This past week I’ve been in Chicago chaperoning six (6) University of Scranton students on their alternative spring break. These amazing students chose to spend a week in Chicago doing volunteer work. Wait, let me back up. They chose to pay $750 to spend a week in Chicago with five (5) students they didn’t previously know, do work (sometimes difficult), and hang out with middle-aged me, rather than lying on a warm beautiful beach somewhere. This really inspires me.
We spent time in some pretty rough neighborhoods handing out food on the street to the homeless with a night mission. Today we handed out food in a gritty, sometimes dangerous part of town. It’s really eye-opening. I know it makes me think twice about my daily choices.
So, as you go about your day, try to remember those less fortunate with a kind thought, a couple of bucks or actual service. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.” I say, “Go out and make a difference any way you can.”
Donna J. Simpson
Consultant Manager
The University of Scranton SBDC
Donna – You’re awesome! Great story!