Student Service Club gets active during spring break

By Linzy Novotny
March 30, 2011

Members of the Student Service Club spent spring break advocating for social change by volunteering at the African Community Center at 850 Holly Street, a resettlement program that aids refugees, during the second annual Alternative Spring Break.

“This is an amazing event and is truly the capstone experience for our Alternative Spring Break,” said Phillip Haberman, the club’s treasurer.

Safari Seconds, the ACC’s thrift store, uses donated items to teach refugees life skills. Here, refugees can work in a 12-week program that provides skills for landing a permanent job.

“We were able to collect more than 3,000 personal hygiene items to donate to their [refugee] program,” Haberman said.

Members of the Student Leadership Board, which is at the Center for Urban Connections, started SSC this semester, said club President Alia Thobani.

“[The SSC has a] mission to engage the Metro State community in service projects in collaboration with local organizations, and to foster symbiotic relationships through the empowerment of those involved,” she said.

The club operates independently, but has a relationship with the Center for Urban Connections through the Student Leadership Board, and Haberman said there will be opportunities to band together in the future.

The six members of SSC convene during the Student Leadership Board meetings each Friday at the Center for Urban Connections, Thobani said. Enrollment is open to all students, all year.

The club has upcoming volunteer opportunities with the National Sports Center for the Disabled, Mi Casa, The Ronald McDonald House and SAME Café, Haberman said.

“Once a month, the SSC volunteers with a community-based organization,” Thobani said.

They will continue their partnerships with the African Community Center and Safari Seconds. Service projects for the spring and summer will be announced in the coming weeks.

“It is important for students to be involved on campus and the SSC provides students with the opportunity to further their involvement in their communities,” Thobani said. “An additional advantage is that students can include their community and campus involvement activities on their résumé.”