‘LIFE CHANGING’

Students use vacation to work at TCO

KIMBERLY BELLAMY

After spending a week at Tarboro Community Outreach, a group of students have realized that they’re not much different than some of the less fortunate that receive services at the homeless shelter.

Instead of enjoying the last week of their winter vacation with friends and family, students from Western Michigan University opted to help others through a program called Alternative Winter Experience.

“It shows the generosity of young people, and their sense of work,” said Sister Mary Ann Czaja, TCO's executive director.

While the students were in Tarboro they were in constant interaction with the people who depend on the services provided by TCO.

The students worked in the kitchen and worked side by side with the people of TCO to renovate an elderly couple’s home by painting and laying down flooring. The students didn’t chose the luxury of staying at a hotel, but chose the luxury of learning more about the homeless women at Blessing Place, where they stayed during their trip.

Co-team leader Samantha Punzalan said although everything seemed very new to her, the openness of the people at TCO made her feel comfortable.

“I have a whole new perspective on life,” she said.

Co-team leader Kelsey Kloberdanz had a similar reaction about the impact the trip made on her.

“We gained a lot of perspective on a different way of life,” Kloberdanz said.

Czaja said her goal was to expose them to things that they weren’t familiar with.

“Many of the students acknowledged that they had never been in another culture, and being in another culture in a soup kitchen setting is a wonderful experience,” she said.

“It was a wonderful undertaking when the shelter residents and the young people could work together.”

Czaja said that the students were able to make a connection between what the less fortunate are going through and their lives.

“Most college kids are looking for jobs, and they don’t know where they’re going to find one either,” Czaja said.

The group chose TCO as the destination knowing they wanted to go to North Carolina and randomly found it through an Internet search. The team leaders said they were glad they chose TCO and got the opportunity to learn more about the Tarboro community.

“I really enjoy volunteering on a personal level. When I get the opportunity to give back, I like to take it,” Punzalan said.

“We thank the community for allowing us to come in, and welcoming us with open arms,” Kloberdanz said.

Czaja said that she has had other student groups come to TCO to help, but it’s the first time that the students of WMU in Kalamazoo with Alternative Winter Experience have visited.

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