College students with blank calendars during the summer may soon have the opportunity to partake in a twist on the “great american road trip,” by combing a cross-country adventure with volunteering.

UW alumnus Jonathon Gosch designed the Town to Town program as a cost-effective and enjoyable way for students to give back to communities in need.

“I always wanted to go on an American road trip. Other people do as well, but they never have the opportunity to,” Gosch said. “With this, people will have the opportunity to see the country, meet a lot of people from different regions and do some good.”

Gosch is joined by Brandon Krebs, a UW alumnus and fellow member of the Sigma Nu fraternity, in planning the project.

The trip Gosch and Krebs envision includes a bus of 50 that would travel around the country from June to September, visiting communities that could use college students willing to work. Ideally, the entire experience would be free to volunteers.

New Orleans would be the midpoint, with volunteers reaching the South after traveling from Seattle and through the Southwest. After their stay in the South, the volunteers would move up through the Midwest.

“The philosophy behind the trip is to eliminate the bureaucracy of government organizations and work directly with the community,” Gosch said. “In that way it will be cheaper and more fulfilling.”

Volunteers also have more freedom with a student-run program than a government-based program like AmeriCorps.

“If people wanted to volunteer, they could go to something like AmeriCorps. But if you do that, you’re stuck in one place for the whole summer,” Gosch said.

The cost of larger organizations was also a factor in Gosch’s decision to implement the student-run program.

“It costs $7,000 for the summer to send an AmeriCorps person out in the field,” Gosch said. “For [Town to Town] it would cost about $1,200.”

The costs of the trip, including amenities and lodging, would be covered in part by corporate sponsorship, donations and contributions from the communities where volunteers would be staying.

“[Volunteers] would only need to bring a tent, sleeping bag and work clothes,” Gosch said. “The town would pay for the food and supply campsites. The bus and gas would be covered by corporate sponsorship.”

Because Town to Town is still in its early stages, Gosch and Krebs have not found organizations willing to donate transportation or sponsorship, which may limit the duration of the excursion.

“We don’t need big sponsorship this summer,” Krebs said. “If you have a successful smaller sponsorship you can go to bigger companies. It’s like a step ladder; this summer is about building that first step.”

Krebs has been planning smaller volunteer opportunities before the summer. In July, Town to Town plans to travel to Montana and Northern California on a two-week volunteering trip.

“We’re having different events in local towns: clearing out brush, building fences, digging ditches — hopefully something the locals can get involved with as well.” Krebs said.

“We’re looking for people who want to make a difference and people who just want to travel,” Gosch said. “College students typically just get summer jobs. This is something that’s a lot better; it shows your character.”

[Reach reporter Kyle Frischkorn at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]