Students Give Back

By Hailey Mesmer

Many students from the Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM) volunteered at various service events throughout the semester.  Some of these events included: making food for firefighters, painting Neal Middle School, and volunteering for Service Raleigh.

On a Friday night in March, many students gathered together to make a spaghetti dinner for the firefighters on Oberlin Road.  Everyone in CCM pitched in and donated different supplies to help prepare the meal.  I had the pleasure of helping prepare the meal.  We used a few of the kitchens in the Quad dormitory to cook the meal.  I really enjoyed having the opportunity to spend time with my friends in CCM and cook dinner.  We listened to music and told stories as we were preparing the food.  It was a great opportunity to unwind after a long day of classes, grow closer to the students in CCM, and give back to a group of firefighters who do so much for our community.  After we prepared the meal, a few students gathered together to deliver the meal to the firefighters.  Freshman Anna Lattimore says “It was an amazing experience to go show up at the firehouse and to see the surprised look on all of their faces.  They were amazed by how much food we had cooked for them.  It’s always a really good feeling to be able to give back to those who risk their lives for people every day.”  All of us really enjoyed this experience, and we were so grateful we had the chance to do a small act of kindness for a group of heroes.

At the end of March, a group of CCM students volunteered to paint Neal Middle School in Durham County.  Some of the classrooms had an accent wall, and the school asked that we cover it up with a fresh coat of white paint so that everything could look nice and uniform.  We were given cans of white paint and paint rollers, then went to work.  I also had the opportunity to participate in this event, and it was one of the best things I have ever done.  I never knew painting could be so much fun.  We listened to music and chatted with each other as we painted.  I am happy we got to help tidy up the school and give back to the teachers and students.  Senior Christina Verdi participated in this event, and shares a few thoughts of the experience. “Painting Neal Middle School was a very rewarding experience. Middle school is such an important time for kids to feel accepted and encouraged. I think having NC State students paint the classrooms will help make their school a welcoming place and will have a positive effect on the students daily. It was a simple act for us to go on a Saturday morning, and it honestly didn’t even feel like service work because we were having so much fun.”  Education is such an important part of our lives, so I am grateful for any opportunity I have to help better a student’s education.  Neal Middle School is always looking for people to help around the school, so I highly recommend volunteering to help if you have the opportunity.

Another major service event our students participated in was Service Raleigh.  Service Raleigh is an annual spring event hosted by NC State University that encourages students and campus organizations to go into the Raleigh community and do different service projects. The organization had more than a thousand students register to give up their Saturday morning and help those in need. This year students from CCM went to Athens Drive High School to help with yard work and basic clean up around the campus.  Senior Christina Verdi participated in the event and shares a few thoughts about her experience with this event.  “Volunteering with Service Raleigh is always fun! It is a great way for CCM to get involved with other organizations on campus and with the greater Raleigh community.  Most students were spreading mulch or doing another form of grounds work. It was a very rainy day, but that added to the fun!  We were unsure if our outdoor service event would be canceled, but thankfully the rain held out just long enough for us to do our job! We had a blast and got to spent time together while serving others.”

These are just a few of the many different service events our students participated in throughout the semester.  If you did not have a chance to attend any this semester, don’t worry!  There will be many more opportunities to volunteer at service events in the fall!