LG
Lyle German
  • criminal justice
  • Class of 2015
  • New Egypt, NJ

Lyle German Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity in Pendleton, W.V.

2014 Apr 29

In lieu of traveling to the beach or catching up on sleep, Lyle T. German of New Egypt, N.J., joined 22 other Lebanon Valley College students and staff to help families obtain simple, decent and affordable housing during their spring break by working with Habitat for Humanity in Pendleton, W.V.

German, a graduate of New Egypt High School, is pursuing a bachelor of arts in sociology and business administration.

The students and staff, who served from March 2 to March 7, participated in Habitat's national alternative break program, Collegiate Challenge. The Habitat center, "Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity," is situated in a highly remote area of the Appalachian Mountains.

"We were 60 miles from the nearest Walmart and 30 miles from the nearest grocery store," said Rev. Paul Fullmer, LVC's chaplain and director of community service, and the advisor of the Habitat for Humanity chapter at Lebanon Valley College. "Cell phone service was spotty at best. Even cellular data plans were not functional at our location. The students enjoyed the adventure of being in such a rural setting."

The trip marks the fifth time that the College participated in the Collegiate Challenge. It has also recently served with Camp Hill-based Lend a Hand ministry. In May 2014, the College will sponsor its first international service trip as 16 students and faculty travel to Peru.

In addition to the satisfaction that comes with serving the community, an incentive programs rewards students for their service. Students who participate will earn up to 40 hours of community service for awards that are noted on their LVC Job Center Profile. Bronze, Silver or Gold Community Service Awards based upon the number of hours a student serves the local community are posted on LVC's Job Center Profile for the information of prospective employers. Students who serve the local community are also recognized at an annual banquet and in the commencement program.

The service project is part of a series of programs designed in support of LVC's goal to "prepare students for a life of service to others," a key tenet of the College's mission statement. Throughout the academic year, students volunteer during LVC's Orientation Service Project, host community service organizations at a volunteer fair, and participate in several national service initiatives including Make a Difference Day each fall, MLK, Jr. Day of Service each January, and United Way of Lebanon County's "Day of Caring" in the spring.

Since Habitat was founded in 1976, Habitat has helped build or repair more than 800,000 houses and served more than 4 million people around the world. For the past 22 years, more than 182,000 students have spent their school breaks volunteering across the country through this Habitat for Humanity program.

"We recognize that these students could have done a number of things during their spring break and are grateful for their support to help families obtain affordable housing," said Cody Logsdon, Habitat's manager of youth volunteer engagement at Habitat for Humanity. "The work these students will do during their spring break will have a lasting impact in communities across the country."

Habitat's Collegiate Challenge is one of the many programs Habitat has to engage youth ages 5 to 25 in Habitat's work. Since 2007, State Farm has served as the national corporate sponsor of Habitat for Humanity's youth programs, with a sponsorship commitment of more than $1.1 million in grants each year. Additionally, State Farm offices contribute more than $500,000 annually to Habitat affiliates across the United States.