Wilkes University Student Sara Gilbert of Phoenixville, Pa., Participates in Alternative Spring Break with the Christian Appalachian Project

2014 Apr 3

Sara Gilbert of Phoenixville, Pa., was one of four Wilkes University students who participated in an alternative spring break trip in Kentucky by volunteering with the Christian Appalachian Project. Alternative spring break offers students an opportunity to perform community service while experiencing a different culture and developing their leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking skills. The students worked with the organization's housing ministry and alongside volunteers from other colleges and universities to perform home renovations and repairs. The group lost two work days to an eight-inch snowfall but used the time to conduct team building exercises, learn more about the organization's mission, and participate in a panel discussion about the history and culture of the area as well as poverty in Appalachia. Caitlin Czeh, Wilkes interfaith coordinator, and Rafael Garcia, assistant professor of foreign languages, accompanied the students on the trip.