Wilton Resident Marjorie McWilliams Spends Spring Break Serving Others

Marjorie McWilliams participates in a service project at Rebuilding Macon, Inc in Macon, Georgia as a part of UVM's Alternative Spring Break Program

Marjorie McWilliams of Wilton, who along with 10 groups and about 100 participants, participated in the University of Vermont's Alternative Spring Break program - a student-led, week long program that provides UVM students with an opportunity to travel and involve themselves in service-work focused around a number of social issues in communities throughout the nation.

For the week-long spring recess, Marjorie traveled to Macon, Georgia, to work with Rebuilding Macon, Inc (www.rebuildingmacon.org). Rebuilding Macon, in partnership with the community, repairs the homes of low-income homeowners, particularly the elderly and disabled, so that they may continue to live in warmth, safety, and independence. Since 1992, Rebuilding Macon has focused on the challenges that low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners face in their daily lives, which has allowed the organization to provide quick and practical solutions that greatly improve quality of life.

For over 25 years the UVM Alternative Spring Break program has provided UVM students with service opportunities during their spring recess - including work around homelessness, hunger, urban gardening, disaster relief, environmental conservation and more. Since its start in 1991, over 3,000 students have participated in the program, providing over 120,000 hours of service to community partner organizations throughout the nation.

This year, UVM students participating in ASB traveled to 9 of states, working with over 10 organizations to complete service work throughout the week.