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From l-r, Orterio Villa, Melissa Downin, Michelle Detrick and Yazmin Ramos will travel to Honduras in January to participate in a volunteer mission.
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WIU Students Take Social Responsibility to Next Level in Honduras

November 10, 2008

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MACOMB, IL – Four Western Illinois University students will take the University's core value of social responsibility to the next level by serving as a resource for community development well beyond Western's borders when they travel to Honduras over the holiday break.

Michelle Detrick, a junior bilingual education/Spanish major from Macomb, will lead three other WIU students to El Progreso, Honduras Jan. 3-10 as part of the volunteer service project, Students Helping Honduras (SHH). This is Detrick's third volunteer trip to the country. Detrick; Melissa Downin, a sophomore elementary education major from Table Grove (IL); Yazmin Ramos, a sophomore journalism major from Chicago (IL); and Orterio Villa, a college student personnel graduate student from Rock Island (IL), will volunteer at Copprome Orphanage, the Las Mercedes Nutrition Center and Villa Soleada, a construction site where 70 new homes are being built for impoverished families.

In addition to working at the various agencies in Honduras, each student will also be responsible for taking one suitcase full of school and craft supplies, as well as personal hygiene items, for the children of the communities. Donations needed include: markers, crayons, folders, pencils (regular and colored), rulers, round-tip scissors, glue sticks, erasers, chalk, watercolors, pipe cleaners, felt squares, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bar soap, deodorant and combs and brushes. Individuals wishing to donate these items may contact Detrick at (309) 333-6593 to schedule a pick-up time.

While the students are paying for much of the trip out of their own pockets, the total cost is $5,200. Individuals wishing to make a monetary donation may send donations of any amount, payable to CCC Honduras Trip, to: Michelle Detrick, 327 E. Summit St., Macomb IL 61455. All donations are tax-deductible.

"We certainly understand the difficult economic times that many of us are facing in the U.S.; however, that doesn't stop the needs of the children we hope to help," Detrick noted. "This is a truly incredible opportunity to help others who have so very little, but have such an enthusiasm to better their lives."

More information about SHH, which was founded by two college students, brother and sister, Shin and Cosmo Fujiyama, in May 2007, can be found at studentshelpinghonduras.org. The Fujiyamas founded SHH after visiting El Progreso where they witnessed hundreds of children without adequate housing, health care, or access to education.

"Throughout my life I've been on various mission trips locally and out-of-state. I know there are missions that can be done anywhere and it's not necessary to leave the country to help someone in need, but I know in my heart I'm supposed to go to Honduras to help," Downin added.

For Villa, who volunteered in January in Mexico to build houses for the Casas por Cristo organization, that opportunity gave him a greater sense of awareness to help others.

"That experience has driven me to seek out more opportunities to help," he said. "I place a great deal of value in reaching out and serving others."

The quartet will host several fundraisers to raise money for the trip, including pumping gas for tips from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 at Macomb's West Jackson Ayerco Station and bagging and carrying groceries for tips at County Market in Macomb beginning at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21.

For more information about the volunteer mission, contact Detrick at hope.shh@gmail.com, MJ-Detrick@wiu.edu or (309) 333-6593.


Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing