AfterWords

Every year two Edmonds Community College students receive a statewide honor and join the All-Washington Academic Team, which means they are among 62 top scholars from 34 of the state’s colleges. The recognition comes with a scholarship or two and a chance to be named to the All-USA Academic Team. This year, Afterwords contributor Lisa Quirk is one of the recipients as is Long Le, the associated students’ executive officer for technology. I’m sure Lisa’s participation in the LEAF school last summer and service-learning projects since then had something to do with this award! She and Long will be recognized for their scholarship, leadership, and community service March 26 in Olympia. Please tell them congratulations!

Jesus Silva, full-time AmeriCorp member part of the Retention Project on campus, coordinated the service event with Jenna Nand (alumni of AfterWords) from Eco Encore. This non for profit organization focuses on the “collection and resale of media that generates direct financial contributions to recipient environmental organizations” as mentioned in their mission statement.

With about 25 volunteers, we listed books and media on a website to be sold on Amazon. The boxes of donated books and media disappeared quickly as we sorted the profitable, donated and undervalued. From what I recalled, Tom stated that we listed $660 valued items on Amazon, donated two boxes of children books to Children’s Literacy Program and hauled a van full of nonprofitable books to Half Price Books.

As we finished earlier then scheduled, we begin our reflection circle by answering Tom Murphy’s question. How has this day affected you and what you will bring back to your home/work? Many students reflected on how they had previously spend their MLK Day by sleeping in. Many agreed that they will continue to offer their services in future MLK Days. When it was my turn to reflected, I shared my realization of the second values for the common items we purchased and my amazement for the value of books that I would have so easily discarded. Today was also my first volunteering on MLK Day but it won’t be my last.

Web Links:
Eco Encore
Page Ahead (Children’s Literacy Program)
Half Price Books
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

As I recover from the two day service trip from Northwest Track and Pack Forest, I am reminded of the reasons why I enjoy volunteering at service projects. Though the reasons may not have come to me until I sat in the warmth of my bed, this trip was a bit of challenge for me to adjust to the cold and freezing weather.

It was a freezing Sunday morning as we; students, kids, and staff, headed out in three vans from campus to Northwest Trek. We battled with icy roads, dangerously slippery hill and a bit of claustrophobia. Though we arrived to the service site late, we still exceeded our community partner’s expectations. We planned live sticks in the wetlands, spread mulish in the entrance, and planted potted native plants. In return for our services, Northwest Trek granted us free entrance to their park. I’ve never heard or knew that Northwest Trek existed prior to this trip. To my amazement, mostly all of the animals living in the park came out to greet us.

After Northwest Trek closed, we drove to our next community partner located nearby, Center for Sustainable Forestry at Pack Forest. The UW College of Forest Resource program granted us free rooming for the night and meals in exchanged for our services in the morning. As our day ended in front of a warm fire and cheers from multiple card games, we recovered from the traumatizing cold.

The next morning after breakfast, we set out for our next project to create an AVA certified trail. We shelved concrete, moved the concrete with wheel barrows, and even the concrete in the trail. In the afternoon, we divided into two groups. One group stay back to finish the project while another went to Graham Hill to clear debris from the road. Even though it took a while for my fingers and toes to warm up, I enjoyed the breath taking views on Graham Hill and the bitter loss of snowball fights.

In our reflection, Tom Murphy asked everyone a question as to why we volunteered. Why did we choose to be here instead of sleeping in on the first day of winter break? Some answered that they wanted to be away from their work, away from the stress from school and some wanted the extra credits. As Lisa has concluded, we volunteer because of the people. The people that we share a common goal of wanting to make the community better place.

Many thanks to Penny Green for organizing this service project and to Tom Murphy for providing the grant funding that made this project possible.

Web Links:
Northwest Trek
Center for Sustainable Forestry at Pack Forest

So this last break we had I attempted my first ever Alternative School Break, and while I knew the agenda, I had no idea what to expect.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the above, it is a way to give back to the community and have fund doing so. Its also a great change of scenery. We (the student volunteers) spent 2 days in the Pack Forest, helping to plant native trees and restoring trails. So naturally, I knew to at least expect to work. And thanks to the weather report, I knew it would be cold (yay for coldest weekend in 20 years!) We stayed overnight in cabins, warming ourselves by the fire, talking playing games, and reflecting over the animals we saw earlier (we were lucky enough for a tour at NW Trek…it was their way of saying thanks. When’s the last time you were eye to eye with a bison?!)

What came as a surprise to me (other than the close vicinity to large animals):
- Just who would volunteer. We had a diverse group which was great! I got to make new friends and see old friends under new circumstances. (FYI the main blogger Yin is the ultimate target for snowballs!)
- How sparkly the snow can be. It was near blinding at times.
- The sense of satisfaction after completed a group project never seems to dim.

And the biggest surprise for me came after a question is posed: why do I volunteer? For the longest time I didn’t really know. It’s not like I am naturally inclined to give my time and energy when I can be comfortably indoors vegetating. And now having volunteered somewhat regularly, I can say I am addicted to the after effect at least. But after much thought I have a better idea as to why I do it: the people. Those who are drawn to volunteering always seem to be positive, kind, inspiring people even if its in their own subtle way. I always, always, always enjoy my time around them whether they are friend or to-be-made-yet-friend, and I always feel better for having been around them. Better for the exposure and experience. It speaks well of those people when you can be in record cold temperatures, doing work, and still be enjoying yourself and willing to do it again!

So that’s why I volunteer. I hope to see you at the next volunteering event so you can see what I am talking about!

Put your love for the land to the test — adopt a biosphere. Seattle artist Vaughn Bell is bringing her interactive exhibit “This Land is Your/My Land” to the Edmonds Community College art gallery on the third floor of Lynnwood Hall, Fri., Jan. 16 through Mon., March 12. Bell’s works for this project are small pieces of land (earth with native plants growing in them). There’s a performance aspect to this art, which Bell calls Cultivation Utility Actions. She encourages others to formally adopt and take responsibility to tend, plant, and care for as they see fit. Her work plays with notions of ownership, responsibility, and how people relate to the land.

Meet Bell and adopt a biosphere at a reception for the exhibit, 5-7:30 p.m., Fri., Jan. 23 in the gallery. Join the online group and share your experience as a plant parent here.