Goodbye Charlotte!

We left Knoxville as complete strangers and we returned to campus not only as friends but as active citizens fighting for social injustice in America. We have served numerous non-profit organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, CareRing, and the Wings of Eagle Disability Ranch. All of these organizations are doing amazing things in the community to positively impact the residents of Charlotte. This trip has opened my eyes to the disadvantages of many people who do not have adequate access to quality health care, reliable housing, or regular meals. The "Health and Wellness Through the LifeSpan" Alternative Fall Break Trip has made a huge impact on Charlotte and we have alleviated some of the everyday problems that the citizens have to endure on a daily basis. We have also learned more about the political aspects affecting Public Health. Although there are many great movements in place by the government, we still have a lot more progress to make towards providing everyone the access to quality health care. Each individual in this group has various talents that were  utilized to affect the every person that we came in contact with during this trip.The people that we interacted with may forget our names, or even the service that we did for them but they will never forget the "Torchbearer" attitude that each participant exemplified while we were serving. Ghandi definitely had it right when he said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others". We have all discovered the mass potential that we all have to change this world and we plan to use the things we learned to make this world a much better place!

Care"Ring" at the Boys and Girls Club!

Today, we had the amazing opportunity to go to the non-profit organization Care Ring and the Boys and Girls club. At Care Ring we filed paper work and put together programs and bags. Even though these jobs may have seemed small and unimportant, but it helped Care Ring tremendously. They have a very small paid staff, so they depend on volunteers to thrive. We were able to help them do some big task that would have taken them a really long time to accomplish otherwise. We also had lunch with the staff, and learned more about all of the great resources they offer for people with little to no health insurance. We also learned more about public health issues in America.  We indirectly impacted Charlotte's uninsured population by giving the paid staff more time to focus on the clients and performing some task that will encourage more donors to give. This relates to health and wellness through the lifespan because Care Ring assist with care from newborn babies to the elderly.

We also had the chance to return to the Boys and Girls Club. The children were extremely excited to see us. We all did different tasks with the kids such as, watching their cheer leading practice, playing with them outside on the playground, working on computer science experiments,  and we even had a college panel. This got all of the children really excited for college. I think at the end of the day we were all in agreement that saying goodbye was the hardest part. 

Joy and Privilege

Today the health and wellness gang arrived in Charlotte filled with excitement. We were anxiously awaiting the opportunity serve. The city of Charlotte and its suburbia were lined with beautiful extravagant houses. The church we are staying in has probably one of the nicest adjacent facilities for its parishioners that I have ever seen. It wasn't until we drove to the neighborhood where Boys and Girls Club was located that we saw a different side of Charlotte. This neighborhood didn't have the same glimmer or fine housing structures that the previous area contained.

Upon entering Boys and Girls Club we were all filled with nervous excitement. What would we be doing? Would the children like us? Can we connect with these kids? These were all questions running through our head.

We were given a wonderful tour of the facility and we also viewed the progress on their newly renovated gym. From board games to arts & crafts, we all had an opportunity to interact with these wonderful children. The kids had such contagious energy and we all wanted to stay longer. It was sad to think that these joyful children did not have the same access to opportunities than we do. It honestly made us all think about our privileges and how we take so much of our opportunities for granted.

Our visit with Boys and Girls club showed us the privileges that we sometimes forget. All of us have guaranteed meals, but some of these children have nothing provided for dinner.  Sometimes it can be so easy to get caught up in our privileges and we lose sight of our surroundings. In Charlotte I can see that their are ritzy sections that could use their resources to help organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club. It simply takes stepping outside of your bubble and being more aware of your surroundings. Many people have the attitude of "it doesn't affect me, so I don't care." After our day of service we all can learn more about our community and find a way to help those who are not as privileged.

Welcome!!!

We are a little over a week away from our alternative break trip to Charlotte, North Carolina! We started planning this trip in May of 2015 and we have put many hours of hard work to make it the best experience for our participants. We are so excited that it is finally here!

Our group has met twice so far and we are meeting again tonight for Chipotle percentage night!  Our Group has gotten along so well and I truly believe we are going to make an amazing team. We are so excited about all of our service sites and we can not wait to learn more about the city of Charlotte.
Keep up with us on our blog to find out more about our service sites, learning experiences, and the impact we make on our Health and Wellness through the Lifespan trip.

Leader spotlight:
Juli Stolpman
Senior studying Kinesiology
From Chattanooga TN
Favorite activity: going to concerts
Random fact: I'm obsessed with dogs
Favorite food- Italian!


I am so excited to be leading an Alternative Fall Break Trip! I am very passionate about health and wellness because I want to be an occupational therapist. Health is so import to live a long prosperous life. We will be working directly the children that attend the boys and girls club of Charlotte. We are going to talk to them about how to live a long and healthy life. I remember when I went on my first trip how nervous I was, but in the end it was a life changing experience. I can not wait to make more memories that will last a lifetime!


Olivia Seay
Junior Studying Biochemistry
Chattanooga, TN
Favorite Activity: Thrifting, and VOLunteering
Random Fact: I collect cups :)
Favorite Food: Chipotle


I am so grateful for the opportunity to lead an Alternative Break trip. I am excited to see the people that we will impact during our time in Charlotte, NC.  I am very passionate about our topic of Health and Wellness through the Lifespan and truly believe that everyone should have the right to live a healthy life. I cannot wait to bond with the rest of the participants and volunteer with my fellow vols! This trip will be GREAT!