Into the Streets (2014)
Into the Streets is a yearly event put on by the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) during which members of the UC community volunteer their time and effort to a range of service organizations across the region. The projects all center on the principle of giving back to the larger community but vary quite dramatically.
After signing in at the registration table, I was immediately overwhelmed by the incredible number of tables that lined McMicken Commons with the different project signups. The first table I walked up to was for clearing alleys that had become overrun with trash and wildlife. I thought this sounded like a productive way to give back (and it saved me the stress of walking around and inevitably facing a difficult choice), so I signed up. As I was the first person to sign up for alley clearing, I decided to actively help our team's peer leader to get more people interested. Somewhat understandably, this was not quite an easy project to sell! Yet by the time buses were rolling out to their respective project sites we had recruited thirteen eager volunteers to our force. There was a slight delay for our group due to the fact that we were one bus short, but with a little patience we got where we needed to be.
Our project was hosted by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and upon arrival we received a brief safety introduction before breaking off into smaller teams. Then, our team took another bus over to the alleys we were going to clear out. When we first saw the alley there were numerous panicky questions that were issued such as, "So...What's the game plan?!" It was a daunting task at first, but as we slowly cleared our way through the alley it was incredible to see the progress develop. By the end of the day, we had cleared one alley completely and made a small pathway through another.
Into the Streets was my first service project at the University of Cincinnati and I found it extremely rewarding. Previous community service that I had done at my hometown typically revolved around food distribution so this was an interesting change. I found it quite remarkable that through cooperation a small group of people could make such a dramatic and physical impact on the community in a relatively short amount of time. I found this project to be engaging and will definitely look for more opportunities similar to it in the future.
After signing in at the registration table, I was immediately overwhelmed by the incredible number of tables that lined McMicken Commons with the different project signups. The first table I walked up to was for clearing alleys that had become overrun with trash and wildlife. I thought this sounded like a productive way to give back (and it saved me the stress of walking around and inevitably facing a difficult choice), so I signed up. As I was the first person to sign up for alley clearing, I decided to actively help our team's peer leader to get more people interested. Somewhat understandably, this was not quite an easy project to sell! Yet by the time buses were rolling out to their respective project sites we had recruited thirteen eager volunteers to our force. There was a slight delay for our group due to the fact that we were one bus short, but with a little patience we got where we needed to be.
Our project was hosted by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and upon arrival we received a brief safety introduction before breaking off into smaller teams. Then, our team took another bus over to the alleys we were going to clear out. When we first saw the alley there were numerous panicky questions that were issued such as, "So...What's the game plan?!" It was a daunting task at first, but as we slowly cleared our way through the alley it was incredible to see the progress develop. By the end of the day, we had cleared one alley completely and made a small pathway through another.
Into the Streets was my first service project at the University of Cincinnati and I found it extremely rewarding. Previous community service that I had done at my hometown typically revolved around food distribution so this was an interesting change. I found it quite remarkable that through cooperation a small group of people could make such a dramatic and physical impact on the community in a relatively short amount of time. I found this project to be engaging and will definitely look for more opportunities similar to it in the future.
Pictures of main alley before and after taken from the street.
Picture of a rock garden we made in the main alley. This was a fun and inventive way to reuse some of the heavier debris in a more aesthetically pleasing way.
Into the Streets (2015)
During my pre-junior year at the University of Cincinnati, I volunteered for a project group that took me out of the city of Cincinnati. Our group travelled to Loveland, Ohio to complete a variety of service tasks at Grailville.
Upon arriving at Grailville, we were greeted by the site’s program director who explained to us the history of Grailville as the home for The Grail, an international women’s movement that originated in the Netherlands, as well as the tasks that we would have the opportunity to complete throughout the day (more information on Grailville’s history and mission can be found at https://www.grailville.org/).
I began the day by working with a small group to remove plants from a pond to store them in a greenhouse for the winter season. Then, I harvested potatoes and planted garlic in the garden until lunch. After lunch, I helped remove wood from the cellar to help with humidity problems as well as moved and sorted inventory from the basement to the kitchen area.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this Into the Streets service opportunity at Grailville. The ability to complete a variety of tasks throughout the day made the event fulfilling. I am looking forward to the next Into the Streets service day that I can participate in.
Upon arriving at Grailville, we were greeted by the site’s program director who explained to us the history of Grailville as the home for The Grail, an international women’s movement that originated in the Netherlands, as well as the tasks that we would have the opportunity to complete throughout the day (more information on Grailville’s history and mission can be found at https://www.grailville.org/).
I began the day by working with a small group to remove plants from a pond to store them in a greenhouse for the winter season. Then, I harvested potatoes and planted garlic in the garden until lunch. After lunch, I helped remove wood from the cellar to help with humidity problems as well as moved and sorted inventory from the basement to the kitchen area.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this Into the Streets service opportunity at Grailville. The ability to complete a variety of tasks throughout the day made the event fulfilling. I am looking forward to the next Into the Streets service day that I can participate in.