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This
student-run program is designed to match volunteers with service
opportunities in the Hays area. Sponsored by the Student Government
Association, the Center for Civic Leadership, and the Office
of Student Affairs, Tigers in Service is a clearinghouse for
students with a desire to participate in community service
activities. |
March, 2007: StandUp For Kids - San Diego, CA
On Saturday, March 17, 2007, 22 FHSU volunteers set off for San Diego, CA for a spring break trip much different than the ones many of their peers had in mind – this was the beginning of yet another Tigers In Service Alternative Spring Break. After driving for nearly 24 hours in two days’ time sporting FHSU vehicles, across the landscape of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and finally California, the volunteers arrived in downtown San Diego at the local StandUp for Kids shelter on the evening of the 18th. |
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StandUp For Kids is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1990 to help rescue homeless and at-risk youth. With national headquarters in San Diego, California, StandUp For Kids is run almost entirely by volunteers, and has established more than thirty outreach programs in fifteen states. |
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On their first official day in San Diego, all the volunteers underwent training from the StandUp for Kids volunteer director to help prepare them for interacting with the street kids and delivering meals on the outreach team. That evening, volunteers made dinner for the kids who came to the shelter (ages 12-22) and then were able to play games, help with job searches, watch movies, and converse with other volunteers and kids. Every evening, the shelter was open to the street kids from 5:30 – 8 p.m., and throughout the week, TIS volunteers were all given the chance to walk the city with trained StandUp for Kids volunteers in an effort to reach out to even more kids on the street. One night during the week, the FHSU students hosted a movie night at the shelter for street kids to enjoy a movie, snacks, and somewhere that was warm, comfortable, and safe to stay for the night. |
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Throughout the days of the week, the Fort Hays volunteers performed beach cleanups, painted, and picked up trash along bike trails and parks around the city of San Diego through organizations such as Volunteer San Diego and I Love a Clean San Diego. They also helped sort donated clothing and performed other housekeeping tasks at the StandUp for Kids shelter. |
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| That Friday, March 23, all the Tigers In Service volunteers headed back to Kansas with new perspectives on life and a desire to continue to serve others in this way. What was felt on this trip will never be forgotten. Being able to learn from the dedicated StandUp for Kids volunteers, learn about the frustrations of the street kids, and grow from a group of people into a family has not left one single member of this Alternative Break team untouched. |
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| For more information about how lives were changed on this trip as well as other TIS trips, check out the TIS testimonials. Tigers In Service sends a big thank you to Z Bottling Corporation in Scott City, KS for generously donating bottled water to make this trip possible, the Sonic car-hop for supporting two fundraising nights prior to the trip, the Montgomery Boulevard Church of Christ in Albuquerque, NM for providing lodging on the way to and from San Diego, and of course the FHSU Student Government Association and Student Body for continuing to make these trips happen. |
Reflections: Volunteers' Firsthand Accounts
"Besides this experience being one of the greatest I’ve ever done in my life, there is also a harsh reality to the StandUp for Kids organization. This organization deals with homeless/street kids, and these kids have no family structure. To me this was the hardest concept to grasp coming from a great family background. This experience made me understand how important my family is to me, and I thank my parents for being so generous, kind-hearted, and caring. It was so sad that these kids had none of this in their lives. They could die tomorrow and no one would even know. But regardless, this experience allowed me to become more open to the fact that homelessness is an issue that needs to be dealt with, and FHSU was a part of it! This to me is a great accomplishment!"
Shannon O’Shea, Blaine, KS Sophomore
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"I was so excited when I found out about an open spot for the Alternative Spring Break trip! I knew I would have a great time and learn a lot. For me, the trip was a life-changing experience. Serving the homeless and street kids and at risk youth through the Stand Up For Kids program in San Diego, California really opened my eyes. Now, I feel more grateful for the supportive people and material things I have in my life. In the future, I hope to go on more alternative trips through Tigers In Service! :) In addition, I am thankful to have had the experience, because I will never forget it."
Nicole Nixon, Hays, KS Senior
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