Alison Weinstock (’03) and Raelyn
What if? . . . results could
And sometimes, there are opportuni-
Koop (’07), are taking on the day-to-day
already be seen
ties waiting to be discovered. After a mis-
operations of what is now called the sion trip to Haiti last year, MNU senior
One big-impact example of the
MNU ServiceCorps, which is connecting Mac Gouin was moved by the needs of
ServiceCorps’ work will be seen in a
students with service-learning and school children he was teaching – they
freshman class mission trip to Beat-
volunteer opportunities locally,
simply had no writing paper for their
tyville, Ky., over spring break. MNU
nationally and internationally.
lessons. He returned to campus and initi-
students will repair homes, build wheel-
AmeriCorps Vista’s purpose of
ated an effort to raise $750 to purchase
chair ramps, paint – whatever needs to
increasing a nonprofit’s capacity was a
5,000 notebooks. Within the first week
be done in that high-poverty area. The
natural fit with MidAmerica’s dream.
of school, the campus came together to
long-term goal is to have every class
raise over $1,200.
“I can’t imagine a better partnership,”
participate in a mission trip together
Beckum says. “Alison and Raelyn really
each year.
ServiceCorps-led projects affirm that
understand our mission and vision, and
Starting small, and turning it into
MNU students, faculty and staff want
what we’re trying to do,” Beckum says.
something big, really is the essence of
“As a premier Christian university, we
the “what if” message on campus. At the
to take advantage of service
want to inspire student leaders and beginning of the academic year, for ex- opportunities presented.
instill a practice of generosity so it ample, Beckum set the stage for the “If”
becomes a natural response.” campaign by breaking down a difficult
This January, Gouin will return to Haiti
MNU students, faculty and staff want
goal into easily doable actions.
and present the notebooks. Closer to
to do something good, Beckum says. Yet What if, Beckum said, everyone gave campus, the MNU Service Corps helped
often, it’s a question of knowing what just $2 every Tuesday at Chapel?
organize 63 students in volunteering at
opportunities are out there, and actually
Already, just through $2 Tuesdays,
the Heart to Heart and Kansas City Can-
seeing the wide-ranging impact many
MidAmerica has raised nearly $13,000
cer Coalition Health Screening in Kansas
small, coordinated acts can have in the
toward the $50,000 goal for this year’s
City, Kan. MNU had the largest number
achievement of a goal.
“Passion to Serve” project: to purchase
of volunteers from any one organization
“eW want (ServiceCorps) to link the
building supplies for a much-needed
at the event, according to Weinstock.
available resources directly to the need,”
healthclinic in Patanatic, Guatemala.
Students helped with everything from
nursing services and parking assistance,
Beckum says.
to food preparation and translating to
Weinstock and Koop have been busy
Spanish.
defining their roles and discovering
Other activities in fall 2009 included
how they can organize efforts to
participation in the CROP Hunger Walk
make the biggest impact. They have
Oct. 11, raising awareness about world
defined three key areas to make
hunger. There’s also the long-standing
the coordination of volunteer and
tradition of assisting with Operation
service opportunities effective:
Christmas Child in which shoeboxes
idea development, networking
are filled with goodies for kids in need
and logistical guidance.
around the world. It is an MNU partner-
Koop and Weinstock empha-
ship with Samaritan’s Purse ministry.
size there are no self-imposed
boundaries on what service
What if? . . . more could help
opportunities look like. If a stu-
The point of saying “if” is to get
dent comes to them with an idea,
everyone to imagine what they can do,
they will work with them to get the
Beckum says.
new idea off the ground, or point them
“Often, people think big goals are too
to a group that’s already serving in that
hard and take too much effort,” he says.
area. Perhaps the best aspect of “If” is that
If it’s a new project, Koop says the
it has no real limits. If one has even an
This was a follow-up effort to MNU’s
tricky part is to help them enough to get
hour to give once a week, the MNU
2008 participation in a Heart to Heart
ServiceCorps can find a a way to serve.
things started, but not go so far as taking
International trip to Guatemala that
over.
“I encourage everyone to join us as we
focused on health assessments and
take small steps toward a bigger
“We want to empower people to do it placement of water filtration systems in
purpose,” eW instock says.
on their own,” she says. schools and homes in the community.
To learn more, call the MidAmerica
During the visit, the village of Patanat-
ServiceCorps at (913) 971-3541,
ic offered to donate land to build a clinic.
or get updates and information at
Now, through the ServiceCorps, MNU www.mnu.edu/mnu-service-corps.
is working with other groups to raise
money so the clinic can be constructed.
Fall 2009 | Accent magazine | 5
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