Giving back to the High Country: Student reflections from Mountain Day of Service

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, students, faculty, and staff set out across the High Country to volunteer for the annual Mountain Day of Service.

With service locations in both Avery and Watauga counties, more than 450 participants helped out at locations such as the Avery County Humane Society, Hunger and Health Coalition, Western Youth Network, Valle Crucis Community Park, and more.

Experience Mountain Day of Service through the first-hand accounts from those students that served the community.

I feel it is important to give back to the High Country through volunteering because this is our home and we should support one another. My coach chose Feeding Avery Families because he believed it would be a good opportunity for the women’s basketball team to create a stronger bond while also helping the community. At the food pantry, my team and I assisted other volunteers with sorting and packaging nonperishable food items.

Mountain Day of Service means sacrificing your time and energy to serve the community in which you live. Volunteering makes me feel blessed to know that I have the necessary resources to help those around me. I enjoy making others feel loved and Mountain Day of Service is a great way to do that!

“In the Mountains, Of the Mountains, For the Mountains.”

That’s Lees McRae’s motto and what Mountain Day of Service is all about—volunteering for the people of the High Country community. [Lees-McRae] feels like it’s my home away from home and I really believe Mountain Day of Service is an integral part of showing our appreciation to the people who welcomed us here [when we first arrived as students].

The way I gave back [on Mountain Day of Service] was by going to Beech Mountain and doing some trail maintenance on Falls Trail [at the Buckeye Recreation Center]. I chose this because I am an avid hiker and one of the best parts of living in the High Country are the breathtaking, awe-inspiring views it has to offer. So naturally keeping the trails to these views clear and maintained is something of vital importance. On Falls Trail we were assigned with the task of tearing out the old steps and replacing them with brand new ones.

Mountain Day of Service for me as a freshman is a great introduction to how a small community can come together and make a big impact. My experience from volunteering gave me an appreciation for what an outdoor recreation technician does on a daily basis to give us the best experience possible on the great trails of the High Country and how hard they work. My arms and legs were tired, but my heart is content from a job well done.

Giving back to the High Country through volunteering is very important to me. This community has supported me indirectly through helping with our programs and clubs. Taking the time out of my day to do community service in the High Country is my way of thanking the people I have yet to meet for doing the same. 

The Life Care Center of Banner Elk was my first choice for Mountain Day of Service. I was told we would be painting nails and doing arts and crafts. I really enjoyed sitting outside talking to the residents and creating connections with them. You could tell that the residents really enjoyed our company and loved to talk to us as much as we loved to talk to them. When the residents left to eat lunch, we began working on the outdoor patio. The patio was covered in leaves and the cold [weather] had damaged most of their flowers. Our group split up into two groups and began to clean up outside. One group planted beautiful yellow and orange flowers by the miniature golf pad, while the other group cleaned up the leaves and trimmed the rose bushes. In the end, it looked amazing and I was excited to see how the residents enjoyed the patio now that it was cleaned up and their flowers were planted. 

Mountain Day of Service means to me a lot of things. It means that I can do my part in the community, and it means that I can take a moment to stop and appreciate what I have and what I can do to help others. Seeing how many students and faculty that signed up to help out on Mountain Day was amazing. Everyone should take a few moments out of their day to help out in their community. From picking up trash to hanging out with the residents at the Life Care Center, there is so much that can be done.

I feel it’s important to give back to the High Country through volunteer work because I’m so grateful to be able to live in this beautiful area that is filled with incredible opportunities. Along with keeping the area beautiful, I feel it’s important to come together as a community to improve the quality of life and make people happier and healthier around us.

I picked Valle Crucis Community Park as my service location because it was one of the first places I visited in the area when I came to look at Lees-McRae. I felt like I was at home and I wanted to help with the upkeep of the park to give others that opportunity. There, we dug up gravel from the grass surrounding the walkway so that new vegetation could grow. We also painted the pavilion in the center of the park.

Mountain Day of Service to me is a day we get to give back to the place that gives us so much. We’re so lucky to get the opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful areas with a strong community. Being able to dedicate a whole day to give back to the people and environment is really special. Volunteering makes me feel grateful for all I’m able to contribute and do! The feeling I get from helping others is unlike any other.