Heather Wharton

In the remaining weeks of the semester I hope to find a project we can do to finish our hours (The Boys and Girls Club).  I also hope we find dates for teaching the 4H group and the girl scouts for next semester.  They will have a combined lake clean up.  I also hope to start brainstorming on how we can expand our project through Drury.  I also hope to meet with our advisor so she can help brainstorm.

Abby Williams

For the remaining weeks of this semester I hope to meet with some local organizations such as the Boys and Girls clubs to present the importance of clean waterways.  Stephanie and I were scheduled to meet with a 4H group to set up a presentation and work day with that group.  They have decided they would like to wait until the Spring now so this semester has been a bit of a struggle to get our hours so far.  I have no doubt we will get all of our hours in but we will most likely spend it in classrooms or teaching groups instead of actually cleaning up lakes and streams because of the weather.  I look forward to getting back in the lake in the Spring to clean up.

Delaney Sweeney

For the remaining week of the semester, I hope to coordinate our project with either the Boys and Girls Club in town or the Watershed Committee. I talked to the educational director of the Watershed Committee today and we are trying to work out some hours that we can volunteer there. This week has been kind of frustrating with our project because those that committeed to this fall are wanting to wait til the spring now because of the weather. This is causing us to have to come up with additional volunteer hours that we didn't plan on before. I look forward to getting all the details worked out and getting our project ready for the hardwork and hours we will put in next semester.

Delaney Sweeney

Currently, I am working on trying to set up a meeting with the Boys and Girls Club here in Springfield to work with us on our project. I hope to go to one (or all three) of their facilities in town and teach the members the class we have set up. We will discuss water quality and pollution problems and will have an interactive activity to help them grasp the concept in a real life situation.

Smart Mob-Delaney Sweeney

I was unable to attend the SmartMob on their trip to Joplin, but to make this up I will attend Drury Dance Marathon on November 11, 2011. I am actually partially in charge of Drury Dance Marathon. I am the media and marketing chair. I have set up several television interviews promoting this event and I have also worked on t-shirt designs and special promos around campus. I am very excited for this event. All proceeds will help benefit Children's Miracle Network.

Smart Mob - Stephanie Dulany

On October 24 2011, me and around 150 other students met on a bus around 1:00 in the afternoon and left for Joplin. I think that most of us were a bit nervous for the work we were about to do, and it seemed that none of us knew what to expect when we were down there working. Some had not even seen Joplin after the horrible tornados, and this was my first time as well seeing the damage done to the city of Joplin. After driving through the worst, damaged part of Joplin, we arrived at the park site where we were going to lay sod. The scene was pretty bare, with some stone walls built on a mass of just dirt on the ground. We were going to fill the entire dirt plot with sod, and it seemed like a big job. However, once we started working, we realized just how awesome it was to have had 150 volunteers helping with this cause because the work got done faster than anyone thought. We had laid sod for about an hour and a half and we were done. After that, we moved up to the playground where other volunteers were working, and we helped to rake, shovel, and lay sod there as well. Michael from The Extreme Makeover met us there and got some really good filming shots for the show of the work that we had done. After all of our work was done, we were able to actually walk to the row of 7 houses that were being built for the show and see the progress made. I began the trip wondering how anyone could accomplish building 7 houses in a week, but after seeing how many volunteers there were, the job was obviously going to be done in time. The best thing I took away from this experience was knowing just how important every person that volunteers is. If no one helps with the volunteering, big jobs, like 7 houses being built in a week, would go undone.

Smart Mob- Heather Wharton

         The Drury Smart Mob traveled with 150 students to Joplin, Missouri to help build a park the architecture students designed.  We laid down sod  throughout the park for a few hours.  It was amazing how much work we had finished in such little time.  I felt very helpful and accomplished to be a part of such a project.  I hope the Joplin residents enjoy their newly rebuilt park.  The architecture students did an amazing job.  I loved the tribute they made to honor those who have passed and the struggles the living face due to the Joplin tornado.  For our summit project we are trying to contact a girl scout troup to teach them the importance of clean water.  Next semester, will will meet with the 4H kids and have a lake clean up.