Cavs in the Dominican

By Ken Harkenrider
Athletic Director

It is a well-known reference, one that calls to mind the many impacts, both seen and unseen, of a single action: “the ripple effect.” For the 11^th time overall, but the first since 2019, a group of 28 Canterbury High School students took a trip to the Dominican Republican as part of their May Term service project. I had direct insight into the many ways a “Dominican Ripple Effect” could be set in motion.

Joining along as a faculty chaperone, I watched with interest how these enthusiastic young students robustly engaged with members of our Lighthouse staff hosts, as well as members of the local community. Whether shoveling sand, pouring concrete, or mingling with the neighborhood children, it became clear that these experiences will send ripples out into our students’ future lives. Developing empathy for these people and the lives they have, our students will be challenged from this point forward to view the world in new ways. The takeaways that each student has from this trip, and the connections they made, will be a part of that world view. No doubt the influence they may have as college students, young adults and beyond will evolve as a result of this exposure, and who knows what decisions will be made and what benefits may derive? These ripples alone would make the trip worthwhile, but there are others as well.

The ripples set forth from the previous Canterbury students were there to behold, as we walked through the neighborhood and saw firsthand the houses built through their labor. Once an empty street, now one area impacted showed vibrant signs of life, as the several houses built by earlier Cavs are occupied and spurring additional growth in the neighborhood. The water filtration plant is functioning at capacity, providing life-giving fresh water, as well as jobs and a central point of hope within this small community. The medical facility that received these students’ attention will open within the next year, again providing needed services to the local population and jobs for those capable. Further ripples include several medical groups who have already made contact and are preparing to send rotating crews of doctors to vaccinate and provide other basic levels of care. And, in a truly remarkable development resulting from an earlier visit of a group from Cleveland, ALL the necessary equipment needed to get the medical facility up and running has been donated and will arrive in a matter of months. Similarly, supplies and equipment to facilitate other facets of their operations appear regularly, because someone who can, knew someone who participated in a short service experience, and chose to become part of the mission. Ripples, one and all.

It would be fantastic if at this juncture we could expand the ripples here at Canterbury! Dave and Melissa Walda have successfully carried the momentum through the COVID disruptions, making the initial connections to past groups. Perhaps there are ways we could easily expand the visibility of what takes place in the Dominican throughout the entire school year, so someone who has the ability to contribute in a specialized way can become a part of this ripple effect. Maybe we can consolidate resources that could have a significant impact in the Dominican without major negative impact elsewhere. There are myriad possibilities, and like the beauty of the ripples in a lake, many of these may not be visible to us until we throw that stone. Let’s do it!