Rural Retreat

Site Description:

Rural Retreat is the home of Dr. Pepper, the pharmacist behind the beverage. This is a dynamic community where individuals work side by side with the students to complete work projects at homes and in the community. Students will have an opportunity to participate in many community activities, such as doing service with clients from a county social services department, and at the Rural Retreat Elementary School. The town of Rural Retreat and the county are in a state of transition, so the poverty in the area is not as visible as at other sites, but there is still a great need to which students will be introduced.

Site Resources:

http://www.ruralretreathistoricalsociety.com/

Site Contact:

We discourage students from directly contacting the site; all reservations are made through the Center for Social Concerns. Further emergency contact information will be provided to students upon enrollment in the seminar.

Jayne Hall: jkhall@rhsheppard.com; (276) 228-4000, Ext. 221

Lodging:

Shower time is limited; students should be prepared for about two showers during the week. Students will be sleeping in a common room furnished with bunk beds, but students will need to bring their own pillow, blankets and/or sheets, and towels.

Travel:

Students will arrive at Rural Retreat from 5:00–6:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 7. Students will leave the site and return to Notre Dame the following Saturday morning, March 13.

Personal Expenses:

Students must pay for their own meals while they travel from Notre Dame to the site on Sunday and back to Notre Dame from the site on Friday or Saturday. Students are requested to bring enough money to pay for these 2–3 meals, and it is also suggested that students bring extra spending money for personal purchases during their immersion. The availability of ATMs varies with each site, and so in the interest of avoiding fees or running out of money, it is suggested that students have a reasonable amount of cash on hand before the immersion.

Meals:

Meals are provided.