ASBlog
Childhood Disability and Illness
Posted: April 12th, 2019. Written by: Courtney King
“Ever since my first ASB trip in Fall 2018, I was hooked!!! The trip that I went on focused on Childhood Disability & Illness Support. That weekend truly changed my outlook on so many things! I learned things about disabilities that I had never been around before, and it was an eye opener in the greatest way. I got to be a den counselor for the sweetest kids that I have ever met and it just felt awesome knowing that I was impacting the lives of children and their families from all over the United States. I’m happy to say that I have formed so many new friendships through ASB and it has became a life changing experience for me! I am so excited to continue my journey through this organization!”
Disaster Relief
Posted: April 12th, 2019. Written by: Brittany Auvil
“This trip was absolutely amazing and beautifully carried out by site leaders Zach and Jordan. Everyday from 1-7 we volunteered for the St. Bernard Project (SBP) to help AmeriCorps members rebuild a home. SBP is a non-profit organization dedicated to rebuilding homes after natural disasters. They originated in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and are now located in several locations, including Puerto Rico. Before volunteering, SBP sent our group the bio of the woman who’s home we were working on. This allowed us to make a personal connection with our meaningful service. We also got to attend a welcome home party for a woman who’s home was rebuilt by SBP which was awesome to see the impact we will have on someone’s life.
Two days out of the week we also volunteered at the Houston Food Bank, which happens to be the largest food bank in the nation. This food bank provided over one million meals to families in need following Hurricane Harvey. As we were volunteering, there would be times where we had to sort out “emergency foods,” which were products that they needed to restock immediately. They also showed us the backpacks that they had stocked to hand out to students who are food insecure over the weekends.
Overall, this trip brought to light the astounding intersectionalities that exist within the disaster relief realm. I learned so much about my own biases in addition to the hard skills it takes to rehabilitate homes and communities.”
Wildlife Habitat Conservation
Posted: April 12th, 2019. Written by: Anonymous
“The wildlife habitat conservation trip with ASB was truly a memorable one. I was able to learn all sorts of things about animal sanctuaries, about what they do, why they exist, and how they operate. I heard many stories from the people running the sanctuary. They spoke about the animals and their backgrounds with passion. I was awestruck and inspired all week. I know the work I was doing made a difference.”
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness
Posted: April 12th, 2019. Written by: David Lu
“Attending the ASB Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Trip in Chicago, IL was undoubtedly one of my favorite experiences as a UK student! Despite initially being unfamiliar with most of the group members, the activities we engaged in throughout the week brought us together as an inseparable group of friends and allies against hunger and homelessness. The diverse range of service we completed introduced me to both the underprivileged population and the active citizens dedicated to helping these individuals and empowering their communities. In reflection, this trip not only challenged my perspective on hunger and homelessness but also motivated me to take initiative in my own community. For anyone who is passionate about helping others and the community, I highly recommend this amazing opportunity.”
Domestic Violence Awareness
Posted: April 12th, 2019. Written by: Jackie Vollmer
“For my spring break I decided to go on the Alternative Service Breaks Domestic Violence Awareness trip, and it was the best decision I have made all year. I was unsure about giving up my spring break to go do service work in Ashland Kentucky, but I am very passionate about service and DVA, so it was the right decision for me. During the week I made lifelong friends, all while doing amazing things for Safe Harbor Domestic Violence Shelter. Throughout our time serving, we cleaned every building Safe Harbor had, raked a ton of leaves, and helped anyway we could. Getting up super early everyday was extremely hard but getting to see someone’s smile once they saw the work we had done during the day was all worth it. My favorite part of the week was getting to know all of the people on the trip. We all started out as strangers, but after a week of eating together, playing games every night and all shoving into one van, we came out as life-long friends. This trip really impacted us and taught us all that you don’t have to go far from home to serve, and the power of indirect service work. I would highly recommend everyone go on at least one ASB trip during their college years, it will change your life for the better, and you never know whose life you could change.”
Global Youth Empowerment
Posted: January 14th, 2019. Written by: Haley Dicken
“My week teaching at Outreach360 in Monte Cristi, DR drastically changed the way I view international service. My greatest fear going in was my contribution would end up being insignificant, but my experiences with the children taught me about the power in actions done poco a poco (little by little). In addition, I become more knowledgable of a country rich in history and culture. The whole experience was incredible and the memories I now have are my most treasured from my time at UK.”
Sustainable Agriculture
Posted: January 14th, 2019. Written by: Sarah Ward
” This trip provides so many amazing opportunities. I have not only learned the importance of sustainability and environmentalism, but also community. I expected to complete meaningful service for the host site, but I did not expect the friendship, support, and kindness they would give us in return. Above all, I have learned that on this trip you should expect the unexpected, but the unexpected will be an incredible experience.”
Lexington-Focused
Posted: December 14th, 2018. Written by: McKaylee Copher
“As a Lexingtonian, I am so glad this ASB trip helped open my eyes to social issues affecting my community that I wasn’t even aware of. I had the opportunity to get outside of my comfort zone and take the blinders off to see what else I can do to impact my community.”
Domestic Violence Awareness
Posted: June 17th, 2018. Written by: Bri Sowers.
“This service trip was the complete opposite of what I was expecting – and in the best way possible. I’ve learned an extremely valuable life lesson regarding service, and that is that service does not need recognition. Your name doesn’t need to be ‘stamped’ on an act of service for the world to see. We serve to educate, inspire, and help others in the best ways for them. Service is a life-changing experience, and what I did and who I helped this week will have a small impact in a big way. Thank you to Safe Harbor for teaching me the value of indirect service, for it has directly affected me.”
Hunger & Homelessness Awareness
Posted: June 17th, 2018. Written by: Anna McCowan.
“I recently went on a trip to Washington, D.C. centered around hunger and homelessness. Working with this community one-on-one was very eye-opening, and I returned to Lexington with a huge desire to give back to these people here in our area. The Alpha Zeta Walk-A-Thon could not have occurred at a better time. The homeless community needs us now more than ever. This event is the perfect opportunity to jump right back in and help them here at home.”
Global Youth Empowerment
Posted: June 17th, 2018. Written by: Michael Hasis.
“I am so grateful for this humbling and life-changing experience to go to Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic and teach English to these beautiful children! Even though I was the teacher, the things I have learned about life from these kids is truly inspiring. I have learned so much about sacrificial love, pure joy, and gratitude. Also, it’s amazing how one week can bring fifteen strangers together and they can leave a family!”
Sustainable Agriculture
Posted: June 17th, 2018. Written by: Lily Baker.
“The ASB trip to San Cristobal, Galápagos Islands, focused on Sustainable Agriculture and Conservation by working with the Jatun Sacha Foundation. The Galápagos’ ecosystem is one of the most unique in the world but is extremely threatened by introduced and invasive species that are unnatural to the environment. Jatun Sacha works to protect the Galápagos’ biodiversity by removing invasive species and replacing them with endemic species, as well as by exploring sustainable practices related to agriculture. Along with learning about and implementing conservation efforts on the island, our group explored the concept of sustainability and how it relates to our lives on campus and in Lexington. Because of this experience with ASB, our group is able to educate others on this issue and hopes to consider sustainable and environmentally conscious options and practices in our daily lives.”
Wildlife Habitat Conservation
Posted: June 17th, 2018. Written by: Sam Winslett.
“This spring break we went down to Forest Animal Rescue and helped construct an enclosure for their new red pandas. It was fun, but it was a lot of lifting and hard work. Going down there made me realize how many exotic animals are kept as pets and are subsequently abandoned. It was an eye-opening experience and the structure of ASB really helped me to process everything I learned and went through each day. I would love to go on this trip again!”
Global Youth Empowerment
Posted: June 17th, 2018. Written by: Mahala Walker.
“In Nicaragua, I knew I would be teaching children English alongside an organization called Outreach360. When I got to Nicaragua and was immersed into the service, my perspective of empowerment through education completely changed. With education, we were empowering the children of Nicaragua to break the poverty cycles that their families are often trapped in. But, with education, I also realized the opportunity I had to obtain a job that will allow me to empower others through service. This trip challenged me, inspired me, and I would recommend it to anyone.”