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Sisters, Oregon
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Students serve with Habitat
By Jim Cornelius

Collegiate Challenge... (Back) John Koeschall, Kate Seaver, Jennifer Savage, Maggie Williams. (Front) Chris Jolokai, Sarah Zugschwerdt, Sarah Olix, Shanna Turk, Brian Haskins, Jeff Melvard.

Last week, 10 students trekked to Sisters from Western Washington University to help build a home for the Kolb family of Sisters.

The students were the third group of Collegiate Challenge students to come to Sisters during spring break to work with Sisters Habitat for Humanity.

Service during spring break is common among WWU students, according to John Koeschall.

"We're one of six groups that have gone out from our campus ministry," he said. "We decided to go out and serve God and serve others in various ways."

For these students, helping to build a home was a better way to spend a week than many of the stereotypical college spring break activities.

That doesn't mean these students didn't have a great time, however. Sisters showed off especially fine spring weather during their stay, and the students got to explore a little and take in the sights.

"It's beautiful," one WWU student said. "The mountains are magnificent."

The Sisters community welcomes Collegiate Challenge groups with open arms. Both Cascade Fitness and Sisters Athletic Club donate use of their shower and workout facilities. The WWU group stayed at the Sisters Lutheran Church.

The students eat well to keep up their energy for long days of hard work.

"It's incredible," said Habitat Director Sharlene Weed. "There are businesses that donate lunch every day."

Weed's assistant Darla Neiss noted that many workers take students home for dinner after the work day, cheerfully feeding a crew of 10 college kids.

Collegiate Challenge is a national phenomenon. Groups like those that visited Sisters filter out across the nation to assist Habitat for Humanity chapters.

"We sign up with Habitat International and Habitat International puts our name in this directory... that goes out to all the college ministries," Weed said.

The students then pick where they want to go.

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