Coastal Georgia Students Take Initiative to Make a Difference in the Golden Isles

February 2, 2018
By: Tedi Rountree

By Kynder Ganoe

CCGA Serves, a College of Coastal Georgia student volunteer organization, led a college initiative in honor of the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service.

Volunteers of CCGA Serves, a College of Coastal Georgia student volunteer organization, stand in front of the home they helped put the finishing touches on through Habitat for Humanity of Glynn County.Fifteen students including staff, community members, and College of Coastal Georgia Interim President Meg Amstutz gathered together Jan. 27 to put the finishing touches on a Habitat for Humanity of Glynn County project located on Gordon Street.

Chad Lassiter, director of recreation and wellness and who supervised the event, said CCGA Serves focuses on making an impact in the community and doing more for others than for themselves. He said the Habitat for Humanity project commemorated the many things Martin Luther King Jr. stood for, such as equality, serving the community, and bringing people together.

Habitat for Humanity rebuilt the home that was condemned due to Hurricane Irma. Volunteers cleaned up the area, did some landscaping, helped install new appliances, and got the house ready for the family who will live there.

College of Coastal Georgia Interim President Meg Amstutz in the home where student volunteers helped finish through Habitat for Humanity of Glynn County.

CCGA Serves was started by Eric Seals, a junior at the College. The organization has transitioned into one of the most collaborative groups on campus. Each semester, CCGA Serves hosts volunteer events that serve the Brunswick/Golden Isles community.

Samantha Laarman, a junior and CCGA Serves volunteer coordinator, helped organize and revamp the organization.

“Our mission is to offer students the opportunity to give back to our supportive community and help those in need,” Laarman said. “We have worked with a variety of local events, organizations, and businesses such as the Bridge Run, Habitat for Humanity, the International Seafarers’ Center, and America’s Second Harvest of South Georgia.”

Seals and Laarman are excited about the many events they’ve planned for this semester, including an alternative Spring Break in March at the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Other upcoming events include an Eco Tour Kayak Cleanup and a collaborative Campus Easter Event with the College’s Rotaract Club.

To learn more about CCGA Serves and to stay up to date with volunteer opportunities, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with @ccga_serves.