As spring break draws near, many students are looking forward to being able to de-stress and relax with a week in the sun. RLC, however, will be sending out students more inclined to think about others on their break. RLC has planned five service trips to Washington, D.C., Denver, New Orleans, Corpus Christi, Texas and Toronto, Ontario.

Many aspects of this RLC service spring break will be much like recent years with students helping in soup kitchens, a Habitat for Humanity project and hurricane clean up. However, the Washington, D.C. and the Toronto, Ontario trips are new this year.

Sophomore Jorie Landers, chapel intern of missions, will be going to Washington, D.C. Landers said she is looking forward to bonding with the other students on the trip and learning about the homeless experience in D.C.

“I think what is going to be the most interesting thing is the difference in position I’ll see between the high politics side of D.C. and then right there in front of them are people sleeping on the sidewalks,” Landers said.

Sophomore Erin Guzman will be going with the group bound for Toronto. The group will be helping in a soup kitchen, volunteering at an assisted living program and also working with an after-school program for inner city kids.

Guzman said she is looking forward to not only meeting some new people within the group from Simpson College, but also doing service in general around Toronto.

“I’m looking forward to planning the after-school programs for kids,” Guzman said.

Guzman went on the RLC spring break trip to Chicago last year and said she hopes she will personally get more out of the service on this year’s trip.

“On that trip we didn’t do a whole lot of service specifically,” Guzman said. “It was more just learning about diversity and touring Chicago.”

Sophomore Abby Heim will be going on the Washington, D.C. trip and is looking forward to getting to know the other Simpson students on the trip and also learning about the homeless in D.C.

“I hope to gain some awareness for our nation’s poverty,” Heim said.Landers said she hopes that students will be able to recognize and understand the impact of service and how important it is to reach out to people by participating on these service trips.

“It’s not just because you’re helping someone else, but there is so much that changes inside of yourself when you’re helping someone else,” Landers said.

Landers said all of the groups will have an opportunity to participate in service but she also hopes that each participating individuals will notice a difference within themselves as she did on past service opportunities with Simpson RLC.

This will be Heim’s first spring break trip with RLC and she hopes this trip will have a personal impact on her.

“I hope it changes the way I do things with my life,” Heim said. “I hope in some way I’m able to give back, not just on this trip, but permanently.”