THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 14, 1996 TAG: 9603130145
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: THUMBS UP
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER SURRY
DATELINE: SURRY LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
WHILE MANY of their counterparts relaxed at vacation spots around the country, 13 Central Michigan University students spent their spring break working at Chippokes State Park.
Even a 19-hour drive through sleet and snow failed to dampen the spirits of the volunteers. Taking turns driving, they stopped only for food and fuel.
At Chippokes, they broke into teams, working for five days on gardening, landscaping and other projects to help prepare the site for Virginia's annual Historic Garden Week - April 21-27.
They dug up and weeded flower beds, pruned trees, painted, mended fences, and cleaned the carriage house and old tenant houses.
``We left a foot of snow and bitter cold in Michigan,'' said Jennifer Taylor, site leader and a sophomore, ``but a lot of students don't want to just lie out on a beach and work on their tan. They would rather spend their spring break working at something that benefits society and will give them valuable hands-on experience.
``The students viewed coming to Chippokes as an incredible opportunity to travel, meet new people, and do something good for themselves and the community.''
The Michigan students learned of volunteer opportunities in Virginia state parks through a directory published annually by ``Break Away: The Alternative Break Connection'' based in Tennessee.
The organization encourages students to become involved with service projects and produces a directory of alternative break opportunities around the country.
Paige Tucker, volunteer program manager of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in Richmond, became aware of the organization when she attended a seminar on volunteerism in Tennessee.
``This is a service to us and a learning experience for the students,'' Tucker said.
For the first time this year, student volunteers also traveled to Virginia from Brown University and the University of Illinois to work at Hungry Mother, New River Trail and Claytor Lake state parks. They planted trees, did trail work and built decks on log cabins.
There were 140 students from Central Michigan in different areas this spring. While a professor may work with them, the program is mostly student-driven. They provide the money and decide how they will get to their destination.''
The students, who asked for some free time during their visit, took a wagon tour of the park and visited the Chippokes Mansion and Chippokes Plantation Farm and Forestry Museum. They also spent an afternoon in Virginia Beach, where they toured Seashore State Park and the Oceanfront. One of the group saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.
Mike Stevens, owner of the Surry House and an alumnus of Central Michigan University, gave the students discounts for a typical ``southern'' meal and a personal tour of Colonial Williamsburg.
Taylor, who is majoring in interpersonal communications and minoring in journalism at the university, said the students were not acquainted with each other before the trip and have enjoyed learning about Southern life.
``We've had a difficult semester,'' she said. ``Some were `burned out' from school and some just didn't have money to take a vacation. We wanted to do something completely different. Now, we're all interested in park life and in history.
``Going to Florida wouldn't have been as rewarding. We worked hard, slept well, got up, and did it again. We'd knock down a project and say, `What's next?' I definitely want to come back next year.''
On Friday, the day before the group left, the park staff hosted a dinner for the students and presented them with certificates of appreciation and goodie bags supplied by local businesses.
``Some of the students are planning to come back to help with the Peanut, Pork and Pine Festival this summer,'' MacAdoo said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Central Michigan University students Jennifer Taylor, left, and
Melanie Betha clean a saddle in the tack house of Chippokes State
Park to help ready the park for next month's annual Historic Garden
Week.
by CNB