By Lydia Weiss
Special for The State News
Explosions of laughter and the smell of paint seeped from the doorway of Habitat ReStore on Saturday as racial ethnic student aides from East Complex armed with paintbrushes added a coat of paint to bookshelves.
At the same time, a group of engineering students put their education to work to build an awning for the storefront with limited resources.
The group of MSU students volunteered for the organization, 1137 Haco Drive in Lansing, as part of MSU's Into the Streets. For the past 12 years, the annual program has encouraged students from MSU and Lansing Community College to volunteer for several Lansing-area agencies.
MSU's Into the Streets program is about getting students "out into the community and trying to introduce students to community service," said education senior and program chairwoman Claire Drummond.
The day began at 9 a.m. with registration and a speech by 2003 MSU graduate and Americorps VISTA member Jessica Long.
"Volunteering can be a powerful force for change when undertaken in a spirit of freedom and choice and without regard to financial gain," said Long to the group of volunteers before they headed to their service sites. "It is an expression of ourselves as members of the community."
Into the Streets gives volunteers the opportunity to work at various levels in about 20 agencies in the area.
For mechanical engineering senior and Habitat ReStore volunteer Justen Bond, who helped construct the organization's awning, Into the Streets was a chance for him to work with other volunteers.
"It's an opportunity for fellow racial student aides to bond together and learn about the different skills each of us has," Bond said.
The best part about having student volunteers is "their energy and enthusiasm," said Habitat ReStore site Director Martha Kwant.
"This morning they even had their own cheer," she said. "It's a great opportunity for students to see a different side of nonprofit agencies and how they can plug in and help and have a great time doing it."
"We wanted to utilize this opportunity as campus leaders to set an example...while laughing, having fun and building our community as aides," journalism senior Shanita Baxter said.
And even though the work is sometimes difficult, the students said they did it to help others. Telecommunication, information studies and media junior Stanley Park said thinking of the people who might benefit from his work makes it worth the labor.
"A lot of people think of doing the work instead of who they're doing it for," Park said.
Meanwhile, a few blocks away at the LETTS Community Center, students helped farmers load crates full of bright green, orange and red produce into tents. Inside the community center they set up a carnival for children. Bursts of laughter filled the gymnasium as a few college students tested out the giant air slide before the festival began.
"I volunteered here because I am a food industry management major and this event promotes a healthy community," student site leader Norrel Hemphill said.
Geography sophomore Heather Aschoff said she agreed.
"It was promoting healthy food habits and that's an important issue facing the world today," she said, adding that the best part of volunteering is seeing her work help others. "It's great seeing people enjoying what we've created and what we've put together.
"It shows a good side of MSU. People don't always hear good things about MSU students, but this personifies it."
