by Caleb Fort
Daily Lobo
About 800 UNM students, faculty and staff spent Saturday volunteering at locations around Albuquerque as part of the fifth annual Spring Storm.
Student Linda Tarango, who helped organize book shelves at Robert F. Kennedy Charter High School, said it makes sense for students to help out.
"I can't think of a reason not to participate," she said. "It's a really good cause, and it's a really good way to help out the community."
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She said volunteering at a school was especially appealing to her.
"I think it's important for everybody in the community," she said. "When you help out children, you help out the entire city."
The school is meant for students who have had a hard time at other schools, said Jessamyn Young, a teacher at the school. Many of the children's families and some of the children have drug abuse problems, she said.
Other volunteers at the school helped clean up a playground that will be used for the school's new day care center.
The event was sponsored by Community Experience, an ASUNM service agency.
Young appreciated the volunteer's efforts, she said.
"This is the rare kind of thing that just fills up your heart. Sometimes you feel like you're just swimming alone, and this makes you feel like you're not," she said. "It reminds you that there are young people out there who have found their way."
Last year about 700 people participated in the event.
Other volunteer sites included the Sandia Man Cave, where volunteers cleaned up graffiti, and the Ronald McDonald house. There were about 30 projects for volunteers.
Volunteers also did yard work at SAFE House, a shelter for domestic abuse victims.
Student Kate Lindemann, who helped rake up debris in the shelter's yard, said volunteering gives students a valuable experience.
"I think it helps open your eyes to what the world's really like," she said.
Elliot Gall, assistant director of Community Experience, agreed.
"I think student volunteering is important because it's something many people wouldn't try in their lifetime," he said. "You learn more about the community, and you learn more about yourself."
After finishing their work, volunteers went to Johnson Field for Fiestas, which featured performances by several bands, including Reel Big Fish and local band Danny Wynn and the Earthlings. Volunteers also ate free food, donated by Dos Hermanos.
Fiestas was sponsored by Student Special Events, another Associated Students of UNM service agency.
This is the first year that Fiestas and Spring Storm have coincided.
Gall said the collaboration was a good idea. Spring Storm used to be held in early April, and the weather often interfered with the barbecue for volunteers, he said. Since moving it later in the month made it coincide with Fiestas, the two organizations decided to combine them, he said.
Student R.J. Monta§o said he liked the two events being held on the same day.
"It's more of a reward. It used to be we'd just go to the barbecue and then go our separate ways," he said. "Now we can all hang out, and you can see who's dirty - who's really been working."
Gall was not certain if the two events will be held together next year, he said.
"I think it's definitely something that will be up for discussion," he said. "If it were just up to me, we would definitely do it again."
