I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into when I forced myself out of bed at eight am on Saturday, October 20^th to head to Atlantic City for a beach sweep. A few of my friends had asked me to give the club WaterWatch a chance and I was curious to attend my first event with the group.  The beach sweep I participated in was organized on campus by WaterWatch in collaboration with the off campus group, COA, Clean Ocean Action.

Once the group of Stockton volunteers arrived on the boardwalk and the event was introduced, pencils, trash bags, and gloves were in everyone’s hands within minutes.  Soon we were advancing on the beach as a small trash collecting army.  I was given the job of recorder in my group.  As I tried to check off all the items, I became quite overwhelmed. The paper was full of little spaces for everything you could imagine throwing away from plastic bottle caps to rubber bands.  I quickly tallied everything as my group members combed the beach. It was evident early on that Atlantic City’s beach was filthy.  Within the first five minutes, we had already counted over a hundred cigarette butts.  I watched in horror as my group members repeatedly dug into the ground and came up with handfuls of junk.

I was even more disgusted at what we were finding as we moved to beneath the pier.  I had never seen so much illicit paraphernalia lying blatantly in the sand. As I watched my group scoop up the items and dispose of them, I thought of the innocent children who discarded the broken toys we had collected beforehand.   Had they discovered the same illicit items?  I thought of how ugly and uninviting the beach became because of the trash as I scanned the ground for garbage.  It spoiled the natural beauty of taking a trip to the shore.

I took a break under the pier as we switched trash bags and gazed at the waves breaking. The morning sunlight peered into the darkness between the columns and caught a bit of beauty I did not see when I was focused on the garbage littering the beach. The image of the tide coming in under the pier was a beautiful reminder to what the beach had been and still could be. As I stood concentrating on the scene, I was reminded of why so many people had gotten themselves out of bed early on a Saturday to pick up gross items on the beach.  The beach was being destroyed and we had to help it come back to that serene beauty it naturally had.  Nature could not fight our liter that was not decomposable, but we could.

The beach sweep turned into an enlightening experience of environmental awareness.  I had no idea until I got hands on with the clean up how bad the beach in Atlantic City was. I figured I would find some trash, but I did not expect what I did find, such as the hundreds of cigarette butts washed up on the shore in tidelines. The beach sweep was able to educate me on how bad the littering situation is on the Atlantic City beach.  It is evident from participating in the event that there is a ton of harmful waste just left on beaches that needs to be taken care of.

My group squirmed together but after walking away from a clean pier, a sense of success made leaving our comfort zone to pick up the illicit trash worth it. At the end of the day, trash bags lined the boardwalk trapping in the harmful things to the beach environment.  The beach sweep was a well organized, enlightening experience that I enjoyed.  I will definitely be at the next WaterWatch Beach Sweep no matter how illicit and gross the trash is that I will have to pick up.  The environment needs to be protected and just a day of combing the beach for trash can make a difference.

On September 28th, I attended a beach clean-up in Ocean City sponsored by Water Watch, one of Stockton’s leading environmental clubs. Water Watch offers many eco-friendly volunteer opportunities such as stream monitoring, campus cleanups, and non-native invasive plant removal. They are dedicated in keeping Stockton green and allowing students the opportunities to put together their own service projects that are tailored to their interests. The Beach Sweep is a casual event where a group of students would get together and pick up trash along the boardwalks. This was the first event I attended as a member of Water Watch and I was very excited for a day out on the beach with friends. We were given trash bags and durable gloves and were told to just walk along and find as much trash as we can. I had no complaints; it was a beautiful day which just added to my feeling of satisfaction of cleaning up the beach.
Our group happened to be comprised of all Honors kids. We spread out underneath the boardwalk, which was not as littered as expected. Although that was a good thing, we wanted to have an impressively-filled garbage bag. We literally would flop down on our bellies and shove ourselves underneath the narrowest parts of the boardwalk in order to grab a single plastic spoon. This meant much cursing and wincing due to the abundance of spiky plants that liked to cling to pant legs and ankles. Unfortunately, we didn’t keep in mind that garbage bags do not do well when being dragged around filled with broken bottles and jagged pieces of wood, so our bag was on the verge of splitting wide open before we met up with another group. We all were sporting pretty hefty loads of trash, which was a job well-done for all of us. This was eye-opening, considering how earlier we believed the beach to be pretty clean. One or two pieces of trash every few feet wasn’t much to look at, but by going along big stretches of the boardwalk we were able to fill 3 large garbage bags.
What I found pretty great were the interesting things people picked up as they searched the beach. We found different colored sea glass, a horseshoe crab shell, and a dead monarch butterfly. It was a little morbid, but still was very pretty. What I found great about this was not in the objects themselves, but rather, the way we can all be caught in the beauty of the simplest things. It was very cool being around people that cared for the environment and who enjoyed the simple and honest things such as good weather and perhaps even just a smooth stone they found. It made me like Stockton all the more because I can encounter those moments just by walking to and from classes, since we are located within a nature reserve. If all people were to just take a second and look around them in admiration, I bet that they would think twice before throwing a plastic bottle on the ground. Otherwise, people seem to just walk around campus and leave their trash anywhere they please, because they have better things to do than walk five feet to a trash can.
Not only was the day spent clearing away trash, it was also spent clearing the mind. I know that may sound a tad contrived, but I really believe that if people were to do some task that may seem menial such as trash clean up, they are able to reflect on it, and see the bigger picture. This down-time gave me a chance to breathe and enjoy the sun as we worked to make the beach clean and beautiful for everyone. I saw people watch us pick up bottles and cans, and I hoped that they saw the importance in what we were doing, because this was also about spreading a message. Definitely the best part of the day was when a husband and wife saw us with our garbage bags and they thanked us for spending our time cleaning up, while reaching into their own pockets for trash that they had picked up themselves to add to our collection. So if anyone is interested in a club that has many branches to fit your interests, yet is rooted in compassionate values about the environment, Water Watch has it’s arms open wide for new members.

Today was the day of service. I was unsure about the outcome as I had not pre-registered and did not know what my service project would be. When I arrived I discovered that I had several service projects to chose from. I could also decide whether I wanted to stay on campus or go off campus. I found this a bit unfair because those that pre- registered did not have a choice and were assigned to certain projects. Hence, not pre-registering was actually better. I was glad that a clean-up of Lake Fred was an option, as doing clean-ups are often something I enjoy and participate in often. S.H.A.P.E. (Students Helping Animals, Plants, and the Environment) was a club I was very active in in high school and I am very passionate about the environment, hence this was the perfect project for me!

After we registered we all gathered in the Event Room to have breakfast and listen to speakers. When the President spoke he read a letter from his daughter about her experience on September Eleventh. She closed her letter with the statement that many want to respond in rage, but we really need to respond with compassion. That is exactly what we did today. Even though we were commemorating September Eleventh we were also celebrating service. We turned the sadness of the worst attack to occur on American soil (as the E.M.S officer stated) into productively helping others.

From that point on it only improved. The project leaders were extremely friendly, witty, and kind. We also picked up trash at an fairly rapid rate. There were about three bags of trash and two and a half bag of recyclables. I am not sure if these amounts are correct but I believe it was close to that. The club that was in charge of the clean-up was “Water Watch.” They said there are internships and volunteer work that are available through the club. I am very interested in volunteering, since helping the environment is very important to me. They also spoke of Ameri-Corps. One of the projects they are involved in is going to elementary schools and educating students about the environment. This definitely sparked my interest and convinced me to join the club!

Not only did I enjoy helping the environment but I also enjoyed connecting to nature. Walking around the lake was so relaxing. As I looked out onto the lake I totally forgot about all the litter we were picking up and just enjoyed nature in it’s pure form.  I was able to forget about all the problems in the world, such as terrorism and the attacks of September Eleventh, as I stared at the reflection of the sun off of the water. It was so serene and it made me even happier that I chose that service project.

It was so reassuring to see how many people came to participate in the day of service. The event room was full of people! The only people who were obligated to do it were those in the honors program, I believe everyone else did it on their own accord. Further, these people did not seem like they dreaded being there, but seemed rather excited for the day ahead. What was also great was the fact that after the E.M.S. officer spoke to us, everyone stood up and applauded him. That is one thing that is so great about college: people actually want to help and respect others. People are here because they want to better themselves, not because the law forces them to (like high school). There are so many great people who really care about others and want to make a difference. I know that I want to join clubs that are involved in volunteer work and meet even more people who care about making a difference like I do.

Participating in the day of service reaffirmed my desire to make a difference while at Stockton. I do no want my time at Stockton to be simply about me. Yes, I do want to gain knowledge but I do not want this time to only be about my academics. I want to grow as a person by helping others. I want to make a difference! I know this environment gives me the perfect opportunity to help others. There are numerous clubs and organizations willing to help others or I can start my own club! This year has so much in store for me.There are so many opportunities and activities here. I hope to participate in many of them and make the most of my time at Stockton!

-McKenzie Lillia

On September 19th and 20th, 2012, Stockton College opened its doors to the Red Cross Foundation, who was in need of as much blood as the school was willing to offer. This event ended up being a resounding success, as they managed to collect an exciting amount of blood and plasma donations from both students and faculty.

I was not able to go to the actual blood drive, but I can proudly claim partial credit for the great turnout that occurred.  This claim is justified by my actions on September 13, 2012, from 2:15 to 5:10.  During this time, my only goals were to inform and convince, in relation to the blood drive.  I would wave people down, call over to them, or meet them in the hallway.  I soon discovered which quickly- blurted lines were the most persuasive, and used this information to its full potential. Even those who were unable to donate promised to tell others about our cause; many of them followed through.  Multiple students approached the table (a pleasant change!), already convinced by their friends. We soon had a steady stream of students at the sign up sheets, and the empty spots gradually turned into reservations.

It was truly gratifying to be working for such a noble cause. I knew that every passerby had the capability of being a lifesaver, and it was up to me to help them to their potential.  With the right explanation and a smile, it became a simple task. They could tell how strongly I felt about the Drive, and so they took it as a serious consideration.

This experience was not only beneficial for the Red Cross and the blood-recipients, but for me as well.  I learned to better understand people, and how to use this in a positive way.  This will surely be useful in Stockton and beyond, and I’ll forever be grateful for the knowledge opportunity.  Needless to say, this was not my last time tabling for volunteer purposes.

A single voice addressed the crowd at the Stockton Day of Service announcing, “I need volunteers to go off campus.”  Hardly any eyes from the students congregated in the room looked up front as Daniel Tome, the program coordinator for the Office of Service Learning, addressed the room. The Stockton Day of Service was not starting off in the spirit of volunteering as many students waited for someone else to volunteer to venture off campus.  The group of students had gathered on September 8^th for a day of working with service projects on and off campus organized by the Office of Service Learning.  Students were asked to designate interests at registration and then they were supposed to be sorted into service projects that fit those interests. According to the amount of people in the Event Room for Girl Scouts and Circle K, a ton of students had the same interests.  It seemed that, although it was a good idea to place students by interest in the different service projects, the even distribution of students among service projects was lacking greatly.

I was among the students designated to stay on campus that volunteered to rush onto a bus at the last minute and be whisked away to some unknown place.  I had no clue what service project I was going to be working with until I walked through the doors of the Martin Luther King Jr. School in Atlantic City to be introduced to A.H.E.A.R.T. Ministries. A.H.E.A.R.T Ministries is an organization that helps at risk infants and their families who are in dire situations.  The volunteer group I had been haphazardly put in was assisting with the Infant Mortality event where mothers came in with their infants to gather clothes and supplies they desperately needed. With winter looming, we piled onesies and miniature flannels into bags for the mothers to take home. When it was time to board the bus at the end of the day, I did not want to depart.

The Stockton Day of Service, though it had some organization problems in the beginning, turned out to be a success for Stockton students. Enough students braved the blind volunteering for an off campus project and each service project was successfully completed.  All of the students who participated learned that taking the initiative to step up in the community leads to pleasant surprises. Some found themselves painting at the Covenant House while also discovering the talents of the people who reside there.  Others ventured to the South Shore Thrift Shop, the Atlantic City Rescue Mission and other locations for more eye opening experiences. Ultimately, the students who had originally had reservations about going off campus were buzzing with excitement over the new experiences the day had given them.

I am thrilled that I made the decision to step onto a bus and let the driver take me out into the community to help.  I was able to unearth a gem of the Atlantic City community I would not have found without the Stockton Day of Service.  A.H.E.A.R.T. Ministries is an inspiring group that I hope to volunteer with in the future. As I think back to it, my Day of Service is filled with fond memories of the people I was able to assist and of the strong leaders of A.H.E.A.R.T. Ministries who run the amazing organization. I am looking forward to the next Stockton Day of Service, ready to discover another wonderful service project in the community and learn how Stockton students can make a difference being involved with it.