Students serve Spokane

 One major part of Gonzaga's mission is to instill the importance of service and community outreach among students. When students arrive at GU, they automatically become part of the Spokane community.

Some students avoid breaking out of the Gonzaga "bubble," arriving as freshmen and staying for four years without getting to know the place they're living in.

On the other hand, many groups of Zags make extraordinary efforts to get out of the bubble and become involved in the Logan neighborhood and throughout the city. Through service learning classes, and on their own accord, students volunteer their time to help Spokane residents in a number of different agencies and organizations.

The locals have noticed.

"The volunteers are invaluable. They are a great asset to the whole community," said Jill Staples, volunteer coordinator at Alexandria's House, a center for pregnant and parenting teens.

As a result of the faltering economy, Alexandria's House has been forced to make cutbacks in their staff. Thanks to Gonzaga volunteers, however, the house is still able to provide the necessary care to young mothers. "We couldn't be allowed the luxury of connecting with these girls without volunteers," Staples continued.

Alexandria's House is located at 949 E. Augusta Ave., and it is only one of many agencies which depends on Gonzaga volunteers to thrive.

Habitat for Humanity, an international organization that builds homes for the economically disadvantaged, relies on an enormous volunteer base to succeed in its mission.

Habitat has completed 196 houses in Spokane, many of which are built in part with the sweat and labor of Gonzaga volunteers. Dennis Reed, community relations director for Spokane Habitat, said that the relationship he has with Gonzaga is one that he doesn't need to recruit and search for volunteers.

"Gonzaga's really been coming out in droves," Reed said. In 2010, 127 students
 nate their time to build one of the most crucial necessities in life.

"They're not there because they have to be but because they want to be," Reed said. Hammering nails and installing insulation isn't everything that students bring, however. Reed made sure to note that the students' enthusiasm and respect on job sites is an important part of their work. "They care about the work they do."

Volunteers can find a number of communities that need assistance. From the poor to the homeless, the sick and the elderly, Gonzaga students find ways to offer their care and their time. One demographic, though, is given an immeasurable amount of service: children.

Hundreds of hours every week are invested in spending time with kids, many of which may not have a positive home environment. Any children in the Spokane public school system use the free or reduced lunch program. Some come from homeless families, others are neglected.

Through a number of programs, on campus and in local neighborhoods, Gonzaga volunteers strive to spend time with these children to show them that they are important and have potential.

Campus Kids and Zag Study Buddies work with local elementary schools to send volunteers to help mentor and tutor children. "A lot of kids experience trauma in their lives," assistant principal of Logan Elementary, Dawn Grey said. "The importance of mentors is huge. It can change a life significantly."

At first glance, the work that volunteers do with children may just seem like helping them with a math problem or putting on their winter coats. But, the impact that volunteers have on these children goes far beyond that.

"A lot of our kiddos don't have a lot of hope," Grey said. "These programs offer kids the opportunity to have hope."