Introduction: Brandon Hannah

My name is Brandon Hannah. I am a 24 year old from Westland MI. I currently live here in Westland with my wife and two dogs. My wife is currently pregnant and we are expecting our first child in July.

I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Madonna University in 2005. I currently work for a United Way funded agency in Southfied MI as a foster care case manager. Before I was a social worker I was a day care instructor and a kid's program director. I love working with children and feel that they often need positive role models in their lives.

I enjoy helping others. In college I decided to go to Mexico for two weeks for service learning hours. While there I was able to work in a soup kitchen and a children's hospital. I saw the impact that one person can have on others, no matter how little of a thing they help with. I knew from this experience as well as other past experiences that I want to continue helping others.

Everyone knows somebody who was affected by the hurricanes, but we can only imagine in our worst dreams what they have gone through. Some died, and the ones who are still with us lost everything, having to start their lives over again. Many programs have lost funding and are no longer able to provide the support they did during the initial evacuation and immediately following. This is unfortunate. We cannot forget that this a long-term project to help rebuild the lives of many who were displaced during the hurricane. I feel that everyone can help in some way, and this is my opportunity.

I am the person who can make others laugh, and make working fun. I know that we will have fun with what we will be doing and be able to make those having hard times in their lives enjoy the week that we are there!

I am excited to meet the other participants who are attending the ASB trip. This will be a great time to work as a team and learn from each other. If there is anything you would like to know about me just ask and I will share. I look forward to meeting all of the participants.

Detroit Free Press: Youths come home changed after trip spent aiding others

BY JACK KRESNAK
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Many college students can bum money from Mom and Dad and fly off to Mexico or Florida for spring break to party like it's 1999.

But it takes a special college student to pay hundreds of his or her own dollars to fly to the gulf coast to help people still struggling to get their lives in order nearly two years after hurricanes devastated parts of Louisiana and Mississippi.

Two Michigan students who made the trek last March -- Brian Sawyer, 23, of Royal Oak and Tiffany Beaudry, 19, of Dorr, near Grand Rapids -- are hoping to repeat what they said was a life-changing experience in the United Way's Leaders for Alternative Spring Break project.

United Way organizations across the country lined up about 100 college students to help victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Sawyer and Beaudry, who did not know each other beforehand, signed up without knowing what to expect. They arrived at the Lake Pontchartrain area north of New Orleans the evening of March 11 and were put on a bus with 28 other volunteers, bound for Foley, Miss.

There, they met Mary Williams and her family, who were living in a trailer provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency outside their devastated home, surrounded by damaged structures.

"We get to her house and it's just, like, nothing; just, like, four cement walls," said Beaudry, a sophomore at Grand Valley State University. "And there's, like, mold and smoke residue and -- oh my gosh, she was standing in this house, looking through these big picture windows, and just crying.

"She was saying that we were angels sent from God and stuff. It was, like, so emotional."

The three teams of 10 students stayed at a Christian camp near town, but they spent every day -- virtually sunup to sundown -- working on the Williams' home to make it livable.

"About 50%, we had to gut," Sawyer said. "We had to clean everything. The roof was in shambles, so we had to redo a lot of the braces. We also did all new Sheetrock, painting, windows, plumbing, electrical, you name it."

After returning to the camp each evening for dinner, the students spent hours talking around a fire. Young people who came to Mississippi as strangers left 10 days later as friends.

"There were all these amazing people from around the nation," Beaudry said. "We would stay out and hang out all night long talking. I have no idea how I managed to work so hard. It was so inspiring."

The biggest disappointment was not being able to see the home ready for the Williams family to move back into, both students said. They had nearly completed painting inside before they had to leave. Contractors finished the job, they said.

At a closing ceremony at camp, an emotional Williams thanked all of them for fixing her home, promising to "pay it forward," Beaudry said.

"The experience is unbelievable," Sawyer said. "I came back screaming my story, doing breakfasts with United Way, trying to talk to as much local press as possible, to basically let people know the South is not OK."

Sawyer, a manager at a Target store in Farmington Hills, is a former student at Michigan State University now studying online through the University of Phoenix. He has been a United Way volunteer for the past few years, donating about 40 hours of his time a month.

He said he's been chosen to be a team leader for the trip in March.

Beaudry said she is waiting to hear whether she'll be chosen for this year's trip.

"The whole trip was just fun, so it didn't really seem like work," Beaudry said.

To learn more about Alternative Spring Break and other volunteer efforts, contact the United Way for Southeastern Michigan at either 211 or 800-552-1183. You can also go to www.uwsem.org and click on "Get Involved" to sign up for volunteer opportunities. Contact JACK KRESNAK at 313-223-4544 or jkresnak@freepress.com.

[Source]

Introduction: Josh Noble

Hi ya'll,

My name is Josh Noble and I am a 20 year old junior at TCU. That would be Texas Christian University for those of ya’ll north of the Mason/Dixon. I study Business as well as Biology with a pre-med emphasis. I am the Vice President of Phi Kappa Sigma, and I devote nearly all my time not spent studying to my brothers.

I was born in Dallas Texas, and lived here until my last few years of high school which I spent just outside Washington DC, in Alexandria VA. Shortly after my graduation from Mount Vernon High (Class of 2004), my family moved to Northville Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. I give credit for my social behaviors to this constant uprooting during my high school years. I also believe that I am a person who loves diversity in a group because of my constantly changing surroundings. I love to meet new people, and I never tend to be the timid one in a group.

Moving from Dallas in the middle of high school after knowing the same people for my whole life was one of the most difficult, but in the end, one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I had never been the new kid before, but shortly found solace in lacrosse which I played into my first few years of college. Going to a school which consisted of a population in which sixty five percent of the student’s were on some sort of government aid, was an eye opening experience which I was never prepared for coming from my wealthy suburban neighborhood in Texas. My experience there became one that would forever change my outlook on life. Although living outside D.C. was one of the best cultural experiences I could ask for, I was ready to go back down south for college as my family was preparing to move to Michigan.

When I started college I didn’t know what to expect. Again my world was thrown for another 180, but I console in the group of guys that has become closer to me than any family I have ever had. Although I don’t believe that you could exactly classify me as your typical “frat boy”, I spend almost every hour of my day with this family. On the same note, I don’t want to give off the wrong impression that I’m a pre-med study freak, as I tend to go out a few too many nights during the week. My experiences in Washington gave me an appreciation for helping others. Because of this I took position as community service chair for the fraternity and began our relationship with the United Way.

I am looking forward to meeting everyone, and I would love to talk with anyone that is interested. Just let me know if there is anything that you would like to know!

Introduction: Angela Walker, Team Leader

Wow! Let me start out by saying how excited I am to about going to Lake Charles, LA with such an amazing group of people. This is my first time blogging so I decided to read everyone's blogs before I posted mine. Every time I read an introduction I got more and more excited about the experience we are going to have on Alternative Spring Break 2007.

My name is Angela Walker and I am the Volunteer Program Associate at United Way for Southeastern Michigan. I have been working with United Way for just over 2 years. I graduated from Western Michigan University in 2003 with a Bachelor's in Social Work with minors in Substance Abuse and Sociology and in 2004 with a Masters in Social Work. I have a long history of volunteering.

The most important volunteering I ever did was the Breast Cancer 3-day last year in honor of my mother, aunt, grandpa and my boyfriend's mother. It was 60 miles in 3 days and well worth every blister, tear, twisted knee and can of sunscreen. It was priceless seeing the hundreds of people joining together to make a difference in the fight against Breast Cancer.

I knew from the time I was in middle school that I wanted to make a difference. What kind of difference I wasn't sure - but I knew I would spend most of my life trying to figure out how I could make the world a better place. I know it sounds a little dorky, but I truly believe we all have the ability to impact someone's life positively. It amazes me the power that each person has when we are just kind, caring and genuine when we interact with others. Working at United Way has given me the great opportunity to figure out just how I am going to "Make a difference in the world".

I love working with volunteers and seeing how through working together and giving of our time we can improve southeastern Michigan. So when United Way of America asked us to participate in Alternative Spring Break 2007 I was very excited. What better way for a group of people to make a difference. I am looking forward to the experience of helping in anyway that I can as a Team Leader during ASB 2007. I have a feeling each one of us is going to come back with a clearer view of how we each made a difference during ASB 2007 and how we can continue to do so everyday of our lives.

Introduction: Terry Kowalcyk

this seems to be the thing to do, so here goes it. i am terry kowalcyk and i am a seventh year college student, ha! cant beat that with a stick. well, i consider myself a pretty random person and a pretty helpful person. this seems like a random, helpful thing to do...so here i am. i am 24 and a secondary education major. i have an english degree and my minor is biology. i am always serching for experiences to help me see the world and myself more clearly. thats what they say you need: perspective.

Introduction: Crystal Grammatico

Hi Everyone, my name is Crystal Grammatico and I am 23 years old. I was born in Detroit but have grown up in, and still reside in, Saint Clair Shores, MI. I am a 2nd year Graduate student at Wayne State University in the Social Work program, specializing in School Social Work, and I graduate in May (WOOO!). I have loved working with children from a very young age, and even if I don't find a job in a school right away, I know whatever do, it is going to be with kids :) I find children's honesty and innocence inspiring, and since I am really a big kid at heart, I enjoy my work! I spent 4 years receiving my undergraduate degree at Central Michigan University up in Mount Pleasant, MI (FIRE UP CHIPS!!). I have my degree in Psychology and Interpersonal Communication. In my spare time enjoy being with friends and family, the sun, reading, scrapbooking, working out, music, movies and sports :)

I am 100% Italian and growing up as such, I have come to value family and friends. We are your very typical Italian household, loud, people coming and going 24/7, spaghetti, arguing...but when it comes down to it, I wouldn't choose to have it any other way! :) I live with my mom Sue who is breast cancer survivor of almost 3 years. I have a younger brother Paul who is 20 years old, is a bartender, and goes to school at Wayne State University for Nursing. My father passed away almost 2 years ago this March of kidney and liver failure. He was sick for many years and I contribute my love for compassion, empathy, and life to him. Seeing my father ill for so many years made me really see life from a different perspective, and made me appreciate the people that care and are willing to help along the way. I think this is what compelled me to be a social worker and do something that will make a difference in people's lives!

I have always known that I wanted to do something with my life that will make a difference and will mean something to someone. I have always been drawn to people in need, even if its giving someone a ride home, or giving someone money, or volunteering. Sometimes my friends think I'm crazy, but that's just me being me. I have volunteered in the past at soup kitchens, a basketball program for elementary school girls, the Special Olympics, and at daycare programs, but ASB will be my first experience of its kind, and I am really excited!

This is my first time blogging experience as well, but I look forward to posting and getting my word out! I also look forward to seeing all my fellow volunteers again...talk to you all soon!

Introduction: Ryan Schreiber

Welcome to my dream...

I felt a disconnect beyond belief. It was something that ate at me while trying to cope with something even larger in my life. But back to that in a minute...

Hello, I'm Ryan Schreiber and in reading this, you'll probably learn a few things about me you never knew or never planned on knowing. As a fifth-year senior at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, I have lived in Dearborn all my life and attended Divine Child elementary and high school (Class of 2002) before moving onto UM-D. My parents have both lived in Dearborn their whole lives and our family is very connected to the community.

I am the Editor in Chief of the Michigan Journal, the student newspaper at UM-D. Being in the position I am now, I never dreamt I would be doing what I love so much today. I entered college "knowing" that I wanted to be a businessman, in a nice suit crunching some numbers or figuring out how to sell a pizza through advertising. I quickly realized that Accounting class was not my cup of tea, so I changed my major to communications after joining the newspaper staff because my friend coaxed me into it. I rose through the ranks and have had plenty of amazing opportunities through my years on staff. As the EIC, I couldn't ask for a better staff of people - no, friends - to work with.

Back to my opening remarks. When Hurricane Katrina hit, my family and I were dealing with one of the hardest things possible - the cancer that was attacking my grandfather at an unbelievable rate. For my family, it was a heartbreaking thing to witness... a man so strong and always the backbone of the famliy, being knocked to the ground and kicked by such a horriffic diease. I remember hearing about Katrina day in and day out, but those first days after the disaster seem like a blur now because I didn't pay much attention to what was happening. I was at either the hospital, at home or at the hospital with my family.

Because I now feel such a disconnect with the hurricanes and their victims - I've never been to the Gulf Coast and can't even fathom what the people went through - I want to help. It seems simple to me. I am fascinated with the resolve of this country and its people, people willing to go anywhere and do anything in time of crisis. I want to be one of them. It's taken me over a year to put my words into action, but I'm extremely excited to get going. I want to do whatever I can to help the people who have been affected by the horrible storms.

I have no idea what to expect, but that in some strange way, seems like the better way to approach this opportunity. If I knew a lot about the people of Louisiana and what they've been through, it might be less impactful experience. I look forward to helping those in need.

Introduction: Kawthar Ali

My name is Kawthar Ali (aka K, Koko, and Big K). I am almost 22 years old (my birthday is coming up very soon). I am in my senior year at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. My major is in Elementary Education with a concentration in Social Studies and Language Arts. I absolutely love children and I enjoy teaching them. It is one of the reasons why I work at the Child Development Center on campus. The children there never fail to bring a smile to my face :)

Throughout high school, I maintained a high GPA and was very involved in extracurricular activities. One of my favorite things to do was volunteering through Key Club and National Honor Society. Some of my previous service projects include adopting a road, adopting a family, organizing a Thanksgiving dinner for the needy in the community, and tutoring. When senior year came along, my counselor told me fill out an application for UM-D and for their Distinguished Student Leader (DSL) Scholarship. I am a happy recipient of the DSL scholarship, which always keeps me motivated to do more for the community and for those who are in need.

I come from a big family. I have 2 brothers and 3 sisters. My older brother is a Civic Engineer (graduated from Lawrence Tech) working on a three year project in Arizona. My older sister is a UM-D graduate with an undergrad degree in Chemistry and Biology. She is currently in Pharmacy School at Ohio State University. My younger brother is attending HFCC on two year scholarship. One of my younger sisters is a freshman in high school and the other is in 2nd grade. I know, the differences in age are kind of ca-razy :) I love spending time with my family.

I was born in Tehran, Iran, where all of my mom's family currently resides. I was learning to speak Farsi (the main language in Iran), but my dad wanted us to learn Arabic. At the age of 6, we moved to Damascus, Syria, where I forgot Farsi and became fluent in Arabic. The majority of my childhood memories are from the years I've lived in Syria. I loved it there but my dad wanted more for his kids.

When I was 12, my parents decided to make a BIG move to America. I remember being excited and eager to be in a new country. I call this move a "180" because everything was different. I was now exposed to things I never thought existed. I recall the first time I was told to "paint." Whoa, was I excited and shocked!!! Just imagine a 6th grader who wouldn't let go of a paintbrush and looked at paint with astonishment. Kind of funny :)! Oh my God, don't even get me started on the first time I saw snow! Kind of funny and ca-razy too! I think I need to stop with these stories though because I'm sure ya'll think I'm weird now. Anyway, I've been here ever since and I do love it, but there are days that I wish I was back home.

I have been a member of Volunteer Dearborn for the two years now (I think). It is the one thing that doesn't stress me out about college. I enjoy volunteering and am always looking forward to service projects. Habitat for Humanity is one of my all time favorite projects :)

Well, it has been fun writing but I'm getting a little tired. By the way, this is my first time blogging so I hope I'm doing a good job :) Take care and keep it real! :)

Introduction: Randy Dillard, Team Leader

Hi my name is Randy Dillard. I am currently professionally employed at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. My specific job responsibilities lie in the Student Activities Office as a coordinator for campus programs. I have worked for the university for a little over 2 1/2 years now and moved to the state of Michigan from California. I received my Bachelors of Arts Degree in Psychology from California State University, Chico and my Masters of Science in Counseling from California State University, Long Beach. Now that these boring credentials are out of the way I can move on to some of the more interesting things about me.

I was actually born in the Gulf Coast area - Mobile, Alabama, to be exact. My parents both hail from Detroit, Michigan, so the mysterious circumstances of me being born down in Mobile, Alabama, have never really been clearly explained to me....maybe I will sit down one day and get the whole story. Nine months after my birth my parents moved me and my older brother out of Mobile and back to the city of Detroit and the great state of Michigan where we stayed in the city until around the time of my eighth birthday.

My parents had decided to divorce and go their separate ways and my mother felt this was her opportunity to explore some of the dreams she had been putting aside for years. So the next thing I knew me and my older brother were on a plane to the San Diego, California! I could probably focus the rest of this blog entry on me growing up in Southern California and how different my life would have been if I would have stayed in the "inner city" of Detroit but I don't think it necessarily fits in this introduction about myself. It is safe to say that California was a BLAST and my mother's decision to move her sons to that state was one of the best decisions she could have made for us.

So I am going to fast forward through my years in California and restart here in the present and how I became involved with this project. After graduating with my Masters degree I was really looking for a professional position that would both challenge me and provide me with the unique opportunity to grow and develop as an individual. The job here at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in my opinion gave me that unique opportunity and also allowed me to reconnect with familial roots here in the region.

The focus of my day to day work here at the university is to foster student learning and personal development and to add to the overall quality of the undergraduate and graduate educational experience. It is extremely important to create environmental conditions that will help to motivate and inspire students as well as push students to devote more time and energy to educationally purposeful activities. Activities that we hope will take place both in and outside the classroom.

Eighteen months ago I was given the responsibility, or opportunity depending on how you look at it, to take the lead on a community service & volunteerism initiative project for the university. The end goal of this particular project is to one day have a fully operational Volunteer Center here at the university that will help to establish relationships with local community and non-profit agencies and connect UM-Dearborn volunteers with opportunities to serve within the local community. What started off as a small initiative has gradually grown into what is now commonly known at the university as the Volunteer Dearborn project. One service project with Habitat for Humanity- Detroit turned into the university planning, coordinating and offering multiple monthly service opportunities for the campus community. Over the last 18 months hundreds of UM-Dearborn volunteers (faculty, students, and staff) have given their time to help countless community agencies and the individuals these agencies are committed to serve.

One of the richest partnerships the university has had the opportunity to forge during this time has been with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan and the United Way staff working in the George W. Romney Volunteer Center. The United Way has consistently and continuously provided much needed assistance in helping to launch and sustain the volunteer initiative here at the university. Even with the close relationship that has grown between the United Way for Southeastern Michigan and UM-Dearborn I was surprised to get a call several months back asking if my university would be interested in participating and sending some of our students down on a Alternative Spring Break project in the Gulf Coast.

An Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program coordinated by the United Way of America and MTV was, in my opinion, something that could NOT be passed up. After giving the United Way a emphatic YES and putting out the call for volunteers we ended up with this small but committed group of special individuals. I hope you will continue to learn more about us and follow us as we prepare for our assignment in the hurricane ravaged areas of the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Introduction: Natalie Brookins

My name is Natalie Brookins. I am a twenty-two year old Dearbornite. I am also a senior at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. When I graduated from high school, (Dearborn High class of 02) I took some time off before going to college. I had the grades to go pretty much anywhere I wanted, but no idea how to pay for it. I was the first in my family to go to college, so nobody really knew what to do or how to help me figure it out. So, taking some time off was originally intended to be permanent.

Around my nineteenth birthday I came to my senses and started attending HFCC. I went to HFCC because my mother is a janitor for the Dearborn public schools, which means free tuition to HFCC for her and her kids. I earned my Associates in criminal justice, graduated magna cum laude, and transferred to UM-D (they have a 2+2 agreement with HFCC, so all my credits transferred!) where I am currently finishing a Bachelors in criminal justice and psychology. I plan to go to law school (just don't ask me which one!) in fall 2008.

Once I transferred to UM-D I desperately wanted to get involved in some kind of campus organization, which was difficult at first on a commuter campus, but then I found Randy and Volunteer Dearborn. I did a few volunteer projects and then received an invitation to join the Golden Key International Honour Society, an international organization for college juniors and seniors who are in the top 15% of their class. I joined and have since been volunteering like crazy, I even got my mom to come along for MLK day volunteering with Bridging Detroit!

My favorite service project, which was a joint effort through Volunteer Dearborn and Golden Key was planting trees on Make a Difference day. Who knew that spending all day outside engaging in physical labor in the awful weather we had that day could be so fun and rewarding! So it seems that my campus involvement has become more like community involvement, which is fine by me, in a way it's even better.


I'm sure there are many more things about me that ya'll are just dying to know, but this is already getting too long, so I'll end the rambling now. However, I'm always will to share, if anyone wants to know more just ask!

Alternative Spring Break 2007

On the morning of August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina landed on the Gulf Coast of the United States and devastated cities and ruined lives.

Almost 1,200 people died, and millions of lives were changed forever. But in the aftermath of the storm, young people - both saddened and outraged by the destruction caused by the hurricane (and our leaders' response to it) - stepped up to lead the effort to help the region. Still, one year later there is much to repair, rebuild, and revive in the area.

SO HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO

Spring Break is the perfect time to give back and help those in need in the Gulf Coast and in the world at large. And although Spring Break seems far away, there are things you can do now to plan for an Alternative Spring Break with think MTV and United Way - and experience one of the most rewarding weeks of your life.

• ASB Gulf Coast
  Travel with think MTV and United Way to the Gulf Coast for Spring Break 2007. Apply now!



• mtvU and ASB
  If you're a college student joining mtvU for spring break, check back to find out how you can volunteer with mtvU and United Way on site.



• Other ASBs
  Check out other ASB programs from around the country.