By Angelica Fraine ’23, staff writer
In a world where you can be anything, be the difference.
LVC’s Student Volunteer Services offers a way for this advice to become fact by connecting students with the local community, communities throughout America and across the globe as well.
“There’s always a variety of opportunities for students to serve in the local community,” Jen Liedtka, Service and Volunteerism Coordinator, said. “Everything from Habitat For Humanity, to Special Olympics, to the American Foundation for Children with Aids. We’re always working on an ongoing basis.”
Even during the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Volunteer Services continues to lend a hand in a reimagined way. In the previous year, they virtually connected with different communities in Brazil to focus on the common issue still affecting us all: Public Health.
“Everyday we had about three hours of Zoom time with different speakers and professionals working in health-related fields in these different communities,” Liedtka said. “Then here at home, we were then going out into Lebanon to serve.”
This coming year, Volunteer Services will continue to follow that model for their upcoming service trip in January. Three service trips are held per year, and this time around, Volunteer Services is looking at issues of human rights. They will connect with communities in Bolivia and conduct additional service in the local community.
“What ended up happening the last time, the most powerful part was in the evening, we would do our reflection, and every day take thirty minutes to reflect,” Liedtka said. “Thirty minutes turned into an hour, then an hour and a half because people were just so wanting to engage in that way.”
Not only do these service trips assist in helping the community, they work to build it within the students involved as well, opening doors to new opportunities and friendships.
“People have felt so isolated because of COVID,” Liedtka said, in reference to the previous service trip in May. “And I watched 13 students, some of them friends beforehand, and some had never met, but by the end, they were a group.”
Liedtka says this is an occurrence on every service trip. Students bond with one another in a different way over a unique shared experience.
“It’s really pretty special,” Liedtka said.
For more information on the service trip, students can email Jen Liedtka directly or explore the volunteer services page on the LVC Website. Applications are due on November 1.