While you may have spent this past weekend laying by the pool or exploring the bars downtown, Kristen Ziegler spent hers walking for a cause.
The third annual Hunger March, hosted by the Committee of 19, took place this past weekend as students and community activists walked to and from Notasulga to help raise awareness of the hunger problem in surrounding areas.
"It's the third one we've done, and it's a 25-mile walk to and from Notasulga," said Ziegler, freshman in social work with a minor in hunger studies. "I think overall the Hunger March this year went really well. I had a lot of fun, too."
The weekend also included a community forum and dinner with local leaders, as well as a day of service Saturday involving construction projects and food distribution through the Mobile Food Pantry.
"We were trying to do something different than what the Committee of 19 has done in the past, and one thing we decided we want to focus on was the personal relationship with Notasulga," Ziegler said. "I'm really excited to see how the Committee of 19 develops this relationship in the next coming year, and I'm so glad I get to be a part of it."
The marchers stayed both nights in the Notasulga United Methodist Church.
This year's march was different from the past two, where marchers walked 60 miles to Montgomery.
"In the future, we want to involve more and more of the student body to really get to know the people just 12 miles down the road," Ziegler said. "Instead of just doing a bunch of service projects, we wanted educate ourselves about the community and connect with them. I know I met several amazing people from Notasulga and learned a lot."
Ziegler's unfaltering dedication to these events does not go unnoticed.
"Kristen went above and beyond this year in helping with publicity efforts for the Hunger March, taking great initiative to spread word of the event in classrooms and chapter visits," said Clark Solomon, senior in political science and president of the Committee of 19. "She was one of the many volunteers in the Committee of 19 who helped make the Hunger March a resounding success this year."
Those closest to Ziegler also noticed how dedicated she has become to service this year.
"Kristen has been so dedicated to hunger since the first day out of Honors Lyceum on World Hunger," said Chelsea Crooks, sophomore in biochemistry and Ziegler's roommate. "She took the initiative to start a Facebook group, email list, etc. She truly has a unique passion for hunger. She is extremely motivated about this cause, and I think her enthusiasm is extremely admirable and is something we should all strive for."
Ziegler said her passion for raising awareness of the hunger problem in this area started when she first heard about the on-campus efforts to help.
"Last semester, Clark Solomon and Cole Sterling, who are both officers, came to talk to my honors freshman experience class, and I was really interested in it," Ziegler said. "This semester, I ended up volunteering for a few things, and it kind of just snowballed."
Ziegler, who now serves on the publicity committee, plans to continue her involvement in the Committee of 19 and the Hunger March.
"I guess I don't think about hunger as being an American problem," Ziegler said. "I learned this semester through working with Committee of 19 about how hunger is really a big deal here as well."
Ziegler said she is involved in student ministry and believes her passion for service is what drives her to continue seeking out new ways to help.
" I just have a heart for service," Ziegler said. "I love it. That's just how I am, and so I'm really happy that I can find a way to help people here."
Although she has devoted much of her free time over the years toward helping others, Ziegler stresses that even a small amount of time spent volunteering can go a long way.
"Even as a student or as a young person, there's a lot that you can do," Ziegler said. "You can really do lots of little things to help people out around the community or around campus."
Hunger, however, is one problem she said she believes needs as much attention and help as possible.
"You can't just close your eyes and hope it goes away," Ziegler said. "It affects millions of people in America, tons of people just down the road.
"So I would say that I think we have a responsibility."
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