Alternative Spring Break at Victory Farm

by Suzie Goulden

Alternative Spring Break is a program for college students who want to give back to society during their week off from classes each March.  The University of Central Florida participates in this program, giving teams of students the opportunity to engage in community service and learn about a social issue such as homelessness, the environment, and animal rescue.  Interested students submit applications to be accepted into the program and they pay their expenses to reach their destination.

Mid-Atlantic Border Collie Rescue is one of the popular options offered through UCF’s Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program, with about eight to ten students and an adult advisor participating annually since 2008. I first learned about MABCR’s participation with ASB a few weeks after we adopted Boo (now named Bailey) in February 2009.  We were adjusting to our new life with Bailey, so I wasn’t able to participate in 2009.  As soon as the 2010 dates were announced, I marked my calendar and told my supervisor at work that I would need to take some time off work in early March.  As I learned more about the ASB program at MABCR, it seemed that helping in the kitchen would be the best use of my skills and abilities.  I volunteered to provide lunches for everyone on Thursday and Friday.  Since I enjoy cooking, it was fun planning the menus and preparing the food. Keeping in mind that some of the students and MABCR volunteers are vegetarian, and all would be hungry after working hard physically, I decided to make a chicken, spinach, pasta dish with a side salad on Thursday, and warm sandwiches and chips on Friday.  I also made enough cookies for both lunches, or so I thought.  At the farm, I learned that college students really love cookies and they were all eaten on the first day.

I drove out to Victory Farm on Thursday, arriving shortly before lunch.  Two of the students were assigned to help me in the kitchen and the others were working in groups outside.  Some were building dog pens and others were doing work in the barn. 

The students assigned to the kitchen on Thursday were very helpful.  It was nice to have a chance to talk with them and learn about ASB from their point of view.  I met the rest of the students when they came inside for lunch.  Just like the two students assigned to help me in the kitchen, the others seemed like really great kids.  They all seemed very interested in doing something to help others, and they were happy to give up a “beach week” spring break in favor of helping MABCR.  The students took a short lunch break and then they were back to work.  Since lunch cleanup went quickly, I was able to join the group and help outside for a couple hours.  For me, the highlight of the day was definitely seeing newborn lambs.  I think there were about six or seven lambs born within just a few days.

ASB isn’t all about the work.  Sarah and the other volunteers plan evening events to give the students an opportunity to learn about something interesting.  When I was there on Thursday night, volunteer Barbara Ellis and her husband Peter hosted a delicious dinner at their home.  They invited some neighbors and friends to provide an interesting mix of dinner guests with whom the students could interact.  The highlight of the evening was definitely the tour of Barbara and Peter’s home.  Their green home includes a solar heating system and they are very conscientious recyclers.  It was also fun to meet their beautiful dogs, cats, and singing birds! 

The evening provided ample opportunity for everyone to talk and get to know each other better.  I learned that the students and their advisor drove in a large van from Central Florida to Chestertown, Maryland, with only a few short restroom breaks.  The trip took about fifteen hours! I also learned that the students had diverse majors and ranged from freshman to seniors, with most students participating in their first ASB experience that year.

My time on Friday was spent in the kitchen, with two different students assigned to kitchen duty, and outside helping to spread the gravel that is now covering the driveway and parking lot at the farm.  It was definitely a team effort to spread so much gravel.  And it sure does look good!

When I signed up to help with ASB, I was happy to be able to support MABCR by providing lunches for the students.  It turned out that I really got a lot out of the experience, too!  It was nice to be part of the group and help make improvements at the farm, improvements that will ultimately help the dogs.  And of course it was nice to spend some time where my Boo spent a few months of his life.