Programs 
VAC Awardees
January Winners
Amanda Guthrie
Amanda joined the Alternative Breaks program during her sophomore year after being inspired to volunteer by a peer that was involved with another volunteer organization. Amanda thought that the Alternative Breaks program would be a great way to meet new people, but to also volunteer at different parts of the country that had issues that she had never been exposed to before.
Amanda has been a participant for three Alternative Break service trips. Amanda's first Alternative Breaks service trip worked with the issue of homelessness and hunger. Her group went to Washington D.C. and worked at Martha's Table. They worked with children at a shelter and also cooked meals for the homeless.
Amanda's second Alternative Break service trip worked with the issue of diversity. Her group went Chicago, IL and worked at The Association House. They worked with inner city children and teens.
Amanda's third Alternative Break service trip worked with the issue of sexual abuse. Her group worked at Cross Roads in South Carolina. While she was there she worked with 12-18 year olds.
Throughout her experiences with Alternative Breaks, Amanda has "had the privilege to work with amazing people and gotten to know smart and talented kids/adults around the country." Working with the different issues has opened her eyes. Being from a small town, there is a lack of significant diversity among the population; Volunteering for Alternative Breaks has made her step outside of her comfort zone and help many people in different ways.
Even though Amanda has gone out of state to work with the different issues, she has brought back her way of contributing to the local community by volunteering at local shelters. Amanda believes that volunteerism is very important part of life due to the fact that it can bring everyone closer and actually make a difference. It starts with one person and then spreads too many others. If others see how much a certain issue means to you, then they are apt to take you seriously and get involved themselves.
Lutheran Student Fellowship
The students that are members of the Lutheran Student Fellowship are passionate about service. Recently the group has participated in a service trip to Houston and Galveston, Texas to volunteer with the Hurricane Ike relief efforts. The students cleaned of yards and prepared and primed the exterior of a large home so that future volunteers could paint it. The damage caused by Hurricane Ike was a combination of heavy-wind damage and water damage from the storm surge. Galveston, for instance, was submerged under 12 feet of water before the surge ebbed back into the Gulf of Mexico. The students also spent their time getting to know the homeowners in the area, hearing their firsthand accounts of how they survived the storm, where they went to evacuate, and what it was like to return to what was left of their home for the first time was incredible. The students feel that by providing hurricane relief, they were able to help people rebuild not only their properties, but also their lives. The Lutheran Student Fellowship is also involved in several other service activities including sponsoring a bowl-a-thon to raise money for the fight against Cystic-Fibrosis and ushering at CMU graduations. The students feel that the appreciation expressed by those who have been helped is the most gratifying feeling and that there is nothing that compares with seeing the joy in the faces of those you've helped in such a tangible way.