Seven Miami University volunteers will skip the beach this Spring Break to help rebuild areas devastated by Hurricane Rita. The volunteers will travel to Lake Charles, Louisiana, during the week of March 10 - 17, to take part in United Way of America's Alternative Spring Break.

"Alternative Spring Break is giving me the opportunity to do this for survivors of the hurricanes," said Brittany Treacy, Miami University volunteer. "It is such a blessing to be able to do something purposeful during my spring break."

The volunteers joined ASB following a joint recruiting effort by Butler County United Way, United Way of Oxford, Ohio & Vicinity and Miami University.

The seven MU volunteers are:

• Ben Even
• Jeffrey Gleason
• Lesley Jenkins
• Kala Levine
• Brittany Treacy
• Chrissa Williams
• Joliana Yee

Miami University ASB volunteer Jeffrey Gleason joined the project after experiencing Hurricane Katrina first-hand.

"My senior year in high school I was accepted into Tulane University in New Orleans. Little did I know my freshman year in New Orleans would be non-existent," said Jeffrey Gleason, ASB volunteer from Miami University. "On my first day in the city, my entire freshman class was evacuated and sent to Jackson State in Mississippi".

During Alternative Spring Break, volunteers will participate in various community rebuilding projects; such as providing renovation to impacted child care facilities, housing rehabilitation and environmental restoration.

"The Gulf Coast needs our help," adds Gleason, "and this ASB project is a great way to get myself and other young people involved in its recovery."

Alternative Spring Break is a program of United Way of America, originally created in partnership with think MTV. The goal of the program is to inspire young people to engage in community service during their spring vacation and help rebuild the Gulf Coast still devastated by the hurricanes of 2005.