For the past 23 years, service has been an integral part of the Saint Anselm experience. One way students have been able to demonstrate their dedication to this ideal is through Spring Break Alternative, known as SBA.

A program which began humbly in the hamlet of Orland, Maine has become a recognized staple in student life, where the lucky few who have been accepted travel to a multitude of sites that span across the US and abroad.

Students spend one week in their assigned site and complete a wide variety of tasks that depend upon the area to which students are sent. MaryPat Devine, a member of the class of 2016, travelled to Orland, Maine this spring. Located roughly half an hour south of Bangor, Orland is where H.O.M.E., or Homeworkers Organized for More Employment, began and continues to operate to this day.

According to Devine, H.O.M.E. is like a little city: “It’s a religious community that started as a craft community, and the crafters in the area decided to open a store. The store is still there. There’s a farm there, shelters, housing, a soup kitchen, child care, a sawmill, a car maintenance place, a church – it’s pretty much self-sufficient and awesome.”

On Devine’s trip, which was led by Alex Morella and Sara Duane, Devine and the other members of her group assisted the townspeople in any way and every way possible. This was not Devine’s first time with a service trip, having gone to Washington D.C. in high school and to Philadelphia with Urban Immersions in the Fall.

Saint Anselm’s tradition of service definitely left an impression on Devine from her first interactions with the Anselmian community: “It was one of the things I noticed when I applied here – how important volunteering is and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Although she had completed service trips prior to this one, she was unsure what to expect from her first SBA experience: “I was put on this trip late, but I had known a few people on the trip already. I had no idea what I’d be doing for work. I knew nothing about the area. It was a complete surprise but I was open to whatever came my way. I was really excited when I found out that I had been placed – I had been very stressed out, but I called my parents right away and we agreed that it was perfect timing.”

Although the work itself was worthwhile, the connections that were made over the course of this trip were invaluable. “We had reflection every day,” said Devine, “and the support I received from sharing my personal story was so positive and overwhelming. “

Devine also felt an incredible connection with the people of Orland, particularly with regard to one woman who worked in the kitchen, named Tammy. “Her daughters are homeschooled, and they hang out there every day – there’s a place called Marketplace, and it’s a soup kitchen/meeting area with tables and a piano. There was always milk, bread and eggs that you could take, and that was the area she was in charge of,” said Devine.

Tammy’s daughters had been negatively impacted by the death of their father, yet “they can take tiny, little, seemingly insignificant things and use them to make their days better.” The townspeople were eager to interact with the members of SBA, and were overjoyed that, although they had dealt with other groups in their town, “The girls told me that: ‘All of the other groups, their faces looked so cold, bur your faces are so warm.’”

Devine marveled, “So while I’m up to my elbows in grease and suds, there was still so much joy in our experiences….So I took that to heart – you can put that into everyday life, no matter what you’re doing. It would be cold or snowing and we’d be carrying wood or doing other manual labor which we might not be used to, but I could still focus on how much beauty there is in little things… I got the energy from the place, and I knew that if you take all of the tiny, little, seemingly insignificant things that make you happy and put them into your life, it’s worth it.”

The positive influence was felt by all involved: “The people there, and their attitudes, are what make it dynamic.” The sense of community that prevailed was overwhelming, because although the members of SBA were there for only a short period of time, “Everyone is welcome there, well not just welcome, but integral. Everyone is important there. I don’t even know how to describe it.”

This sense of worth, community, and compassion from both the members of SBA and the people within the town truly display the importance of volunteerism. Not only does incorporating service make the lives of those you help better, but doing so also encourages the same positive values within your own life.