Community House residents go 'Into Streets' over weekend

Community service is no picnic. That's the lesson approximately 150 Community House residents learned Saturday as they visited 22 local community service agencies as part of "Into the Streets," a nationwide program the house participated in instead of their annual first week picnic trip. Teams of students from the Quadrangle dormitory learned about the operation of the agencies they visited, and also pitched in to do work for the groups wherever possible. Students chose the organization they wanted to work with. Both students and organizers said the day was a worthwhile, albeit tiring, experience. "Everyone was really exhausted, which I see as a positive thing," project coordinator Aletha Todd Daniel said. Daniel helped lead a group which visited LULAC, a group working within a Latino community in North Philadelphia. The team toured a community arts center and helped students at a bilingual school write essays on how they would improve their neighborhood. Daniel said members of her group were impressed by the maturity of the children's essay responses, and also by community efforts to improve the neighborhood through gardens and painted murals. Wharton freshman Sanjay Kacholuya, who also visited LULAC, called the day "a big success," saying it gave him chance to try out his Spanish knowledge and also learn about Philadelphia. "I found the contrast in areas between West Philadelphia and North Philadelphia to be extreme," Kacholuya said. "It was quite an eye-opening experience from that point of view." "I hope to continue along with the volunteer program," he added. "It was a really great experience." Daniel said Saturday's "Into the Streets" program was a success for educating students about Philadelphia, but said she was also encouraged by several students who said they wanted to continue their community involvement. "That to me was my goal, but not necessarily the goal of 'Into the Streets,' " she said. Faculty Master Peter Conn and a Community House team helped out at a Habitat for Humanity site in West Philadelphia. The group renovates blocks of abandoned houses. "My impression is . . . that we will try this again next year as a super way to begin the year and set the tone for the year," the English professor said. Participants also agreed that "Into the Streets" was an improvement over Community House's traditional picnic trip. "I thought this was actually a much better idea, because this is actually going and helping the community," College sophomore Michael Capell said. Capell helped lead a group which went door-to-door in South Philadelphia for the Eastern Service Workers Association, which helps people not supported by labor laws, such as farmers, domestic workers and temporary workers. Students informed residents about the agency and signed up those who were interested. A group of pro-choice students who visited the Center City offices of the National Abortion Rights Action League made phone calls asking NARAL members to call a state senator and voice their opposition to the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Clarence Thomas. Not all groups were able to help out at the agencies they visited, but all learned about the workings of their organization. Visitors to the AIDS Task Force learned about the agency's anonymous counseling services, free test site and food bank. A group which visited two West Philadelphia police mini-stations to learn about criminal justice and race relations also learned about the techniques of con artists, the interplay of different cultures in the area, and even what it is like to be locked up in a police paddywagon. "It's airconditioned," said surprised College junior Jasper Reynolds, also a team leader. Reynolds also said it was important that students become aware of community service opportunities at the start of the year. "Unless you start at the beginning of the year, you can't start at all," Reynolds explained. "If you install it at the beginning of the year, they think right away 'Oh, community service.' " "Picnics you can have anytime," Reynolds added.

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