Students Volunteer and Connect to the Community
For the second year, Northern Maine Community College freshmen connected to the larger community by volunteering their time and service for the greater good.
On the weekend of August 26, NMCC students volunteered to weed the fields of the Catholic Charities’ “Farm For Me” project. Additional volunteers were scheduled to be on hand, but the recent storm devastation by Hurricane Harvey diverted those resources to Texas.
During Move-In Weekend, August 25-27, the freshmen living on campus and the NMCC Residential Life staff, took some time to assist the Catholic Charities with their “Farm For Me” project by weeding a section of their farm in Caribou. The farm helps provide fresh vegetables, such as beets, rutabaga, and carrots, to people who need access to food sources. Through their work, students had a first-hand opportunity to recognize the importance of community and how volunteering can allow them the ability to have a positive impact.
“We are a community college. Volunteering helps students, regardless of where they are from, realize we are part of something larger. It allows them to experience what we stand for,” said Jon Blanchard, Director of Residential Life. “In addition to the positive feelings associated with volunteering, we have found that when students are connected to their community, they are more likely to persist and graduate.”
In the tradition of Aroostook County farming, the project also allowed the students to get to know each other a little better and helped to “break the ice” in building new friendships.
NMCC students and staff participate in volunteer efforts throughout the year as a way of giving back to the community at large.