Every year, Ottawa University pairs up with EKAN to offer students a chance to spend their Fall Break helping others with community service projects that they call Alternative Break.
Director of Residential Life Brandy Hicks has been in charge of Alternative Break since she started working at Ottawa University in 2011.
“We want students to know how important community service it,” Hicks said. “We introduce it during Freshman Orientation to get the students excited about it and hope they continue it over the year.”
A few of the community service projects Hicks has planned for Fall Break include working with Prairie Paws the local animal shelter, helping with EKAN’s Back Pack Program for kids and working with disabled adults at COF.
“Community Service helps students build relationships between the community and the school which is something Ottawa University takes pride in,” Hicks said.
Football players will be spending their Fall Break doing community service as well in between scheduled practices. Last year, Blake Davies sophomore read to elementary school children once a week to complete is community service.
“Doing community service gets our name out to the community more,” Davies said.
Other community service projects Football did last year was working with Prairie Paws the local animal shelter.
“When Coach K first started coaching at Ottawa he said the community was not very aware of the football team until he started enforcing community service,” Davies said. “It makes our team look good and it makes us all feel good to help out.”
Not every student chooses to participate in Alternative Break. Sebastian Wittliff freshman will be going to his home in Arizona for Fall Break.
“My sister recently had a baby and this will be the first time I get to meet my niece since I was here when she was born,” Wittliff said.
Wittliff will also spend quality time with family and friends that he rarely gets to see since coming to Kansas.
“We are going to Fossil Creek which is a natural water- fall in Arizona,” Wittliff said. “I’m really excited.”
Aaron Vaughn junior is spending his Fall Break in Washington D.C. with Student Senate for a National Convention.
“I feel like going to this will help us get information on how we can improve as a senate and give us more ideas to better the school,” Vaughn said. “It will also help stimulate and give us ideas on community service and how to get students more involved.”
Sign ups for Alternative Break will be available September 23 and go until October 2 in the student union.