Twenty-two Union College students and two faculty members who recently spent a week helping out in a Katrina-ravaged area of New Orleans say the rebuilding work has just begun.
“It seems unreal how fast this week went by and it’s tough to digest everything we saw and did,” said Bilal Mahmood ’08. “I hope we can spread the message of how much help is needed in New Orleans.”
Students experienced first-hand the difficulties facing New Orleans residents as they rebuild. Working side-by-side with AmeriCorps volunteers in the St. Bernard’s Parish region, they gutted buildings, moved refrigerators, hung siding, removed rubbish and repaired roofs. They often lacked appropriate tools and manpower to do the work.
“It’s tough to know where to start in the rebuilding effort when whole communities are devastated,” Mahmood said. “Even though gutting one house and working on a few new houses did [almost] nothing in the grand scheme of the rebuilding project, it seems like the only option is to start fixing things that one can fix.”
The days were long, with work beginning as early as 7 a.m. The nights were cold, as they soon found out. Camp Hope, a renovated elementary school in the parish, which served as their dorm and dining area, lacked insulation and heat. Getting enough sleep after long days of rebuilding was difficult in the 29-degree temperature in the sleeping quarters. Still, it wasn’t all work.
The group took one evening during their weeklong rehabilitation project to hit a bowling alley on Bourbon Street. The 1950s bowling alley afforded a fun evening of “Rock ’n Bowl” and the zydeco dance band allowed the students to cut loose.
Another treat was the promise of a warm bed and heat for their final night in the Big Easy. Laura Eyman ’08, of New Orleans, arranged with her parents for the group to spend their last night at the family’s home.
Union students were charged with documenting and recording their work to help recruit students to continue the effort next year. Accompanying them were Molly S. MacElroy of the Residential Life Department; Janet P. Grigsby, visiting associate professor of sociology; and Gribsby’s 23-year-old son, Matthew. Libby Johnson ’08 and Meagan Keenan ’09 volunteered for their second time.
The $12,000 funding for the Union trip was paid by the same anonymous Union alumnus who funded last year’s efforts. Lew Dubow, father of Risa Dubow ’07, donated safety goggles, masks, gloves and other essential equipment. Dubow’s hardware supply company donated equipment after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and he was eager to contribute to this year’s trip.