Gwynedd-Mercy College
Department of Campus Ministry / Mercy Works

Alternative Spring Break 2008

Thank you for your interest in Alternative Spring Break!  There are three service trips scheduled this year in which GMC students and staff will collaborate with Mercy Volunteer Corps and Sisters of Mercy:  New York, NY (March 2-7), New Orleans, LA (March 2-7) and Laredo, TX (March 1-6).  Please read this page carefully before filling out the application.  The information it contains will help you understand the purpose and logistics of the Alternative Spring Break trips.

Purpose of ASB
Mercy Works and Campus Ministry developed the Alternative Spring Break experience as part of GMC’s commitment to the Mercy tradition of service to society.  Students, faculty and staff who participate in these trips have a unifying desire to serve others, to grow in their Mercy identity and spirituality, to learn more about poverty and social justice, and to reflect on their experiences together as a community. (Please note that the Mercy Works-sponsored trips are not connected with any academic class.  See the last page for contact information for spring break trips related to academic study.)

Choice of Trip
Applicants are given a chance to express their trip preference; however, each trip can only take a limited number of students. Therefore not every applicant will be assigned to his/her first choice trip.  If you are unwilling to go to a particular site, please indicate that on your application.  We will do our best to accommodate everyone.

Fundraising Philosophy
Each student is responsible to pay $50 for toward trip expenses:  $25 is due by December 2 and another $25 is due by January 17.  However, the cost of the trip may be as much as $500 per student.  Therefore, each student must be willing to commit to group fund-raisers throughout December, January and February.  Our fundraising philosophy is: “the whole group raises money for the whole group.”  You will not have an individual amount that you are responsible for raising, but the whole ASB team must pull together to reach the ASB team goal.  The cornerstone of that effort is an appeal letter campaign. Each student who commits to an ASB trip agrees to send at least 10 appeal letters to family and friends asking for financial support.  We will provide a sample letter for your use.

Team Meetings
We will have four preparatory meetings for ASB. These meetings are very important for the formation and preparation of each team, therefore participation is mandatory. The first (Sun. Dec. 2) and last (Sun. Feb. 24) will be held from 4-6 p.m. at Visitation House followed by an optional dinner. The other two meetings will be scheduled in January and February according to the availability of the members of each trip.

Instructions

Please fill out the application completely and return it to Visitation House. (Keep this cover page for reference.)  Applications are due by Monday, October 29 but earlier submission is encouraged.  Once your application is received, you will be contacted to schedule a brief interview. 
Students will be notified of their acceptance by Thursday, November 15. 
For any questions please contact:      Betsy Stone Plummer, 215-641-5592 (x592) plummer.b@gmc.edu
Christine Eberle at 214-641-5590 (x590) or eberle.c@gmc.edu
Father John Collins, 215-641-5531 (x531) or collins.j@gmc.edu.