Helping the Homeless: Lawrence University's Smith Honored as Salvation Army Volunteer of the Year

APPLETON, WIS. -- Sean Smith never dreamed a random bout of curiosity would ever turn into community recognition.

Smith, a sophomore at Lawrence University from Ripon, was honored recently by the Appleton chapter of the Salvation Army as its "Volunteer of the Year" for his contributions to their homeless shelter. Smith was one of several Fox Valley residents who were publicly recognized for their efforts at a gala "Celebrating Our Volunteers" banquet in downtown Appleton.

"I was pretty surprised as well as flattered and honored when I found out I would be receiving the award," said Smith, 19, the son of Brian and Mary Kaye Smith, Ripon. "I certainly didn't think I did anything special to deserve it."

A casual comment by a Lawrence classmate first piqued Smith's interest in the Salvation Army's homeless shelter, which is located just a couple of blocks from the west end of the Lawrence campus. Curiosity persuaded him to stop at the shelter one Friday night in February of last year and compassionate concern has brought him back nearly every Friday night since, at least while he's atttending Lawrence.

During Smith's visits, which he says can keep him there anywhere from an hour to three or four hours, he helps with a variety of chores around the shelter, doing everything from washing dirty laundry and cleaning bedrooms to sprucing things up out in the yard.

"It's been a very positive experience. The Salvation Army is such a fabulous organization," says Smith, a biology and classics major who last spring was named a Wriston Scholar. One of Lawrence's most prestigious academic honors, the Wriston Scholarship is awarded to select students who demonstrate "the qualities one associates with a truly educated person."

Smith said he doesn't make an issue of his student status when he volunteers and most times blends in so well some of the residents assume he is one of them.

"If they ask me, I tell them I'm a student at Lawrence University, but a lot of them just think I'm hanging out there because I'm homeless too," said Smith. "I've met lots of different people there, including some who have college degrees and for whatever reason are just down on their luck at the moment. It does make you stop and think about what happened to them and how they wound up here."

While his initial curiosity has long since been satisfied, Smith plans to continue filling his date book on Friday nights with visits with some of the area's less fortunate. "It's an honor to be part of the Salvation Army as a volunteer."