Students are anxiously counting down the days until spring break 2016. For a handful of students at Simpson College, their spring break will be helping those in need around the United States.

Religious Life Community offers fall and spring break trips annually to Simpson College students. The trips provide Simpson students and faculty members the opportunity to travel globally and give service to those in need.

This year, the spring break service trips will take place in Pensacola, Florida,

Franklin, West Virginia, New York City,

Chicago and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Students were required to pay a $40 deposit, then fundraise to earn the remainder of the trip money. Fundraising included tip nights at Pizza Ranch and sending letters home to churches and family.

For senior Taylor Wadsworth, this will be her second time leading an RLC spring break trip. She is leading a group of 10 students around New York City.

“I am really looking forward to spreading the awareness of homelessness and food insecurities,” said Wadsworth.

Wadsworth’s group will be working in soup kitchens and homeless shelters.

“This is my first RLC spring break trip,” said junior Morgan Devorah, who is attending the New York trip with Wadsworth. “I decided to go on this trip because my philanthropy has always been helping others in getting the resources they need.”

Katie Rubins is also going on her first trip through RLC.

“I thought this would be a great way to give back over break,” she said.

Rubins will be going to New Orleans with a group of 16 people. They plan on working with Camp Restore to focus on mission and service around New Orleans.

The group traveling to Chicago will work on urban farms and recycling plants.

Dani Musselman, the mission and outreach intern at Simpson College, will be one of the leaders for this trip.

“I am looking forward to learning more about how I can be more environmentally conscious,” said Musselman, “not only toward recycling, but also farming and agriculture, especially for someone who lives in the Midwest.”

The trips going to Florida and West Virginia are Habitat for Humanity trips. The groups will primarily focus on house restorations and building homes.

Last year, RLC sent groups to North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama.

“Spring break trips are a really popular thing at Simpson. This is a tradition I want to keep going. I think it gives students a way to use their spring break differently,” said Musselman. “They are a great way to get to serve and love your neighbors in the global community.”

A donation cup can be found at the register in Holy Grounds.

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