Kate Neal

By Isaac Ramirez

Kate Neal, Austin sophomore, likes to dedicate part of her life to charity and other people in need. Recently, Neal traveled to the Bahamas on a mission trip where she cooperated with five different groups of teenagers to complete several volunteer construction projects.

“ We had one site where we built a roof for a person’s house,” Neal said. “We also worked on a church and added on a room to the building. They had started it but did not have enough funds to finish it.”

Neal also worked at an orphanage for the mentally handicapped where she helped build cabinets and a wheelchair ramp. She also took the opportunity to play games with the children while she was at the orphanage. Neal also visited with the elderly at a nursing home while also completing other tasks.

“We worked at a retirement facility and painted the exterior of the building and some interior as well,” Neal said.

Neal is now looking forward to another mission trip to Las Cruces, New Mexico the first week of January.

“The trip will mostly be construction like rebuilding roofs and adding on to buildings,” Neal said.

For right now, Neal will concentrate on her job as a copy editor for the Pine Log and on completing her major in public relations. She would like to work in pubic relations for a major company after leaving Stephen F. Austin State University, but she would still enjoy mission trips.

“My dream is to help people and be happy doing it,” Neal said.