To the editor:

My name is Annie Wescott, and I am a lifelong Whidbey Islander. I am 20 years old, grew up in Langley, and I am currently in my final year at Southern Oregon University.

I have been given an exciting opportunity for my upcoming spring break.

In March, I will travel to the Dominican Republic with a group of Southern Oregon University students for a week of community service with Orphanage Outreach, a nonprofit that works with orphans and other local children in Santiago. The trip is offered through the Alternative Spring Break program at SOU, which allows students a chance to do meaningful service that is not possible during the rest of the school year.

In preparation for our trip, we will meet as a group over the next four months to learn about the Dominican Republic and the plight of its children. We will be working in local schools to help tutor children in English, and learning more about the culture of the Dominican Republic. I am excited to be a part of this trip.

I know South Whidbey to be an incredibly supportive community. A large part of our preparation for the trip is fundraising to cover the costs, including transportation, lodging and food. The total cost of the trip is $1,900 per member. I would like to invite you to support the Alternative Spring Break program at SOU and my participation in it with a financial gift or donation. While we have several other fundraisers planned, writing letters is our main means of support, and we value all the help we receive. Your gift, regardless of its size, will move me one step closer to my goal of serving in the Dominican Republic.

Any contributions may be made to the Southern Oregon University Foundation. Please include in the memo section of the check that this donation is for ASB and my name (Annie Wescott). Send to: Alternative Spring Break, Stevenson Union 312, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520.

If you have any other resources that might assist us, or questions, please contact civic engagement coordinator Julie French atfrenchju@sou.edu or 541-552-6454.

More information on the Alternative Spring Break program can be found at www.sou.edu/ce/springbreak.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Annie Wescott

Ashland