News Archives - 1996

For spring break, some college students head for the hot beach spots and a week-long drinking party, and some choose to spend the week helping those in need in various locales around the country or the world.

But this spring break (March 18-22) for the first time, a small group of Twin Cities college students plans to stay right here both to do good and to have fun that's not centered on alcohol.

The first Twin Cities Alternative Community Service Spring Break is co-sponsored by the Augsburg College Community Service-Learning Program and ACTC Prevention Productions, a Department of Education-funded project for prevention professionals from Augsburg, Hamline, Macalester, St. Catherine and St. Thomas.

"The intention of this project is to reduce alcohol and other drug abuse-related harm for college students during spring break, while at the same time helping out in our community," said Casey McGuire, a project organizer who is on the counseling and health promotion staff at Augsburg. "We've set up five community service opportunities during the week, and we've also arranged for a fair amount of fun that does not involve hanging out at the bars."

Helping out with the "fun" part of the alternative spring break are several businesses who have agreed to donate food and admission tickets. They include Bruegger's Bagels on Riverside, Caravan Serai restaurant in St. Paul, Day by Day Cafe in St. Paul, Illusion Theatre and the Science Museum's Omni Theater.

The community service sites and times are:

Tuesday, March 19
Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Wednesday, March 20
Clothing Connection, 10 a.m. to noon

Thursday, March 21
Senior Resources, 10 a.m. to noon

Friday, March 22
Cedar-Riverside Community School, 10-11:30 a.m.
Minnesota AIDS Walk (part of the Minnesota AIDS Project), 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information on the Twin Cities Alternative Community Service Spring Break, call Casey McGuire, 330-1336, or Mary Laurel True, 330-1775, both at Augsburg College.