- Details
- Category: Past Issues
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. --- Jessica Messier of Dayville recently put her commitment to helping people into action as a member of a Springfield College mission to the impoverished village of San Juan, Mexico.
Messier was chosen to be a member of the Springfield College mission because of her leadership qualities, commitment to human service, and interest in learning from another culture. Messier was one of 12 students selected from many applicants. A fourth-year student, Messier’s major field of study is rehabilitation and disability studies.
Living at YMCA Camp Camomilha in Tepotzlan for a week, Messier joined volunteers from the Universidad YMCA of Mexico City to construct a much-needed park in San Juan. The community lacks places for families to gather for celebrations, public events, recreation, and to build relationships. A local youth group had made a commitment to maintain a new park.
Messier’s group cleared brush, trees and debris, constructed walkways, a patio with benches and a pavilion complete with a stone grill for cooking, and cleaned and repainted an existing basketball court.
The entire San Juan community gathered to celebrate completion of the project with a meal, games with local children, and the official presentation of the park to the mayor.
According to Springfield College Director of Student Volunteer Programs Charlene Elvers, “The services of Jessica Messier and our student volunteers were greatly needed and appreciated. Missions like this are also important to their development as socially aware persons. This first-hand experience with extreme poverty causes us to think more about human responsibility and how we can use our abilities to improve life for others.