As a thank you to Concord United Methodist Church for letting us stay with them for free while we perform our service in Knoxville, we cleaned over 500 of their chairs on Sunday night! Whoo!
UMD Alternative Spring Break in Knoxville, TN bringing awareness to domestic violence.
Monday, March 18, 2013
YWCA Skit & Volunteering
Today has been an absolutely amazing first day of service. Our group went to the YWCA in the heart of Knoxville and spread awareness of domestic violence.
First we chalked statistics of stalking, domestic abuse, and dating abuse in Market Square
Then it poured outside :(
I helped clean the fitness center and my other trip members cleaned the YWCA kitchen and organized donated clothes.
I love all the resources offered to residents at the YWCA. Allie the coordinator of the transitional housing program said the residents range in age between 19-65 years old and stay between a month and up to two years.
The best part of today was the skit we put on for the residents and staff. We showed a common relationship where domestic violence is present. I played the female lead! Nick, the trip co-leader, was the male lead. (The video will be posted soon). We illustrated the four stages of domestic violence: seduction, isolation, the threat of fear, and aggression. The audience loved it and I am very proud of the work we all put into it.
It was powerful hearing the advice and suggestions the residents and the staff gave us today. I'm really excited for all the other activities we have planned for this week and we're doing Zumba later tonight in the church. :)
For more info about the YWCA visit here .
First we chalked statistics of stalking, domestic abuse, and dating abuse in Market Square
Then it poured outside :(
I helped clean the fitness center and my other trip members cleaned the YWCA kitchen and organized donated clothes.
I love all the resources offered to residents at the YWCA. Allie the coordinator of the transitional housing program said the residents range in age between 19-65 years old and stay between a month and up to two years.
The best part of today was the skit we put on for the residents and staff. We showed a common relationship where domestic violence is present. I played the female lead! Nick, the trip co-leader, was the male lead. (The video will be posted soon). We illustrated the four stages of domestic violence: seduction, isolation, the threat of fear, and aggression. The audience loved it and I am very proud of the work we all put into it.
It was powerful hearing the advice and suggestions the residents and the staff gave us today. I'm really excited for all the other activities we have planned for this week and we're doing Zumba later tonight in the church. :)
For more info about the YWCA visit here .
About Me: Mary Cushman
My name is Mary Cushman and I am a junior Family Science major. I am super excited to be taking part of my first alternative break trip! I am eager to learn more about the issue of Domestic Violence and ways in which I can make a difference! It is a very important issue and I think I will get a lot out of our time in Knoxville.
I decided to do an alternative break because I enjoy doing service projects but I don't do enough. I also have a passion for issues such as Domestic Violence and believe it is an issue that is too often covered up and silenced. Hopefully during and after this trip we/I can work to reduce the stigma that victims often feel and help spread awareness. I can't wait to see what this week has to offer!
A little more info about me... I am from Rochester NY and decided to come to Maryland to play volleyball. I am also a huge fan of hockey and soccer. I am the youngest of 4 and am extremely close to my family. I am obsessed with country music- Carrie Underwood in particular :) I love being outside and exploring and cant wait for the warm weather in Tennessee! I enjoy learning about people and making new relationships and I am sure I will do both of those during our trip!
I decided to do an alternative break because I enjoy doing service projects but I don't do enough. I also have a passion for issues such as Domestic Violence and believe it is an issue that is too often covered up and silenced. Hopefully during and after this trip we/I can work to reduce the stigma that victims often feel and help spread awareness. I can't wait to see what this week has to offer!
A little more info about me... I am from Rochester NY and decided to come to Maryland to play volleyball. I am also a huge fan of hockey and soccer. I am the youngest of 4 and am extremely close to my family. I am obsessed with country music- Carrie Underwood in particular :) I love being outside and exploring and cant wait for the warm weather in Tennessee! I enjoy learning about people and making new relationships and I am sure I will do both of those during our trip!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Sunday: Museum of Appalachia
On our off day, we all got a taste of some Knoxville culture with museums, a hike, and some bluegrass. The day started with going to the Museum of Appalachia, where we got an overview of the culture of the historic Appalachian Mountains. There were buildings, such as the Hall of Fame that had various collected artifacts ranging from banjos, World War II weapons, and quilts. Each piece in the museum had a story that made it unique and one of a kind. Even though one could come upon something as simple as a bench, the story would reveal a murder scandal that rocked the town in its time. There were also other smaller buildings such as a church and replica's of people's homes. The museum even had some adorable lambs, weird cow (bull?), some great home cooked food, and cute tourist items. The new experience was wrapped up with a successful attempt at petting the cat that roamed around the shop. All in all, it was pretty cool.
Saturday: The Drive Down South
We made it safe and sound to Knoxville!! The drive wasn't too bad, we made it to our host sight by seven. Along the way we stopped for lunch at taco bell somewhere in Virginia and actually met another ASB team from Appalachian State University that was heading home after a service trip in the Bronx. The weather in Knoxville has been beautiful so far, when we arrived it was already sunset but it wasn't too cold. Everyone here has been super friendly - good ole' southern hospitality at work. A successful dinner of spaghetti was served and we all bonded after playing a game of "hot seat." Can't wait to see what the rest of the week holds for service and adventures.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Baking and Bonding
Here are some pictures I took of the Knoxville ASB team baking cupcakes to fundraise for our trip! It was so much fun to see everyone working as a team to get the job done. If the bonding night was any indication of how much fun our trip is going to be, we will be such good friends by the end of this. Thanks for being such a great team, guys!
Step One: Find the Ingredients
Step Two: Combine the Ingredients
Step Three: Put the batter into cupcake tins
Step Four: Breaktime! Time for some photos...
Step Five: Back to the Batter!
Step Six: Taste the Batter (My favorite step, of course) 
Step Seven: Bake the cupcakes and cookies!
Step Eight: Frost the Cupcakes
Step Nine: Enjoy!
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