Contact a Volunteer:Interested in joining Kent State students, faculty and staff for the March 24-31 volunteer trip? Not sure what to expect? Contact a seasoned pro – the following volunteers wrote about their experiences for the Akron Beacon Journal, and they’d be happy to answer your questions. Just send them an e-mail message.
Kent State brings new hope for the new year...
By Megan Grote
megrote@kent.edu
Nearly 50 Kent State students, faculty and staff are returning to the Gulf Coast region Jan. 4-11 to continue Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
Last spring I was one of the 400-plus Kent State students, faculty and staff who went to the Gulf Coast to initiate Kent State’s relief work. I couldn’t wait for a chance to return again.
The holidays seem like the perfect time to take a step back and help someone else for a change. Working in retail over winter break, I could feel myself getting caught up in the holiday rush and forgetting what is really important.
Volunteering in the Gulf Coast allows me to forget about the insignificant worries and stresses of everyday life. I am able to see the big picture and the true purpose of the trip. Whether I am nailing a shingle on a roof, putting a smile on someone’s face or laughing with a new friend: I am there to rebuild hope.
I can still remember sitting in the bus when we first arrived in Pass Christian, Miss., last March. It was 6 a.m. and just turning to daylight. The road gave way to what looked like an eerie ghost town. As we drove past, I was scanning the scenery for evidence of destruction; all around were broken tree limbs and concrete slabs where houses once stood.
I questioned what difference we were really going to make. Four hundred volunteers could not rebuild the entire Gulf Coast area. I guess I was a little naïve to think that we could.
Before I actually started working in the devastated areas of Biloxi and Pass Christian, Miss., I thought the trip was going to be a harsh eye-opener. I thought we would all be overcome with sadness and anger about the injustice of such a catastrophic event. But the truth is, I laughed and smiled each day in the Gulf Coast, maybe even more than I usually do in Ohio.
Our lives as volunteers were simple. We were there to help in any way we could, so we did.
As insignificant and small as our efforts seem in the grand scheme of the Gulf Coast devastation, our efforts are significant and important to those we help. We are not just restoring a roof or a home; we are restoring hope for these people to move forward one day at a time.
Second impressions from the Gulf Coast…
By Megan Grote
megrote@kent.edu
I am excited to be back in Mississippi with nearly 50 Kent State students, faculty and staff. Almost half of us were here last spring to begin Kent State’s ongoing commitment to rebuild the Hurricane Katrina devastated areas along the Gulf Coast, near Biloxi, Miss.
The first visible signs of relief can be seen driving on Highway 90, which runs along the coastline. Small differences are visible, and many of them are not what I was expecting. When we arrived around midnight, the first thing to catch our eye was not dismantled homes and buildings, but a brightly-lit, flashy casino.
As we drove on to our campsite, Camp Seashore, run by the United Methodist Church, I was left wondering: Who would want to come here now to gamble and vacation amidst the devastation?
However, many of the region’s residents are thankful for the casinos because they help boost the economy. I just wish there were signs that the relief efforts were impacting individuals and their families in a more direct way.
The beachfront mansions, casinos and hotels show the most rebuilding progress.
It is disheartening to see those who cannot afford to rebuild on their own living in FEMA trailers. I understand how those who have trailers on a foundation where their house once stood can feel completely frustrated. They feel forgotten.
I have not forgotten the experiences and the people I met last spring in the Gulf Coast. We may not rebuild an entire home from scratch, but our work does make an impact.
Today, after we completed our day of work, we visited a city park we helped to revitalize in Pass Christian, Miss., where 80 percent of the town was leveled during the storm. During last spring’s trip, the first task for all 400 volunteers was to begin clearing debris to bring the park back to life.
The park was the central symbol for Pass Christian. While revisiting it today, I saw how the park has once again returned as the pride of the town. With a newly refurbished gazebo, playground and holiday decorations, an outsider would never know the park was once more than 20 feet under water during Hurricane Katrina.
Traveling west along the beach and looking out to the Gulf shore, it is easy to forget all of the devastation over your right shoulder. The ocean looked so calm and peaceful, for a minute I felt like a tourist and not a volunteer. A sign posted on the beach warning about the dangerous debris in the water is a quick reminder of the harsh reality of life post-Hurricane Katrina.
Life Lessons from Biloxi, Miss.
By Megan Grote
megrote@kent.edu
One of Kent State’s first connections to Biloxi, Miss., was made with a Vietnamese priest, Father Dong Phan.
A few weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit, Kent State sent a truck load of food and supplies to Father Phan’s church for his parishioners and members of the surrounding community.
During the alternative spring break trip in 2006, Kent State volunteers laid a new roof for Father Phan’s rectory. Repairs were also made to the church, which filled with water at the height of the storm.
The church and Father Phan’s house were among the first signs of rebuilding in the East Biloxi area.
Today, I went with other Kent State volunteers to help Father Phan build a fence around the property, and had the privilege of witnessing a family return to their newly rebuilt home across the street.
Another volunteer group sent by the Catholic diocese is working on a man’s house, that was completely gutted by the rushing waters of the hurricane. He lived in the gutted home for months until he was given a FEMA trailer.
Father Phan said that much of the land in East Biloxi is being purchased from previous owners by corporations to be turned into casinos. Father Phan does not want this to happen; in fact, he is hoping to purchase land to reserve for use by the community.
Changes in East Biloxi from a year ago are visible. Most of the work being done is volunteer-based, either by universities or faith-based organizations.
As Father Phan sat with us during lunch, he told us he was thankful. I was also thankful that he took the time to talk to each of the volunteers individually. He shared stories of his life in Vietnam and of his perilous journey to the United States, by way of the Philippines, shortly after the fall of Saigon. With many other “Boat People,” he traveled in a small boat over rough waters, with little food and no means of navigation, until reaching the island nation – he was among the 82 to survive the trip.
It is clear Father Phan is the anchor for this community and his parishioners.
After calling it a day at Father Phan’s house, most of the Kent State volunteers traveled to Mobile, Ala., to watch a Mardi Gras parade. We were told the now famous New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations originated in Mobile. The free time allows all of the volunteers to bond with one another and to share experiences from the trip.
Tomorrow is Sunday, and for volunteers, it will be a day of rest. I am taking the opportunity to attend religious services at Father Phan’s church, as well as at St. John’s African Methodist Episcopal church in East Biloxi.
This trip to the Gulf Coast has been an eye-opening experience – from the time we wake up at 6 a.m. to the time we turn in after a day’s work, we are learning lessons about history, culture, rebuilding and most importantly, gratitude.
Megan Grote is a Kent State University senior majoring in public relations.
Last spring, she joined more than 400 other Kent State United for the Gulf Coast volunteers who spent their spring break helping to rebuild homes and lives in the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast region.
Churches, Non-profit Organizations Lead Rebuilding Effort
By Megan Odell-Scott
modellsc@kent.edu
Last spring break I joined 400 students for Kent State’s Alternative Spring Break to help rebuild and bring hope to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I never imagined that my experience then would lead me to a topic for my senior Honors thesis and a second trip down here. Yet here I am, half way through the January trip and the experience has been equally challenging and rewarding as I have learned how to tile floors, install a door, and share a single bathroom with 12 other women.
As I drove into Biloxi and its neighboring cities for the second time since Hurricane Katrina, I was surprised at the extent of the damage that still exists a year and a half later. Gutted buildings line the road, businesses are still abandoned and entire neighborhoods are leveled. I was in shock as we drove along the coast. Yet as we approached a park in Pass Christian, a feeling of hope and normality appeared. I remember this park vividly as I had spent hours shoveling sand and shells out of the grass on our first day in town last March. Ten months later, the park seemed like it had never been hit by a storm. The grass was green, children were playing on the playground, and a beautiful Christmas tree was in the gazebo Kent State helped rebuild.
As I was admiring the park, an elderly couple walked by and noticed we were from Ohio and we began talking. As they told us how they had lost everything during Katrina, we began to discuss the relief efforts along the coast. The only aid they received from the government was a FEMA trailer and they said they have only interacted with the government through an automated voice on the phone. They told us that they have received the most help from churches and other volunteers who have been on the Gulf Coast since day one. The churches and volunteers have provided food, clothing, temporary housing and help to repair and rebuild. But most importantly, the churches and other volunteers have provided hope and emotional support. The couple was angry and kept asking when they were going to see the government money that had been promised to the region. After spending the past few days along the coast, I, and many of the students are asking that same question.
During this experience, I have noticed more and more of a religious presence. Church disaster relief headquarters and religious-based organizations are everywhere providing many social services to the residents. Yet the government presence seems to be missing. Many residents I have talked to say that without the churches and volunteers who come to help clean-up and rebuild, the Mississippi coast would still be a mess. We are constantly being thanked by the residents of this area for being down here and helping.
Kent State’s presence shows the people of Mississippi that they have not been forgotten, and we are dedicated to helping them rebuild their homes and their lives. The efforts of Kent State and other volunteers in these communities are vital in the relief effort along the Gulf Coast.
Megan Odell-Scott is a senior Political Science Honors student at Kent State University. She is actively involved on campus with United Christian Ministries, Kappa Phi, and Kent State United for the Gulf Coast. She will graduate in May and plans to attend law school.
Volunteer Impacted by First Time Experience in Gulf Coast Region
By Shawn Hurley
shurley@kent.edu
Like so many Americans, I was very saddened to hear about the tragedy and devastation in the Gulf Coast region following Hurricane Katrina. I answered the call for help by donating money to the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, however I always wanted to do more. I found my chance to do just that after reading an article in the Daily Kent Stater announcing Kent State United for the Gulf Coast trip to the Mississippi coast.
Not knowing what to expect, my first impression was very overwhelming. A year and a half after the storm hit there were still many areas that looked like the hurricane had hit only one week ago. As a crew leader, I led a group of four other volunteers in various jobs to which we were assigned. Our first job was replacing a damaged fence around a local priest’s rectory. Within the first few hours we had already cleared the remnants of the old fence and the remaining debris. By the afternoon, we had all the holes dug for the posts. The next day, we set the posts in concrete and were able to finish in time for a recreational trip to Mobile, Ala., to see the original Mardi Gras celebration and parade. On Sunday morning, I joined many of my fellow volunteers in attending the service at the Main Street Baptist Church in Biloxi. I am grateful to have been able to have such an authentic first-hand experience with members of the Biloxi community, whose sentiments of gratitude still echo in my ears. Sunday afternoon we toured the Bay St. Louis area to see the most heavily damaged part of the Gulf Coast region, and following that, we once again visited Mobile, Ala., to see the GMAC Bowl football game. On Monday, my duties as crew leader were further extended to facilitating communication among multiple crews and job sites to finish the jobs started and investigate new ones.
I am eager to complete the fence and the other jobs we have undertaken this week. Although the ultimate goal is too monumental for one person or group to achieve alone, it is encouraging to see how each incremental advancement is so very much appreciated. It is the personal contacts and interactions that really make the work feel complete; the greatest satisfaction comes from being able to help heal the emotional scars as well as the physical ones delivered by Hurricane Katrina.
Shawn Hurley is a graduate student at Kent State University. He studies chemical physics at the Glenn H. Brown Liquid Crystal Institute.
Giving and Receiving: Family Chooses Unlikely Christmas Present
By Jennifer Kennedy
When Forrest Gump’s mama said “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get,” I’m convinced she had recently survived a hurricane and was trying to remodel her house.
During the Christmas of 2005, my family sat around the dinner table discussing how Christmas no longer focused on religious views and the spirit of giving. Even the most well-intended families cannot avoid the commercialism, which challenged my parents to find a way to express their love and appreciation for all God has created (including my younger sister and I) extremely difficult. My dad (unknowingly at the time) brought the solution home with him when he returned from a relief effort trip in Mississippi in late October. All four Kennedys agreed there was too much work in Mississippi for us to turn a blind eye after seeing photographs and listening to my father recount several stories he heard and witnessed. Presents under the tree this year were not stacked in big, lofty piles. They came as work gloves, multi-function screwdrivers, nails aprons and reservations for the Kent State United for the Gulf Coast trip in early January 2007.
My time in Biloxi, Miss., has been spent learning all sorts of new trades most college students never experience. Carpentry work, remodeling, teamwork, delegating, cleaning -- all skills I will use in future endeavors. I have a greater respect and appreciation for what I have and what I’ve received. More importantly, this trip has made me reflect, ponder and challenge my preconceived notions.
I wonder how many of you reading this have nailed woodwork around a door or sanded a wooden door because it refused to accept the coat of paint you applied to it hours earlier in the day. I thought about all of the ailments dust and flying debris must cause while scraping textured paint from a ceiling that has been wet for a year and a half. How did people stay sane among all the noise of the storm, the water, the media, the rescue teams, and the victims crying for help if I couldn’t stand the sound of three hammers banging simultaneously on a gutter for five minutes? Thinking about how lucky I was to have running water and a bathing facility kept me going each time I found myself forced to take a cold shower. I cringed while helping cut aluminum with the splinters of metal spitting, but realized it was better than being hit by the car door I found earlier in the week lying against someone’s house. I reminded myself that I knew exactly when and where my next meal was coming from when my crew had to return to work earlier than other groups. When something went wrong (like a falling ceiling) or did not go exactly as planned (like the restaurant was closed), I reminded myself hurricanes are not planned and even the best preparation work is not foolproof or all-inclusive. Finally, I began collecting my things for the trip home and realized two things. I have a home to return to, not a pile of rubble and I am packing enough things I used for a week, not everything I collected over a lifetime.
We toured miles upon miles of devastation. Some areas are beginning to look as they did before the storm, with large casinos, small restaurants doing business and street lights conducting traffic. Other areas are growing in new ways. Trailer parks (courtesy of FEMA) have taken over most housing developments because the homeowners cannot afford to rebuild, or the manpower and resources aren’t available. Some flowers and trees are blooming again but they look more like a scene from the Tim Burton movie Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas rather than a tourist attraction. Mostly though, things are still as they were 18 months ago when every form of media couldn’t get enough of the Gulf coastline. There are still trees covered in debris. People are still living in tents or on the streets because they have nowhere else to go. The beaches are empty because the water is too dirty to swim in. Citizens are still waiting for the government to provide the promised relief. Those who gave up on the government are still on waiting lists for volunteer groups to help rebuild their homes and their lives. As one worker at Camp Seashore said, the volunteers are the only hope the community has, and even those lists are getting smaller with depleting funds and dwindling numbers of people willing to give their time and energy.
The project of rebuilding the Gulf coastline has just begun and will continue for years, probably a decade, before these citizens feel like they have returned home. I get to go home, recuperate, and return to a normal life in less than two weeks. These people haven’t seen anything close to what I consider “normal” in 18 months, and there is no predictable end in sight.
There is no such thing as giving without receiving. My parents gave the monetary necessities and the four of us gave our time, energy and talent. I will go home with memories, new skills, knowledge and insight. I am returning with more questions and anger than I came with, but I hope to channel them in positive ways. It is impossible to leave such a devastated, abandoned and seemingly forgotten area without being changed. I am so grateful for my parents’ insightful decision and believe this is the best Christmas gift I’ve ever received and given.
These are only the things I have given and received on this trip. At least forty-some more people gave and received while being here. Just think if everyone reading this gave the very same thing. Just think of how much more could be received by so many.
Jennifer Kennedy is a senior communications studies major at Kent State University. She traveled to the Gulf Coast Jan. 4-11 with her mother, father and sister, a student at Kent State Stark Campus.
Faith, courage prevail in wake of tragedy
By Colleen Mueller
cmuelle1@kent.edu.
If the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina could be described in one sentence, it would go something like this: "Hurricane Katrina was big, but God is BIGGER." I saw this sentence on a homeade sign while riding in the van past what-used-to-be called a house, but now is just a pile of rubble on top of a wrecked foundation. This relief trip to Biloxi, Miss., and surrounding areas has been an amazing, eye-opening experience -- it is difficult to drive past homes and buildings, witnessing what little is left of them. One thing that did not get destroyed by the hurricane was people's hopes and spirits. Their positive attitudes about moving on with their lives surpasses their grief over losing their possessions, money, time and maybe even loved ones.
As we traveled to and from our work sites in our big white vans, residents we saw along the streets smiled and waved to us because they knew that we were here to spend our time to help restore their lives.
It's hard to comprehend the emotional distress these families must have been through. And even after the one year anniversary of Katrina, many families are still living in FEMA trailers. When traveling along the coast and being able to see the ocean perfectly with no hotels or beautiful mansions blocking the view, it's hard to imagine what this stretch of shoreline looked like before the hurricane hit.
We drove by properties where the foundation of the house was the only evidence the home ever existed. People's belongings are strewn throughout the trees; I even saw a Little Tikes car, once propelled by a giggling child, dangling from a tree. There are numerous trees cracked in half like toothpicks; strong trees that used to blossom with life.
Driving closer to where the eye of the hurricane hit, the majority of the houses were almost completely destroyed. The families that survived have to live in trailers, and if they had pets, they were usually tied to the trailer because the trailer's interior could not accommodate them. The conditions were extremely heartbreaking because the debris scattered along the coast were once people's possessions, representing parts of their lives.
Some of the places we visited looked like war zones, and it's truly a wonder how these people can remain so spirited. A worker in our cafeteria at Camp Seashore sang us a song titled, "Did You Ever Know That You're My Hero." This song helped me to understand the strong faith people living along the coast have in volunteers and the works that we come here to do. Although we love to give to the people who need help rebuilding their homes and lives, there is so much more that we, as volunteers, personally take away with us, like memories of wonderful people we've met and an understanding of what it means to listen when others need to share their experiences.
Our group worked on two different houses, one of which had a FEMA trailer still in the yard. We laid tiles and installed a door for the family, and they were very grateful for our work. The other house we helped repair was in need of new gutters. The job went smoothly, and toward the end was some free time during which a group of us talked to the owner of the house for about an hour. She explained to us that we were only the second group of volunteers to help her since Hurricane Katrina. She told us that the government and her insurance agency never paid her any money to help with the damages. She was extremely angry at this because she always pays her taxes and her insurance payment, and they gave nothing back to her in time of need.
My heart went out to her because of all of the frustration she must have experienced, but she also said that she was grateful that she still had her house and food, unlike many people living closer to the eye of where Katrina hit. I am very fortunate to have helped rebuild parts of these homes, and I will never forget the wonderful people that I have met along the way. It is amazing the strong faith and courage people living along the Gulf Coast have in order to move on with their lives and not give up. In the time of need, God's love never fails.
People here in Mississippi and along the Gulf Coast cannot be forgotten. It will be years and years before their lives will be back to "normal." But through all of the heartaches and tragedies I have experienced, I have come to realize that "Hurricane Katrina was big, but God is BIGGER."
Colleen Mueller is a junior nursing student at Kent State University.