[East Lansing, Mich: Election Day, 2008]

Do you remember the first president you voted for? I'd bet you do! Most of us remember what it felt like to pull that lever, punch that card or fill in that circle in the election that initiated us into adult civic life. On this past Election Day students from four Michigan State dormitories whose polling place is All Saints Church in East Lansing got a free ride to and from All Saints and refreshments while they waited in line. As one freshman waited for the bus to take him back to his dorm in Mason Hall he was heard to say, "Wow! What a great place, they pick you up, feed you and bring you back home too!"

Weeks before the election Canterbury MSU's chaplain, the Rev. Sarah Midzalkowski, and the rector of All Saints, East Lansing, the Rev. Kit Carlson, worked with officials at the Mason/Abbot and Snyder/Phillips residential housing office on the MSU campus to provide transportation to vote at All Saints. These four dormitories mainly house freshmen who are not allowed to bring cars to MSU in their first year. A student would have quite a long walk to get to All Saints to vote during a busy day of classes and studying and so historically very few students have showed up to vote.

On Tuesday, November 4, Canterbury MSU student drivers and volunteer drivers from St. Paul's, Lansing, drove an estimated 400 students to vote in an historic election. When students arrived at All Saints they were greeted by Canterbury MSU Board members and offered coffee, cider, cookies and donuts while they waited in line to get their ballot. Many took advantage of the snacks and received information about the Episcopal Chaplaincy at Michigan State.

The "Bustang"—as the students call it—is a 12-passenger, wheelchair-accessible, custom Ford bus that was purchased in 2006 with generous grants from the United Thank Offering and the Diocese of Michigan. Each Sunday a publicized route is driven on the MSU campus to pick up students and bring them to the Canterbury service and dinner held at All Saints Church on Abbot Road. But on this passed Election Day it drove students into the history books. To find out more about Canterbury MSU please visit us on the Web .