Service and Story: Blue Jay Road Crew Shares Westminster Message

Three Westminster students traveled to 16 different cities in six states on this summer’s Blue Jay Road Trip. They provided disaster relief to victims of the recent Oklahoma tornado tragedy and performed relief work in Joplin and Nashville and community service in Dallas. Along the way, they shared the Westminster College success story and mission with alumni, parents, students, prospective students and their parents.

Pictured far right, Courtney Darkow, a recent Westminster graduate in biology from Columbia, MO; Michael Applegate (pictured far left), a senior political science and leadership major from Mountain Grove, MO; and Michael Greaves (center), a recent biology pre-dental graduate from Fenton Missouri; are the members of this Blue Jay Road Crew.

As part of their trip, the crew surveyed Joplin, MO residents who were affected by tornadoes to provide support and to report their findings to the central office that provides relief. This initiative called Rebuild Joplin is sponsored by Americorps. Rebuild Joplin is a non-profit agency partnered with the St. Bernard Project to provide long-term recovery and rebuilding systems. Through directed and coordinated services, Rebuild Joplin ensures that tornado-impacted residents have access to affordable and safe housing, delivered through coordinated, efficient and ever-improving construction systems and partnerships.

In Oklahoma City, the crew helped the Infant Crisis Center in their tornado disaster relief efforts. Infant Crisis Services supplies life-sustaining formula and food as well as diapers and clothing for babies and toddlers in times of crisis, assisting more than 1,200 infants and toddlers per month.  Road crew members met and provided assistance to women and children supported by the Center and assisted in stocking the Center’s supply room.

The crew met with families who have been aided by Habitat for Humanity in Nashville, TN and helped in organizing and stocking the group’s ReStore.

The crew was accompanied on their trip by Sharon Mather, Westminster Director of Alumni Engagement and Event Management. The group began their journey with a kickoff event May 14 with a trip to St. Louis to join more than 900 Westminster people at a pre-game event at Mike Shannon’s followed by a Cardinals game.

Check out photos from their trip.