Students travel to Cedar Point, raise money for local charity

The near four-hour drive down to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, was worth it so much, the Public Service Residential Community did it twice. Each time they raised money for a good cause  in Mount Pleasant while experiencing a bit of fun at the famed amusement park.

The group, comprising 30 students who live in Barnes Hall, is a part of a one-credit class held each semester focusing on public service, work together and volunteer to raise money for different organizations.

The first of the two Cedar Point trips raised $1,100 for the local non-profit organization the Community Compassion Network. The network caters different mobile food pantries around Mount Pleasant and around campus as well.

South Lyon junior and Public Service Residential Community member Kelly Irwin said the group's efforts benefit the community and those who are less fortunate.

"We will give them the money we raise and that money will go toward buying a food truck," the third-year PSRC member said.

She said the group, who chooses to go down to Ohio to raise money instead of fundraising in Mount Pleasant, is hired for the day they are at the park to do various jobs around the grounds then whatever money they earn from the jobs is donated toward the charity.

"You're doing something for your community at home," she said.

Cedar Point Merchandise Operations Manager Sam Bryant said the group was invited back after the job they did on their first trip.

"They were very responsible," Bryant said. "They were a really good group to work with."

He said the group worked in shifts and did various jobs including running cash registers and helping guests find items and their way around the park.

"Most importantly, giving good guest service," he said. "That group has met all of those goals and all of those achievements so we bring them back."

Garden City freshman Rachel Quinn went on the second of the two trips on the weekend of Oct. 26 and has done work with the PSRC beforehand.

She said she helped previously with a backpack drive put on by the CCM where backpacks filled with notebooks, colored pencils and pens, among other items, were given out to Mount Pleasant children.

In her first semester with the PRSC, she said the Cedar Point trips were very rewarding.

"I think people take for granted all the privileges they have," Quinn said. "When you volunteer it makes you down-to-Earth and makes you realize how blessed you really are"