Alternative Breakers Have Power

One of the big projects I was working on these past few months was being on the planning committee for MACC’s annual Fall Alternative Break weekend, which was developed out in Holyoke. This year, as usual the break took place on Columbus Day weekend. With a core team of 5 MACC VISTAs and 2 VISTA leaders we went all out planning our weekend for students from across Massachusetts. Based on a train the trainers model, our FAB (Fall Alternative Break) was developed to help students find out what it takes to put on an Alternative Break while participating in service throughout the weekend. It is really a mini-alternative break!

The VISTAs were on committees including fundraising, outreach, and reflection and training. I was lucky, because I got to be on all three committees and was able to find out from all corners what it would take to put the weekend together. One of my main projects was to work on and then present an Alternative Break 101 training, which was presented by Kate Jennings and myself. We made a wonderful flip chart and got to utilize our public speaking skills all the while enhancing our own knowledge about Alternative Breaks.

Columbus Day weekend arrived, and I found myself engaged in service while volunteering for a very interesting organization out in Holyoke, MA – Nuestras Raíces. Nuestras Raíces is a grass-roots organization that promotes economic, human and community development in Holyoke, Massachusetts through projects relating to food, agriculture and the environment. They do a lot of work with the Puerto Rican community within Holyoke, and are expanding to include other peoples such as the Russian Immigrant community there. Here are some picture highlights!

-Erika