Habitat for Humanity
Alternative
Spring Break
Tacoma, WA
March 1 - 9, 2008
Application Information and Registration Fee
There will be 11 spaces available for the trip.
The completed application is due no later
than Monday, November 5, 2007 at 5:00pm in
the Community Involvement Center. Participant selection
will occur on Monday, November 12 (with some trips conducting
group interviews on November 10 and 11),
and applicants will be notified of their
status by 5:00pm on Wednesday, November 14. Applications
are available on-line at
http://www.rice.edu/service (click
on the "Alternative Spring Break Participant
Applications" link). You
can also view photos and read personal testimonies
from past participants on-line. By 5:00pm on Monday, November 26, those selected to participate
will need to confirm their involvement by
submitting a non-refundable registration
fee ($250.00), liability release, emergency
contact and insurance information, a
signed copy of the Conditions of Acceptance, and 10 personal solicitations (details on all these components will be discussed at the All ASB Meeting discussed below).
For more information on the trip or application
process, please contact the student Site
Leader, Tommy Fu (tommy.fu@rice.edu).
All selected
participants are required to attend a mandatory
team meeting 9:00-11:00pm
on Sunday, November 18 in Herring 100 (Auditorium).
Please hold this time on your schedule and
notify Christa Leimbach (leimbach@rice.edu)
at the time of your application if you have
a conflict with this meeting. Those that miss the meeting without prior consent will forfeit their place in the ASB program.
The registration fee includes
transportation, housing, meals, materials required
for service, some organized group activities,
and fees paid to the host agency. In most cases,
this registration fee does not even fully cover
the cost of transportation to the site. The
bulk of the trip expenses will be covered through
team and individual fundraising; all participants
are required to
assist with fundraising activities. Projects
may include bake sales, car washes, stadium
clean-ups, and other creative ideas. In addition,
participants will be required to assist with
personal solicitations to friends, family members,
co-workers, religious communities, civic organizations,
grant funds, and other sources.
A small amount of additional personal spending
money should be taken for souvenirs, meals
on the road, and optional activities.
While this is inexpensive for
a week-long service experience, we do not want
cost to be a prohibiting factor. If you are
concerned about funding your participation,
please indicated your desire to apply for a
partial scholarship by contacting Christa Leimbach (leimbach@rice.edu) before
the application deadline (5:00pm on Monday, November 5, 2007). Late requests will not be considered.
Tacoma, WA
Located on the shores of beautiful Puget Sound, Tacoma sits as one of the jewels of the Pacific Northwest. With crystal clear harbors and the magnificent, snow-capped Mount Rainier in the distance, the city boasts the type of breathtaking landscapes often only found in nature books. As the only temperate rainforest biome in the world, the Pacific Northwest gives visitors the unique opportunity to simultaneously stroll through lush evergreen forests, admire remarkable rocky shores, and taste fresh, mouth-watering seafood in one of the many seaside towns. Beyond the surrounding picturesque landscape, Tacoma's downtown also boasts great entertainment, shopping, and cultural venues that include the world's most famous Glass Museum. Originally founded in 1875 as "The City of Destiny" where the Transcontinental Railroad would reach its end, the once popular hub of the Klondike Gold Rush now primarily relies on fishing and materials manufacturing as its main industries. It's proximity to Puget Sound, the metropolis of Seattle, and vast stretches of untouched wilderness makes Tacoma a beautiful fusion of nature and civilization.
The Tacoma chapter of Habitat for Humanity was started in 1985 and has built over 134 homes for families in need since then. Unlike other HFH worldwide, Tacoma's chapter includes three branches to encompass the entire Tacoma area: Central Tacoma, East Pierce County, and Gig Harbor. As of late, the chapter has begun a long-term effort to conduct its construction projects according to the "Build Green" principle of using nature friendly and energy efficient materials and techniques to insure the health of the surrounding environment. We will be doing everything from landscaping to roofing to fill the need for affordable single-family homes in the area.
Habitat for Humanity and Collegiate Challenge
Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian organization that works to build low-cost housing for people all over the world. Though it is a Christian group, Habitat encourages diversity and welcomes all volunteers who are willing to work, regardless of race, gender, religion or other differences. We will be volunteering through Habitat Collegiate Challenge, which is a year-round, alternative break program for college students that sends groups to available sites all over the United States.
Service
We will mainly be focusing on building houses during the trip. No prior construction experience is necessary, and typical construction will consist of laying foundation and floorboards, putting up walls, and roofwork. Other opportunities may include chances to work in the local Habitat resale shop, the "ReStore", or to participate in house demolition. Any construction work will be supervised by Habitat staff or trained volunteers. Be prepared to work a full day from either Monday until Friday or Tuesday until Saturday, depending on the work week of the site that is chosen. We will work full days Monday through Friday, and spend at least one day doing other fun and exciting activities.
Accommodations
Collegiate challenge teams usually stay in either church dormitories or volunteer centers arranged through the local Habitat affiliate. These centers are usually equipped with bunk-beds and community showers. Food will be mostly prepared together as a group; the affiliate may choose to provide lunch on site and a dinner or two during the week, but mostly we will be preparing our own food. We will probably go out to dinner as a group at least once during the week.
Activities
In addition to volunteer work, we will have the chance to get the full taste of the area by indulging in some of the cultural and outdoors activities that attract thousands of tourists to the Pacific Northwest each year. Come with us as we take a scenic ferry tour around the crisp waters of Puget Sound, explore the bustling streets of Seattle and Starbucks Headquarters, and hike through the wildflower valleys and snow-capped peaks of Mt. Rainier National Park.
Health
Upon acceptance, participants will be required
to complete a medical questionnaire and possibly
a medical interview as well. Examples of the kinds
of questions that may be asked are as follows:
- Have you had any chronic conditions requiring medical
care?
- Will you need any special medications or
medical care while on this trip?
- Are you allergic
to any foods or medicines?
- Do you have any other
dietary restrictions?
Conditions of Acceptance
Although we do not want to discourage anyone from
applying, we want to ensure that the conditions
of participation are clear. Please take a moment
to read the conditions below.
- Participants in the Alternative Spring Break
program are expected to
exhibit sensitivity to the host culture; observe
local rules and laws; and abide by the philosophy,
structure, and regulations of our host agencies.
- A primary goal of the program is learning. Participants
are expected to prepare for the trip by completing
the packet of readings provided by the Community
Involvement Center and attending pre-trip orientation
meetings. In addition, participants will be encouraged
to keep journals and participate in-group reflection
while on the trip.
- The Community Involvement Center will assist
in arranging reasonable accommodations on-site
and arranging service work to be done in conjunction
with the host agencies. Nevertheless, the exact
nature and conditions of these accommodations and
work cannot be guaranteed. Many of the conditions
we expect at home (i.e. hot water, daily showers,
washers/dryers, privacy, etc.) may not be available.
- The participants will be responsible for participating
in all fundraising activities, including personal
solicitations.
- It is the participant's responsibility to obtain
a passport and any necessary visas (if required
for the trip) before he/she goes and to bring his/her
own spending money for free-time activities, a
few meals, and other personal expenses.
- It is the participant's responsibility to insure
he/she is covered by a travel/health insurance
plan for the duration of the program, which includes
emergency medical evacuation.
- The participants are responsible for making all
decisions regarding appropriate health precautions.
- Participants will not consume/use alcohol or
illegal drugs, smoke, or engage in sexual activity
while on the trip.
- Participants must at all times be with another
member of the group. In general, activities outside
the scope of the program will not be accommodated
and participants should not make outside commitments.
- All participants are required to follow all
safety guidelines established by the Community
Involvement Center while on an Alternative Spring
Break trip, as well as during travel to and from
the site.
- In addition, following the trip, group members
will be responsible for presentations and information
sessions to be given to the Rice community in the
fall semester.
- Once accepted into the program and the registration
fee is paid, participants are financially obligated
to the full purchase price of their plane ticket
and/or agency fees if they drop out for any reason,
since these are non-refundable and will cost more
than the initial $250 registration fee.
