Adventure, Compassion, & CommUNITY!
Comments from Past Participants
Lauren
Propel-er
"Having served in the Dominican multiple times now, I have always come home with a head full of 'aha' moments about the magic of connections. Each time I go, not only do I reconnect with the people I already know, but I also weave a sparkling web of fresh bonds with new friends. This journey has seriously reshaped my view of the world and the unsquelchable human spirit. I'm eager to share that impact with everyone else—while staying hydrated with plenty of Propel, of course!
Maureen
Sunscreen Czar
"It is moving to watch the youth of today committed to changing the world of tomorrow."
Jared
Occupational Daredevil
"This experience truly changed my perspective on life."
Allison
Construction "Rock" Star
"Through this shared experience, strangers became friends, and friends became family. Working for and giving to the communities we visited filled my heart. Meeting people who have nothing to give and thier offering of a few peices of fruit or a seat for a tired worker reminded me to be so greatful for all that I have and leaves me wishing I could do more.
This adventure reminds me to celebrate the simple things and that love, kindness and compassion are the only thing you need to make a difference. having the opportunity to volunteer side by side with my daughter is an experience I will never forget. She started the week nervous and unsure. By the end of the week she was asking when we could return, We look forward to SERV-ing again!
CeCe
Energizer Bunny
"The best trip I have ever been on. I have never been as close with a group in my entire life."
Charlie
The Equalizer
"Of all the things we experienced that week, the one thing that I will never forget is a conversation I had with a girl in batey La Papita - using google translate. As we chatted, learned about each other, what we liked, and what our families were like. At one point, we learned that we were both 16 years old. What she typed next, I will never forget. The translated words read, “we are equal.” Of course, she was referring to our age but, truly, despite all of our differences, I’m a guy from the suburbs who thinks about homework, traffic, and ice cream cake. And she’s living in an impoverished batey in a sugarcane field. And yet, we’re both just kids trying to make the world a better place. We are equal. "​
Madiella
Bracket Breaker
"Basketball will always be a part of my life. Whether I play D1 in college or coach in a youth league, basketball will always be a part of my identity. But, after meeting the beautiful people in the Dominican, I feel an obligation to go back. I made friends. I made promises. Even if it means missing out on some opportunities in basketball, I need to make more time to serve more. More time to make the world a better place. "​
Kate
Cradle Kate
"While I do believe that I helped them, in many ways, they also helped me. As the week went on, I found that leaning on my peers and finding the thing I loved helping with (which was rocking babies to sleep) really helped me believe that I could make a difference. By the end of the week, I was able to see the impact that I had made once I overcame those challenges and set myself up for greatness.​"
Atasha
Atasha of the Tiny Tots
"Our service in the Dominican revolved around empathy. Together as a team, we saw how hard life is like in the bateys. We understood how these people live and how they feel. We bonded with them and made connections we'll never forget.​"
Quinn
Grateful
"Our connection with the kids and even the adults in Batey 50 and the other bateys really made the trip more wholesome and enjoyable for us. It helped take our minds off our worries and made us feel better seeing the kid's happiness of us just being there."
Logan
Whoops
Logan earned his nickname before we landed in the Dominican Republic. It shows how our bonds deepened and our friendships flourished quickly and fearlessly.
Bri
Leche Lady
"Many of the children that we met used nicknames. For example I met a young boy who told us his name was Leche. Only recently, we realized that Leche means milk in Spanish. Maybe he wasn’t telling us his name. Maybe he was just asking for some milk."
Ty
Docu-dad
A rare picture of Ty, our resident cameraman who is usually behind the camera and rarely in front of it. His footage allowed us to create a film that has won awards in dozens of film festivals around the world.
Brianna
Poster-child
"I was honored that SERV chose to use a picture of me as the image for the film poster for the short film that we made about our service work. Holding that little girl in my arms, I realized how powerful a simple embrace can be. The connections I made with the children in the villages weren’t just fleeting moments—they were reminders of how much love and care we can share, even across miles and cultures."
