WNCC student Adedayo Adebanjo and a Shopping with Seniors program volunteer pick out
groceries on Tuesday during WNCC's Alternative Spring Break last week.
Not even Mother Nature could squash a group of Western Nebraska Community College
students' efforts to give back to the community last week.
Despite last week's blizzard, 11 students at WNCC took part in alternative spring
break, an initiative put on by WNCC Student Engagement that organizes a series of
community service projects for students to participate in throughout their spring
break. Those 11 students who participated were Rebecca Earnest, Joseph Oboamah, Connor
Moore, Sophia Anaya, Edna Galey, Gabriella Rodriguez, Richard Adeola, Zhaoxin Chen,
Adedayo Adebanjo, Maxwell Owusu, and Theresa Udunna.
"In spite of the weather, the students were really eager to give back in the community,"
WNCC Student Engagement Director Megan Wescoat said. "Their willingness to continue
to help serve people in the community in the middle of a blizzard really speaks to
the students living up to our alternative spring break motto, which is to lead for
the cause, not the applause."
Before snow began to pile in the Panhandle, WNCC's alternative spring break group
visited with residents of Mitchell Care Center and stocked the food pantry at Our
Lady of Guadalupe on Monday. They also participated in the Shopping with Seniors program
at Main Street Market Tuesday morning, and served food at the Lakota Lutheran Center
Tuesday afternoon.
"There was such a great turnout at the food pantry," Wescoat said. "I think the storm
spurred a large crowd Monday, so the students were really able to see how many people
they were impacting through their work."
As the blizzard began to blanket the area later in the week, Wescoat and the group
of students had to adjust their plans. Instead of traveling throughout the Panhandle,
the group called WNCC Foundation donors to say thank you, and spent plenty of time
on campus participating in team-building exercises.
"Calling donors was something I felt strongly needed to remain on the schedule," Wescoat
said. "Many of these students are here on scholarships or are studying in donor-backed programs, which wouldn't be possible without the support of our community."