Reading, Weeding, and Ice-Creaming

¡Feliz Lunes desde Arizona! (Happy Monday from Arizona!)

Today our group embarked on our first day of true service here in Tucson, AZ. After a telling conversation about the one person each of us would choose to have a meal with (anyone dead/alive and real/fictional), the group took a short ride over to the Pio Decimo Center and was welcomed by our friend, John Lohse. Not only is John a member of the Catholic Community Services board, but he’s also an engaged volunteer at the Pio Decimo Center. After arriving, we were oriented on all of the services that the Center offers to the Tucson area by John and Marcia, the executive director of Pio Decimo Center.

The Pio Decimo Center is a branch of the Catholic Community Services (another name for Catholic Charities) of Southern Arizona, which provides services to a portion of the state that is approximately the land size of Pennsylvania. The Center offers numerous programs to aid low-income individuals and families including a food pantry, clothing closet, a five star early childhood education and after school program, financial literacy and social integration courses, income tax assistance, and transitional housing for families and seniors. All of these services are free to the community, aside from a small portion of rent paid by families in the transitional apartments.

After learning about and touring the Pio Decimo Center, which spans two full city blocks, our group began some outdoor landscaping work for the residents living in transitional apartments. With eleven bodies (our ten group members + John), three hours, and some lovely Arizona weather, we sure made a dent in weeding for the four apartments’ yards.

Lunch came and was well-received as our group thoroughly enjoyed some PBJs crafted with love. Our group used lunch to regroup from the morning and refocus on the afternoon, which included reorganizing the Center’s library and spending time with the youth in pre-kindergarten and in the after school program. Each of us made some new friends this afternoon and played at various centers and reading with the four and five year olds in the pre kindergarten school room. Then, our group split to finish the library undertaking and play a rousing game of kickball with the after school program.

The group came home to snack and share laughs to prepare for a lovely dinner of stir fry. We could not forget our nightly ice cream thanks to Dr. T. We are looking forward to tomorrow to learn more about the Casa Alitas mission!

XOXO,
AZ ABST

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