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Service to Homeless Brings Reward
by Ashley Poulter
Kacie Cardwell (left) with friend and co-worker Jenny Daws
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Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Mars Hill College Sophomore Kacie Cardwell shows up at the A-HOPE Center for the homeless in Asheville to start her volunteer shift. Usually the day's jobs include checking mail for the homeless clients, talking and socializing with them, or handing out toiletries such as soap and shampoo for the showers.
Sometimes she even acts as a medic for the clients. One day a woman came in with a cut behind her ear that had become infected. Cardwell put on some sterile gloves and swabbed iodine on the cut to help it heal.
By the end of her sophomore spring semester, Cardwell will have put in about 300 hours of service work.
This is one of the reasons Cardwell was recently chosen to receive the Michael H. Emory Award, given to students who show Christ-like compassion, loyalty and service to those who are socially or otherwise oppressed. The award - $500 this year -- is based on nominations by fellow students or teachers.
"Kacie has shown great compassion, loyalty, and service toward the homeless people of Asheville," said fellow student Jenny Daws, who nominated Cardwell for the award. "Her enthusiasm for reaching out to the homeless has spread across the campus and inspired many others, such as myself, to begin to work with the homeless. Kacie is very deserving of the Michael Emory award and her efforts deserve to be rewarded...even though she would never admit to that. She's so humble!"
Cardwell also was awarded a $1,000 grant from the Hester Center for Peace and Justice for her proposal to work with the homeless this summer through an outreach program at Times Square Church in New York City. She will be traveling to New York with Daws. Her proposal included a description of the project and a budget. She must turn in a paper about her trip when she returns.
"I can't really remember exactly how I reacted when I found out I had won the awards," Cardwell laughs, "I'm sure I screamed pretty loudly. Maybe even jumped up and down."
Cardwell and Daws at the awards ceremony where Daws introduced her friend
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The awards were announced in April during a Community Service Convocation in Broyhill Chapel.
Cardwell has always been interested in helping those in need. "I think volunteering at places like A-HOPE forces you to engage with people you might have otherwise avoided. It definitely changes your perspective about people and the world."
Cardwell originally began her internship with A-HOPE to gain hours to meet her scholarship program guidelines. As a Grayson Scholar, Cardwell must complete 70 hours per year of service to the community. The work she has done at A-HOPE has far exceeded those requirements.
Once she got there she quickly became hooked on the people and co-workers. "I was immediately intrigued. I just remember it really having an impact on me. It really just changed my whole point of view on things."
A-HOPE is uniquely a 'wet shelter,' meaning that people will not be turned away if drunk or high on drugs. The center gives them an address to put on job applications. It's a place where they can also come to get a shower and socialize with others. "It's really awesome because you're always doing something new. It's really cool to interact with people. It really grew on me and drew me in."
She has also begun preparing a documentary that she will be shooting in and around Asheville with the help of fellow student Josh Doby as cameraman. She hopes to incorporate interviews from other students about their views on the homeless.
Her favorite job at A-HOPE is talking with the people that come in and getting to know them. Even with all the good people and times at A-HOPE, there are still some things that are hard on the volunteers. One of the homeless men who visited the center was taken one day to Mission Hospital for an illness. After receiving treatment, he was arrested when he would not leave the hospital. He was put in jail and was later found dead in his cell. "He was always really polite when he came in," Cardwell says, "Always saying 'please' when he wanted anything from us."
Cardwell is happy to be able to help others. A-HOPE is a project she loves to be a part of. As a Grayson scholar, she will continue to gain hours through her work at the shelter and will volunteer at A-HOPE as much as she can next year.
"I really feel like this is something God has called me to right now. It has changed so much stuff in my life. I just love helping the community. I think God really has called us to love those in need, to help feed and clothe the hungry. Something I have realized recently is that when we help others, it relieves our own oppressions. It helps us let go of our prejudices and the things we're holding onto. It makes us better people."
Reader Comment:
Joan & Andrew Scott, 5/11/2008, 3:18 p.m.
We have known Kacie since she was born. She has always been a bright, caring and loving person. It does not surprise us that's she's turned out to be a wonderful young woman who genuinely cares about helping others.
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