spring Break sponsored by Hood assisted with the 4 H Therapeutic Riding Program.

The program provides recreational and therapeutic horseback riding to Frederick citizens with certified mental, physical and emotional disabilities.

Alternative Spring Breaks started six years ago and has now grown into a program with three different locations.   The three locations that Hood students visited were Habitat for Humanity in Fla., Whitakers NC and Frederick, Md.  During spring break the different student groups went to Florida and North Carolina Sunday through Friday and Frederick Monday through Friday.

Catherine Brown, a graduate assistant who participated in past alternative spring breaks, helps organize trips and will continue to participate in future trips said, “I wish I would’ve done it earlier.”

The Florida trip was filled to capacity, but spots were vacant for the NC trip and the Frederick “stay-cation.”  On these trips students helped give back to the community and visited shelters as well as contributed to  disaster relief funds Brown said.

Students who participated in the Frederick trip are allowed to stay in the dorms for free. Students also held fundraisers to help pay for the trips, which cost around $125 for the Frederick stay-cation, $475 for the North Carolina trip and about $750 for the Habitat trip, which includes airfare.

In NC and Fla. students helped build homes and helped out at local disaster relief foundations.  These students wanted to give back to those in need Rev. Beth O’Malley said.

O’Malley, the head of the Alternative Spring Break trips said, “the trips are a great way to meet new people since the groups change every year.  The group size ranges from 10 to 25 and both students and chaperones get to know each other on a first name basis.”

“The trips can be a lot of work,” Rev. O’Malley continued, “but it is very rewarding.”

These trips are meant to teach the students and chaperones about the communities they visit, she said.