Brittany Newman of Salem Participates in Alternative Spring Break Trip

2014 Apr 14

Salem, VA resident Brittany Newman spent spring break serving others through James Madison University's Alternative Spring Break Program. Newman, a senior interior architecture major traveled to Chestertown, Md. to volunteer with Mid Atlantic Border Collie Association.

The student-led ASB trips took place from March 8-15. Each trip focused on a social issue, such as homelessness, resettlement, environmentalism or community wellness, in a specific region. Almost 300 students embarked on 30 spring break trips around the country and world. The students spent the week living simply, focused on service in their destination community but also on teamwork and reflection within their group.

This trip was the “secret mystery trip” for this year’s Alternative Spring Breaks. Without knowing what they were doing and where they were going, students signed up for this trip knowing only that it would be focusing on animal welfare. The Mid Atlantic Border Collie Association is an organization run primarily by volunteers that serves as a safe haven to discarded, neglected, abandoned, or stray Border Collies in the Mid-Atlantic region.

For information about JMU's Alternative Break Program, including an interactive map showcasing past service trips and Community Service-Learning, check www.jmu.edu/service/ and www.jmu.edu/abp.