Service Saturdays
What’s up guys! My name is Justice Hill and I’m the first person in my family to go to college. I was born in San Antonio, Texas, but I have lived in Anderson, South Carolina for most of my life. I graduated from a small high school called Belton–Honea Path High School. I applied to two colleges during my senior year of high school, Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. I ultimately decided on attending USC because when I took a campus tour it really felt like home to me. All of the faculty were really friendly and answered every question I had to the best of their ability. I am currently double majoring in Anthropology and Chinese Studies and I must say that it has been really rewarding so far. Since coming to Carolina I have also joined many organizations. I have joined the Anthropology Student Association and have recently received the position of treasurer. I am also in two service organizations called Gamecock Connection and the Multicultural Outreach Student Team. I have also have other opportunities to perform service in the community such as participating in Service Saturday.
Service Saturday is an event sponsored by the Leadership and Service Center that occurs once a month. This event allows USC students to sign up for service that generally lasts three hours and it provides transportation and lunch for participating. As a member of the Capstone Scholars, I have to perform an act of service every semester. Service Saturday was an event that I and many people on my hall wanted to participate and give back to the community of Columbia, SC.
Early that Saturday morning my group and I stood in a long line to sign up for a site during Service Saturday. When we finally got to the front of the line all of the indoor jobs were filled so we ended up being placed at the Harbison State Forest site, which we were none too pleased about. It was chilly and wet that morning and everything was muddy. None of us really wanted to be mucking around in the mud, but we listened to our guide and set off down a path into the forest. Our guide armed us with pulaskis and instructed us to clear parts of the forest paths that were being covered with debris from drainage. As we started to work we realized that this was not going to be an easy job. We had to scrape away the top layer of leaves that was covering the trail and then we had to shovel the loose mud away to reveal the path underneath. Covered in mud, my group and I took a step back to look at the end product of our work. The path looked a hundred times better than it did when we first started. The forest guides also opened up the paths again and allowed hikers and bikers to traverse them once again. As each of these people passed by they all looked at our mud covered bodies and said thank you. I don’t think I realized just how important this work was until that moment. We were taking care of a path so that other people could appreciate a state forest and Mother Nature. The guides that were leading us do this every day. They don’t complain or anything. This gave me a new appreciation for this occupation. At the end of the Service Saturday, even though I was tired, I felt good about what I had accomplished that day. I made the Harbison State Forest a better and safer place to be for visitors.
