By GENEA NOEL
Freeport News Reporter
genea@nasguard.com
As thousands of spring breakers flock to Grand Bahama for sand, sun, sea and most importantly fun, one group of college students are hard at work opting to spend their vacation giving back to the community.
Eleven students from St. Petersburg, Florida, are wor-king diligently with the YMCA to assist in repairs, renovations and tutoring as a part of their school's Spring Service Trip.
Felicity Keely, a senior and co-leader of the trip, said that their college is really keen on service and comunity building and every year groups are dispatched to various countries abroad and in the U.S. to lend a helping hand.
She noted that it is a drugs and alcohol free week for the students as they focus more on giving back.
"It's just a positive way to spend your time instead of doing what other spring breakers normally do," Keely said, adding that there are 13 trips that are currently in operation with 90 students from the school participating.
"We selected The Bahamas because we know that a lot of emphasis is placed on tourism but not much focus on the community, so we try to go places where we would make some type of difference," Keely said.
She added that the YMCA was in need as they prepare for a new gym and that takes a lot of work.
"We are moving things out of trailers, re-organizing and moving gym equipment, heavy lifting and painting. Basically whatever is needed of us to do," Keely said.
Noting that this is her third spring break service trip, Keely said she is excited to do it every time and looks forward to the rest of her stay on the island.
John Wildgoose, program director for the YMCA, in welcoming the group, said the YMCA is always in need of volunteers.
" They could not have come at a better time because we are in the midst of doing so many things at once, but with more hands on deck the easier it will be for us to get completed," Wildgoose said.
Presently they are busy renovating the basketball gym and are 65 percent close to completion.
Wildgoose said all of the bathroom facilities are in place and they are preparing for the arrival of the basketball floor.
"Before that happens we have to have everything clean and everything put away so the help that we are getting from the group is going a long way," Wildgoose said, adding that this is the third group that has come in to offer assistance and the YMCA has been lucky to have minimum wages for salary to defray some of the cost.
"We just have to really worry about the materials because we have had some professionals come in and offer their service and help us in whatever way they could," Wildgoose said.
Mike Cobolato, director of residential life, said the school promotes positive trips to give back to the community instead of taking away from it.
"Most people come here to party so we wanted to help where there was a need," he said. " We wanted to do our spring break a little different from how other people spend their breaks."
The group is expected to leave the island on Saturday to return to school.
Eckerd College is a private, coeducational college of liberal arts and sciences related by covenant to the Presby-terian Church.
