Rivkah Moshe
Brocha Katz
Contributing Writers
Imagine you’re on spring break. In your hand is a red solo cup filled with an unspeakable substance. There’s music in the background and although you’re dancing to the rhythm of it, you can’t necessarily hear the lyrics over the chanting of the others around you. You wipe the sweat off your forehead for the fourth time that night. The AC isn’t being kind to you. You’re out of breath. You’re at ease. You’re content.
Now imagine you’re on spring break again. This time in your hand you have a heavy bucket of paint. There’s music in the background and you can hear every word over the whistling of the foreign wind. You wipe the sweat off your forehead for the fourth time that day. The blazing sun isn’t being kind to you on your busy day of work. You’re out of breath. You’re in Bolivia. And you’re helping others.
This can sound familiar if you get involved with BC Alternative Breaks, a student organization at Broward College that engages in volunteering activities during students’ breaks. The duration of the mission is set to be done throughout the full academic year 2019-2020. The work mission itself will occur during Spring Break 2020. According to the adviser of the club, Stephen Luscher, BC Alternative Breaks started as a result of necessity. “It was started because there is a need in the local, national and global communities for such work, as well as a need for students at Broward College to broaden their horizons and gain valuable skills by doing such work,” he said.
Broward College is an international college that has campuses in other countries and Bolivia is one of them. The club is set on building a better community for Broward College students on the campus there and for the locals in the area that don’t have all the privileges that a modern country has.
Students, faculty and staff at Broward College, as well as community groups, are all involved in the making of BC Alternative Breaks and the goal of it.
Students who are not members can participate by spreading the message and finding new sources of funds. They can even help in the fundraising activities that BC Alternative Breaks plans to coordinate.
The club runs meetings in which they discuss fundraising ideas and specific budgeting plans to make sure the goal may be met. The intention is to assist the third world country by the means of volunteering services.
The club selects an orphanage in which they will revamp into a more comfortable and stimulating environment. Their main mission is improving the lives of others and creating new and meaningful bonds with the orphans and Broward College students in Bolivia.
The club President, Brocha Katz, mentioned what it’s like as a Broward College student to be a part of such a crucial and exciting program. She says, “It’s like building a community with Broward college students and then being able to expand that community with Broward college students in another country and even after that, being able to expand the community to the locals who need our help. Not only will they gain from this experience but so will every individual on the team. There’s an awakening that overwhelms a person when going out to do something like this. To be able to see your effect on the world and be humbled by what’s happening…it’s just amazing. It changes a person.”
“BC Alternative Breaks is a club that gives students an amazing opportunity to do good for communities near and far. As someone who is experienced in mission trips, I’m very excited about this club because it makes giving back so much easier than other organizations. Going to another country and working alongside other students who are equally as passionate as you are is one of the most rewarding feelings,” said, Julia Cardenas, the club Vice President. “ I can’t wait for our club to continue to grow and accomplish more and more through the years!”
BC Alternatives is filled with a team of Broward college students who aim to make this spring break an unforgettable experience.
moshr3@mail.broward.edu
katzb17@mail.broward.edu