Student Senate Organizes Humanitarian Effort

This March, from the 16th to the 21st, the Student Senate has scheduled a Habitat for Humanity trip down to Melbourne, Florida. Up to 16 students will be headed down to help set up a yearly event which raises money for Habitat Builds throughout the year. One of the students will take the trip for free, sponsored by the Student Senate, if their 300 word essay is judged better than the rest. The essays were due Feb. 24, the $75 down payment is due March 2, and the final $300 is due on the 12th of March.

The event that students will participate in while on the trip is the 24 annual Strawberry Festival, which will occur on the 17 and 18 in Wickham Park. The Strawberry Festival raised over $250,000 last year, which sponsored builds for the rest of the year. In addition to all of the strawberries, there will be a car and bicycle show on the first day of the festival, an arts and crafts fair both days, and a 5K run on the second day of the festival. The cost to go on the trip for each student is $300, while non-students who would like to go will be charged $600 to cover food and sleeping accommodations. On Tuesday, the day before students return home, students will have a day off from their humanitarian efforts. The day off destination, under the disclosure of the president, is to be kept secret as the purpose of the trip is to donate one’s time and effort rather than have a vacation.

One student, Angelia Relyea, a pharmacy major and a mother, commented, “I thought it was going to be a build, they really didn’t elaborate in the fliers.” Angelia continued and said, “It’s good to know that the event will be raising a lot of money for other builds but I’ve got a daughter and a job- I wish there were some more local volunteer opportunities!” The Student Senate is, in fact, planning a few upcoming local events which will be taking place in Troy. As soon as she learned this, Angelia said, “That’s good to hear… I’d hope that students who have kids could bring them.” Angelia continued, “I’d love to bring my daughter to that sort of thing…start her off on the right foot and letting her know that volunteering your time is good for her, good for her family and good for her community, too.” Brevard County branch of Habitat for Humanity has been judged by America’s largest evaluator of charities, the Charity Navigator, and they earned a four-star-rating for the last two years in a row, with four being the best on the Charity Navigator’s scale.

Students interested in this trip may find more information at hvcc.edu