By Justin Callas<\/p>\n
For the first time, the Frederick Alternative Spring Break sponsored by Hood assisted with the 4 H Therapeutic Riding Program.<\/p>\n
The program provides recreational and therapeutic horseback riding to Frederick citizens with certified mental, physical and emotional disabilities.<\/p>\n
Alternative Spring Breaks started six years ago and has now grown into a program with three different locations.\u00a0\u00a0 The three locations that Hood students visited were Habitat for Humanity in Fla., Whitakers NC and Frederick, Md.\u00a0 During spring break the different student groups went to Florida and North Carolina Sunday through Friday and Frederick Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n
Catherine Brown, a graduate assistant who participated in past alternative spring breaks, helps organize trips and will continue to participate in future trips said, \u201cI wish I would\u2019ve done it earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Florida trip was filled to capacity, but spots were vacant for the NC trip and the Frederick \u201cstay-cation.\u201d\u00a0 On these trips students helped give back to the community and visited shelters as well as contributed to\u00a0 disaster relief funds Brown said.<\/p>\n
Students who participated in the Frederick trip are allowed to stay in the dorms for free. Students also held fundraisers to help pay for the trips, which cost around $125 for the Frederick stay-cation, $475 for the North Carolina trip and about $750 for the Habitat trip, which includes airfare.<\/p>\n
In NC and Fla. students helped build homes and helped out at local disaster relief foundations.\u00a0 These students wanted to give back to those in need Rev. Beth O\u2019Malley said.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Malley, the head of the Alternative Spring Break trips said, \u201cthe trips are a great way to meet new people since the groups change every year.\u00a0 The group size ranges from 10 to 25 and both students and chaperones get to know each other on a first name basis.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe trips can be a lot of work,\u201d Rev. O\u2019Malley continued, \u201cbut it is very rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n
These trips are meant to teach the students and chaperones about the communities they visit, she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"