College Students Dedicate Spring Break To Rebuilding The Jersey Shore
By Oren Liebermann
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Jersey Shore in March does not offer the best spring break amenities, but that is exactly what Harrison Dunn had in mind. Four months after Sandy, he is here to help.
"Homeowners tell us what they want done, and we just help out and give it all we got," says the UNC-Charlotte junior.
College students from all over the country are heading to New Jersey for an alternative spring break. Instead of relaxing, they are rebuilding.
"I really just wanted to help out and tell them that there is hope, and that they have something to look forward to," says UNC-Charlotte junior Savannah Swift.
"[I] love being able to make a difference, even if it's only a couple of us," says junior Kelsey Young.
For every home the students fix, there are many more they will not be able to get to. Still, every bit goes a long way when there is so much damage in many Jersey Shore towns.
"It's overwhelming for me to have these kids down here and to give me a hand," says Lavallette homeowner Hector Rivera. "It's fantastic, and I know they're doing it all over the place."
The students will spend all week here fixing different homes.
Sarah Stanford is a student at Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan. She found ways she could help, even though she is blind.
"We're here for you. We're here to be with you in these difficult times, and we're here to do what we can in order to help make this place better," says Stanford, while using her fingers to lay grout between floor tiles.
When these students go back to school, a new group will come in and keep working. One home at a time, these college students are becoming a part of "Jersey strong."
