Students to spend Spring Break reaching out to others

Huntington, Ind. "As Spring Break approaches and most university students look forward to nothing more than a little fun in the sun, 91 Huntington College

students will travel to various parts of the world to lend a helping hand and make a difference in people's lives. Each year, Huntington College's Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service offers service-learning trips in the United States and abroad. During this year's Spring Break from March 23-April 1, students will travel to "Ground Zero" in New York City, Tallahassee, Fla., Toronto, Ont., Big Laurel, Ky., and Utila, Honduras.

Huntington College is committed to developing the whole person, teaching them how to impact their world for Christ, said Dr. Norris Friesen, vice president of student development and leader of the Honduras trip. Spring Break trips offer students a unique opportunity not only to do some much needed work for others, but to give the students a glimpse into different cultures. The greatest advantage, though, is serving together with other Christians to help spread the good news of the gospel through words and actions.

The New York City trip will volunteer at Ground Zero through the Salvation Army. They will be manning the Salvation Army's food tent, which serves the workers still sifting through the rubble, and assisting at the Medical Examiner's Office. The trip is led by HC Admissions Counselor Trevor Lee and 2000 graduate Cory Whitehead, employee of Christianity Today, Inc. Students participating in the trip include:

- Marcy Adams " Huntington, Ind.

- Heather Banks " Arcanum, Ohio

- Lynda Barnum " Drexel Hill, Pa.

- Adam Grill " Perry, Mich.

- Nathan Hawkins " Huntington, Ind.

- Rachel Holland " Fort Wayne, Ind.

- Michael Matura " Kitchener, Ont.

- Grace McBrayer " Cincinnati, Ohio

- Julie Moore " Arcanum, Ohio

- Elizabeth Wood " Columbia City, Ind.

The Tallahassee, Fla., trip plans to help build a house in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity. Dr. Michael Rowley, Assistant Professor of Speech at HC, will lead the trip of nine students:

- Kelly Aspacher " Churubusco, Ind.

- Tanner Babb " Huntington, Ind.

- Katie Brown " Milford, Ind.

- Kristen Freeman " Crawfordsville, Ind.

- Jason Gipe " Columbia City, Ind.

- Tiffany Hrivnak " Belleville, Mich.

- Denise Krauskopf " Fremont, Ind.

- Leslie Russell " Monon, Ind.

- Katie Zimmerman " Blissfield, Mich.

The Toronto, Ont., team, led by Russell and Nellie Birdsall, will work with Urban Promise, an organization founded by Tony Campolo. They will provide help, love and support to the kids in the after-school program. During the mornings, they will participate in various service projects including working in food banks, homeless shelters, and more. We are hoping that by doing this trip over Easter week, it will be an even more meaningful spiritual experience, as we focus on the cross and Jesus' servant-attitude for us, as we serve others, said student leader Gretta Yoder. Students on the Toronto team include:

- Kari Demeter " Warsaw, Ind.

- Elisa Groth " Winchester, Ind.

- Weldon Koech " Nairobi, Kenya

- Shoshonnah McKinney " West Harrison, Ind.

- Jacob Miles " London, Ont.

- Carrie Miller " Cedar Rapids, Iowa

- Carole Nickle " Thornhill, Ont.

- Emily Riggs " Terre Haute, Ind.

- Mary Secrist " Cincinnati, Ohio

- Gretta Yoder " Berne, Ind.

The Utila trip, led by Norris Friesen and Jodi Fiedler, will work with the Utila Methodist Community College, a school for students in grades 1-7. They plan to do a variety of maintenance projects for the school and lead a Bible club for young people in the community. Members of the Utila team include:

- Virginia Allison " Covington, Ind.

- Diana Ashley " Fort Wayne, Ind.

- Nathaniel Baumann " Sturgeon Bay, Wis.

- Amanda Carr " Lake Odessa, Mich.

- Annamarie Geivett " Ionia, Mich.

- Amber Giggy " Andrews, Ind.

- Benjamin Johnson " Wheaton, Ill.

- Jeffrey Keiser " Knox, Ind.

- Aubrey Kocan " Perkasie, Pa.

- Bartholomew Koester " Watseka, Ill.

- Katherine Lloyd " Bryan, Ohio

- Cori Maybee " Brooklyn, Mich.

- Joshua Nash " Frankfort, Ind.

- Brian Reynolds " Bourbonnais, Ill.

- Trisha Schrader " Roca, Neb.

- Jeffrey Scott " Parma, Ohio

- Amanda Wagner " Noblesville, Ind.

The Kentucky team will spend their time at the United Brethren Laurel Mission in Big Laurel, Ky. The group, led by Joanne Miller and Anne Salsbery will spend time painting the interior of a trailer and working on the foundation of an addition attached to the trailer. They will also spend an afternoon working with 22 elementary school children at the Christian school on the mission. Members of the Kentucky trip include:

- Jenny Bowman " Peru, Ind.

- Joy Chirra " Pioneer, Ohio

- Janna Cordes " Roann, Ind.

- Jodi Frantz " South Whitley, Ind.

- Lauren Hines " Wauconda, Ill.

- Andy Keck " Peru, Ind.

- Jami Lugbill " Wauseon, Ohio

- Lori Merkle " Walton, Ky.

- Greg Miller " Bucyrus, Ohio

- Ken Miller " Bluffton, Ohio

- Jessica Salsbery " Sharpsville, Ind.

- Rebecca Schmit " Uniondale, Ind.

- Kyle Shoemaker " Westfield, Ind.

- Natalie Smith " Markle, Ind.

The Huntington College track and field team will also spend time at the Laurel Mission between weekend track meets at Defiance (Ohio) College and Emory (Georgia) University. The team, led by head coach Tom King, plans to spend time with the school children, remove a large stump from the mission, provide roadside cleanups around the area, as well as provide help with other jobs at the mission. Members of the Forester track team that will travel to Kentucky include:

- Erin Abbey " Millbury, Ohio

- Melissa Bortner " Huntington, Ind.

- Jenny Cook " Gregory, Mich.

- Natalie Guenin " Wabash, Ind.

- Nicole Jacob " Van Wert, Ohio

- Elizabeth Ngugi " Thaika, Kenya

- Laura Petery " Richmond, Ind.

- Julie Porter " Addison, Mich.

- Carrie Reese " Mt. Cory, Ohio

- Renee Rupp " Blissfield, Mich.

- Suzanne Skeel " Oak Harbor, Ohio

- Aimee Sullivan " Wheaton, Ill.

- Lindsey Van Gelder " Berne, Ind.

- Danielle Vohs " Huntington, Ind.

- Brooke Welch " Berne, Ind.

- Nathan Alpaugh " Bryan, Ohio

- Aaron Barker " Wyanet, Ill.

- John Brittenham " South Milford, Ind.

- Chris Buehrer " Archbold, Ohio

- Walter Burgin " Kokomo, Ind.

- Scott Cooper " Huntington, Ind.

- Dave Dakin " Wyoming, Mich.

- Tim Doll " West Harrison, Ind.

- Jonathan Doyle " Boardman, Ohio

- Rick Hammer " Hudson, Ind.

- Billy Kurtz " Woodburn, Ind.

- Ross Luckett " Westerville, Ohio

- Alex Maina " Kerugoya, Kenya

- Jared Neale " Wabash, Ind.

- Mike Nimtz " Cromwell, Ind.

- Jon Pelz " Spencerville, Ohio

- Brandon Schwartz " Brooklyn, Mich.

- Jason Shidler " Winamac, Ind.

- Shane Smith " Oak Harbor, Ohio

Huntington College is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 50 academic concentrations. US News and World Report ranks Huntington among the best in the Midwest. Founded in 1897 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Huntington College is located on a contemporary, lakeside campus in Huntington, Indiana. Spring Break mission trips are one way Huntington College seeks to educate men and women to impact our world for Christ.