Volunteers from 返字心頭���s Alumni Association rolled up their sleeves to participate in the , which took place on March 23, 2024. The event is a one-day, citywide volunteer movement where participants are matched with a qualifying service project. It aims to celebrate the unity in the Grand Prairie community while making a tangible impact for those in need.

Under the coordination of the WCU alumni team, our volunteers were matched with the , which provides essential support such as food, clothing, and household items to families and children. Through close collaboration with various local entities, including churches, schools, and law enforcement, the center ensures comprehensive services and assistance are available to those in need.

WCU alumna Sandra M., BSN ’15, shared, “As nurses, we are familiar with the needs of our community and how to help them. Having the opportunity to give back (with the Alumni Association) is a great way to further serve our community.���

Our WCU volunteers came together to perform a wide array of maintenance and upkeeping tasks, from raking leaves to hauling away debris to tending to the landscape by weeding and cutting tree limbs. Beyond the hands-on service, volunteers were able to talk to Reverend Elena and gain insight into the facility���s role in the community. The reverent highlighted the impact volunteer efforts would have, emphasizing how beautifying the center���s exterior sent a powerful message of care and commitment to the vulnerable families and children they serve. The impact of their work is a testament to the power of community service and the difference it can make.

The recent ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony marked a significant milestone in the center’s journey, made possible through the community’s support and the dedicated efforts of WCU’s Alumni Association.

“It’s important to be active in the WCU Alumni Association because you can participate in memorable events like this ��� giving back to the community. It’s just a great feeling to be involved,” said Paula S., BSN ’23.

Want more stories of our WCU alumni making a difference in the world? Check out this story of alumni providing dental care abroad through a non-profit.

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In September 2023, three 返字心頭 alumni journeyed to Guatemala to offer dental care at a local girls’ school through the non-profit organization United Tooth Fairies. Among them, Roberta S., a Master of Public Health alum and WCU faculty member, commenced her service to the Guatemalan community in 2016. Her dedication to aiding others became the catalyst for establishing the non-profit.

Roberta’s commitment to serving others began during her dental hygiene degree, where she volunteered at a mobile clinic, particularly working with children. In 2016, she seized an opportunity to volunteer at a local girls’ school in Guatemala, initiating dental services for 135 girls ranging from pre-kindergarten to ninth grade.

���That first year we sat down knee-to-knee with the kids. There were 135 in the school,��� Roberta said. ���We would bring them out and brush their teeth, take pictures and see what we were getting into. There was a lot of decay.���

Over the years, the team expanded their services, incorporating reclining lounge chairs and sealants, partnering with the local dental school to broaden their impact. Roberta also involved WCU dental hygiene classes in her volunteer work.

Last year, Paola C. and Selina M., also WCU alumni, joined the mission. Paola, a Mexican immigrant, felt a personal connection, resonating with the challenges the girls faced. Selina, an immigrant from Iran, found similarities in lifestyles between Guatemala and her home country.

���I am also from a third-world country,��� Selina said. ���For me, it was good to go to Guatemala and see how similar the lifestyle was to Iran, even though it���s a completely different country.���

Apart from dental services, the team emphasizes education, encouraging the girls to stay in school and aspire to a brighter future. The impact extends beyond dental care, with the non-profit supporting young women in pursuing education.

���It���s fun to see them become something more than they could have been,��� Roberta said. ���You go into this, and you���re hoping for something but not sure if it will work out, so the fact that it���s working is amazing.���

For the volunteers, the reward surpasses the investment. Selina emphasizes the transformative impact of giving back: “I do it because I see these people need help, and for such little effort, it makes a big difference in their lives.”

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While volunteering with a homeless outreach group, a pair of 返字心頭-Texas students were able to do more than hand out hot meals and warm blankets when they provided medical aid to a woman in need. 

Fueled by a shared passion for helping others, WCU-Texas��nursing��students Lexie H. and Ashely M.��had originally��offered��to serve food and hand out socks and hygiene kits��with the nonprofit group Metro Relief.��But when Metro Relief��staff��learned��they��were nursing students,��Lexie and Ashely��were��asked��to��assist��a��woman��at the��shelter.��

���We went to her tent and let her know that we were student nurse volunteers with Metro Relief,��� Lexie said. ���When she came out, we saw the open wound on her foot and hand.��� 

First-aid kit in hand, the WCU-Texas nursing students cleaned the woman���s wounds, changed the bandages, and provided some information to the woman on caring for her injuries.  

���We had skills that we were able to apply. We know wound care. We felt confident and comfortable,��� Lexie said. 

For Ashely, the experience was an opportunity to step out of her comfort zone and provided a better understanding of what different patients go through. 

���It was hard seeing the number of tents and learning about the struggles of the different individuals,��� she said. ���It was a humbling experience.��� 

Ashely said she would recommend all nursing students find volunteer opportunities where they can be hands-on in the community. 

���It���s important to stay in that humble mindset,��� she said. ���You won���t stay there if you don���t get out of your bubble.��� 

Lexie and Ashely said they plan to continue volunteering with Metro Relief and hoped others at WCU would join them. 

���We���re not certified yet,��� Lexie said, ���but we can do these tasks that make a difference for this organization.��� 

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