carmenmiller

On July 24, six Marian girls and theology teacher Mrs. Lori Spanbauer ventured an hour and fifteen minutes away to Winnebago, which is located in the northeastern part of Nebraska.

Their mission was to provide service, both physical and mental, to the people who needed it most.

They were there for seven days and gave each day their all. “After doing a whole day of service, we would come back together and share what we did/learned. It was a way to connect with the people who were on this trip and with God,” senior Megan Hagge said.

The group did various projects every day, but the most memorable project for a few of the girls was making a grave marker for one of the cook’s sisters whose family could not afford a tombstone when she passed. The girls crafted a cross and placed it on her grave as a reminder that God will always be with her and her family.

Along with service, they had a little bit of fun in with the other Young Neighbors in Action Volunteers from across the country Winnebago as well. “We would play dodgeball every night (boys vs. girls) and it got very intense to the point where we needed a referee in order to play the game,” Hagge said.

As for downsides of the trip, junior Grace Nelson could not really think of any. “My least favorite part of the trip was probably leaving knowing that there is still more work that could be done,” Nelson said.

This service trip had a positive impact on both the people being served and the people who were serving. “I would 100 percent recommend this trip, it was the best experience of my life,” Nelson said.