While many Washburn students likely took the much anticipated spring vacation to relax, the campus’ Young Life club had other plans.

Young Life is a non-denominational Christian ministry organization devoted to working with students and helping them forge their lives’ paths.

Washburn’s club is but one of the many active around the United States and is attended weekly by nearly 50 students.

On Saturday March 12, just a day after classes ceased, a group of 30 students left for Table Rock Lake, Missouri, to take part in Work Week, an annual spring event devoted to the preparation of a summer camp at Clearwater Cove. Jobs included painting, landscaping, construction and more.

A total of four or five college groups made the trek to Table Rock for this particular week including Washburn’s own. Their primary task was clearing a tree line to make way for a pool construction as well as building up a creek bed. Everyone worked hard from sunrise to sundown from Saturday until Tuesday, and smiles were aplenty throughout the event, each day capping off with some entertainment brought about by each other including skits, games, music and speakers.

In addition to simply sharing community and enduring physical labor, those in attendance felt as though they were truly making a difference.

“It seemed like such a small act,” said Sarah Barnell, freshman PTA major and Young Life member. “But as time passed, I began to realize that we are building a camp where kids would come and literally have the best week of their lives.”

“Everything at the camp is done with excellence,” Barnell said. “Kids who have never been able to sleep on a comfortable bed will go there and be able to sleep on memory foam mattresses.”

Even more so than the satisfaction of a hard day’s work, the spiritual satisfaction seemed to be out in full force.

“The best thing they will receive when they go to camp is the Gospel, and I am so thankful that we had the opportunity to help with this project, which will change the lives of so many people,” Barnell said.