The morning of Saturday the 15th of September, I dragged my butt out of bed and to the Jake Kevin FieldHouse. The gym was seemingly packed to the rafters by students from every grade and every club chattering away lively. This was the annual St.Thomas of Villanova Day of Service, and over 5000 students were in attendance. Group by group, we were dispatched to areas around Philly to help with whatever they said they needed.

This year, I decided to attend with the all-female choir. Myself and eight others went to a local church where we would be cleaning windows, pressure washing the playground, and building a fence. I ended up in the fence group, which worried me a bit. I'm plenty qualified for many things, but building a fence is NOT one of those things. We spent the next three hours pushing the poles in, spreading the fencing itself, zip-tied it up, and more. In addition, we fixed many of the wood troughs surrounding the garden. It was hard work, and I now have a slew of blisters, but it was 12/10 worth it.

I left that church feeling like I'd accomplished something I hadn't been expecting I could. It felt good to know that, while I was tired and sleepy, I had made a difference, even if it was just a small one.

We aren't on this world alone. There generations past, present, and future who share it with us. Some people aren't as fortunate as we are, and it's important to remember them and remember to give of our time, talent, and treasure, for not only the betterment of others but also ourselves. We have been fortunate in all that we have, and making a conscious effort to help others helps us to remember that.