Twenty three doctors-in-training at American University of the Caribbean
(AUC) School of Medicine set aside their stereoscopes and thermometers on Saturday, June 18, to engage in voluntary work at the Agricultural Station of the St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation on the L.B. Scott Road.
The voluntary work was part of AUC students’ Community Action Day (CAD) - a once-a-semester event that engages students in community service work around the country. The Agricultural Station Project was one of 11 sites where CAD was conducted on June 18, where a total of 200 students, faculty members, colleagues and their families volunteered a combined total of 775 hours of service.
At the start of the Tzu Chi voluntary exercise in the morning hours, the medical students were split into several groups and they worked together with Tzu Chi volunteers to ensure that the foundation’s Agricultural Station Project is properly and safely prepared for the current hurricane season. The exercise was also geared towards environmental protection.
Assigned tasked included infrastructure painting; raking the many leaves and rotted fruit that fell from the fruit and other trees in the Agricultural Station and transferring these into compost bins; pruning and picking fruits of coconuts; mangoes and ackee trees; transplanting seedlings; removal of unwanted debris for garbage disposal and using prepared garbage enzymes to protect trees and plants.
During the voluntary exercise, participants were kept hydrated with fresh homemade drinks and healthy vegetarian snacks provided by Tzu Chi.
At noon, the students participated in a video and live presentation of the many benefits of Garbage Enzymes for the community and several students also shared their experience of the day.
The exercise wound down with participants being treated to a sumptuous vegetarian lunch and drinks.
Tzu Chi St. Maarten Foundation Commissioner Sandra Cheung said she is deeply appreciative of the continuous efforts of AUC to promote volunteerism within the local community and for their efforts to help get the Tzu Chi Agricultural Station ready for the hurricane season.
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tAUC students volunteer at Tzu Chi Agricultural Station.
"
