Harvest of help

From delivering the flu vaccine in Pontiac to packing medical supplies to be sent around the world, fall saw volunteers from OUWB stepping up for community service all across metro Detroit.

They volunteered at a Hope Warming Center Flu Vaccine Clinic in Pontiac, MIU’s 11^th Annual Men’s Health Event at Ford Field in Detroit, the Beaumont Student Heart Check Hydration Station at the Free Press Marathon in Detroit, and the “Healthy Halloween” Trunk or Treat at the Pontiac Farmer’s Market.

Students even harvested fresh vegetables at a new garden they established earlier in the year at the Gary Burnstein Community Clinic in Pontiac.

The biggest OUWB community service event of the season was held Oct. 23-24, when about 50 people from OUWB volunteered for the annual Make a Difference Day — or in this case, Weekend — of Service.

On Oct. 23, many volunteered at World Medical Relief in Southfield and the Hope Warming Center. On Oct. 24, students volunteered at a Michigan Humane Society Flu Clinic in Rochester.

“We have a truly great community at OUWB and the fact that so many volunteered their time and energy on a weekend reinforces that,” said Jean Szura, Ph.D., director of Service Learning.

“You can tell that people are genuinely invested in giving back and even tying what they are doing in their service activities back to what they are doing in their courses,” she added.

At World Medical Relief, volunteers sorted and packed medical supplies donated by local health care providers and destined for overseas clinics.

George Samson, Ph.D., president and CEO, World Medical Relief, said volunteers like those from OUWB keep the organization up and running.

“Without them, I don’t think we can do very effective work,” he says. “Because of the way the volunteers step up, we are able to help a lot of people out there.”

First-year medical student Nolan Shoukri was among the volunteers at World Medical Relief.

“We have the resource of time and the resource of labor that we can give back to the community, so I figured I could come here, help out, and give back in the best possible way,” he said.

First-year Darshana Blaise also volunteered at World Medical Relief and said she feels it’s important to serve the community whenever possible.

“A big part of being a doctor is not just seeing patients, but working with communities to support them,” she said. “This is more than just sorting things…this is about helping others in need.”

At Hope Warming Center, OUWB volunteers spent a chilly, gray morning outside, staining a wood fence and pavilion.

Brian Wright, operations officer, Hope Warming Center, said volunteers make a “big, big difference.”

“It helps us connect with the volunteers in a way that will hopefully be a lifelong connection,” he said. “We’ve also got work that needs to be done…and volunteers are at a premium right now.”

Emelie-jo Scheffler, a first-year medical student, said she volunteered as a way to connect with the community.

“I’m from out-of-state and did a lot of volunteering work previously,” she said. “I’m looking for ways to get more connected to the community here.”

Corey Shafer, also a first-year medical student, said he’s always looking for opportunities to volunteer.

“This is a great way to help out and do something outside of my medical skills to help the community,” he said.

Second-year medical student Brandon Prentice said he viewed volunteering as a way to meet more people from the OUWB community.

“Before today, I hadn’t had a chance to volunteer at Hope, but I very much connect to its mission and goals,” he said. “I’m here to support the organization in any way I can.”

Szura said “it felt great” to have the in-person Make a Difference event return in 2021.

“Being able to connect with one another as well as the community in an in-person setting is refreshing and really reminds us of why we're doing what we're doing,” she said.