March 4, 2011 - Trip Reflections by Justin Weber

Since this is my first year going to Louisiana I didn't really know what to expect. When I got down there, I realized there was so much more work to be done. Every day I helped out I felt like I was progressively fixing the overall state of the area. By the end of the trip I thought about everything I did during the week and realized how many lives we affected. We had actually made a lasting impact in the community around us and those memories will stay with me for a very long time.

March 4, 2011 - Trip Reflections by Andrea Einhorn

I been looking for that.

"I been looking for that." At some point, haven’t we all said that?

Over the years, we have learned that work sites are rarely what we expect. We went to Mr. West’s home to move his furniture into a storage pod so his duplex house could be repaired. He and his wife live in one side. The other has been vacant since Katrina. He hadn't actually been inside since his youngest son died there a few years earlier. When we removed the wooden plank covering the doorway, we followed a narrow path into the first room.  There was no furniture to be seen, because it was surrounded by plywood, beams, boxes, bags, and ironically, at least 30 doors.

Every time we removed something from the apartment--glassware, empty cans, trinkets, antifreeze jugs (full and empty)--Mr. West asked, "Whatcha got there, darlin?” almost always followed by “I been looking for that!" He often wanted things put into his apartment, which was also piled high on either side of a narrow path with all the other things he had to hold onto.

In our two days together, Mr. West told me many times about the intangible things he has holding onto: his career, home, military service, the son he lost. People recovering from Katrina face daily struggles of holding on and letting go as they rebuild. We provided Mr. West with the foundation he needed for reconstructing and moving on: physically with manual labor, and emotionally, with support, understanding, compassion. At some point, can’t we all say, “I been looking for that?”   

March 4, 2011 - Trip Reflections by Josh Berlowitz - (The Unabridged Version)

After five years on the Gulf Coast trip, not much surprises me.  I've seen the slabs of foundations and rundown houses.  I've witnessed the happy and thankful faces of the people we touch.  So the thing that struck me this year was change.  When I first went on the Mitzvat Mississippi trip in 7th grade, I was one of the youngest of over fifty people from four religious organizations, around five of whom had gone down to the Gulf Coast before on a relief mission.

This year, less than half of our team of twenty-three was traveling for the first time.  However, more prevalent than the difference in our group makeup is the transformation down on the coast.  Unlike most, I've seen the coast change over time.  I remember when we first went to Camp Coast Care to get supplies year two when the camp was an enormous complex with hundreds of volunteers.  I remember how we had race each other into the camp for showers year three because there were none where we stayed.  And I recall going to Blizzard Beach across the street nearly every day that year and the year after, when some of us destroyed Camp Coast Care.

This year, that spot is home to an arts center.  A brand new building dedicated to the improvement of the community through the arts. Yet on that road filled with shiny new buildings, there are still the sheets of foundation without houses, the rundown buildings nobody has come to claim, and the overgrown lawns that no one has tended in years, all of which I've become accustomed to seeing.  A new experience for me this year was when the director of the Lower Ninth Ward Community Center told us his story about his dedication to his community and how many of his friends and neighbors have still not returned home.  This made me think of Rabbi Tarphon’s words when he said that "We cannot complete the work; neither are we free to desist from it.

Even though our group, the landscape, the community, and the times may have changed, there is still work to be done in repairing the Gulf Coast. We cannot and will not complete the work, yet it is still our duty to travel down year after year and make a dent in the workload. Eventually, the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast will be complete,  however without each of us doing our own part; it won’t be in the foreseeable future.

March 4, 2011 - Trip Reflections by Andy Farber

Last summer our camp in Mississippi was closing and we had to find alternate housing.  I contacted the URJ, the RAC, Federation - no one seemed to care. Ultimately, we went to Camp Restore in New Orleans.


I had made three trips to Mississippi after Katrina. I was disappointed that we were going to New Orleans.  Everyone seemed to forget Mississippi in the post-Katrina publicity, and now we were just as guilty.


But it's not just Mississippi.  Five and a half years later, the world has forgotten the Gulf Coast.  Yes, there was a lot of press last spring following the BP oil leak, and the networks had Katrina retrospectives on Labor Day.  But those quickly faded.


But the need persists. New Orleans, the most visible benefactor of support, has miles of vacant and abandoned properties.  Imagine driving down Central Avenue, and seeing shopping center after shopping center boarded up, grass and weeds growing in the parking lot.  That's what it's like in the suburbs of New Orleans - and it's been over five years.


The United States is often first to help other countries in the face of natural or man-made disaster.  That's a record to be proud of.  But we must remember our own.  As the flight attendant says, affix your oxygen mask first, before helping others.


We can all stand tall, Woodlands Community Temple and Dobbs Ferry Lutheran Church.  We give our time and money, and our friends and congregants open their wallets, to help us remember our own.

Ken ye-hee rah-tzon

March 4, 2011 - Trip Reflections by Mark Kaufman

I did not expect this trip to be both frustrating and fulfilling.

Frustrating because much of New Orleans is still a blighted, impoverished mess, and we couldn't fix it. Not in a week, or a month, or a year. Because my planting 50 trees is not going to slow the next storm. Frustrating because sanding spackling on sheet rock does not complete a home. And because two days of clearing out and storing all the junk Mr. West hoarded in his house wasn't enough even to empty the house, let alone to demolish the interior and rebuild it.

But the trip was fulfilling at the same time. Because together with other groups we planted thousands of trees that WILL slow down the next storm. Because sanding is part of making a new home, and making it beautiful for someone who'll be proud to live in it. Because other groups in the coming weeks will clear out Mr. West's house, and demolish it, and re-build it - and while we were there, our team was truly greater than the sum of our individual parts. (We couldn't have done it without the amazing strength of a neighbor and ex-con named Glenn - but he couldn't have done it without us, either.)

And because tree by tree, house by house, person by each blessed person who feels valued by our visit, New Orleans can be restored, or at least, improved.

The trip improved me, as well. I'm proud that my son Zev joined me. I'm grateful for the opportunity to do a mitzvah with him and with all of us.

March 4, 2011 - Trip Reflections by Greg Linn

During our week in New Orleans, all 23 of us from WCT & DFLC met some wonderful, extraordinary and unique characters: Mac at the Lower 9th Ward Community Center, Laurie at the Ranch Rescue Horse Farm, the congregation at Touro Synagogue and many, many others. The common thread that they all shared, was one of thanks.

They thanked us passionately and repeatedly, truly appreciating that 5 1/2 years after Hurricane Katrina, we were still coming down to their neighborhoods for volunteer work. Many of them spoke about feeling forgotten now that so much time has passed, when in reality, they need our help, energy and friendship more than ever.

Beyond the hauling, planting and shoveling that we all did, there was a more important gift we gave to our new friends, listening. We listened to their stories, we heard about their families, we relived their memories. Some of them were joyous, several were tragic, but ultimately they were all uplifting.

Never in my life have I been more blessed. Literally. Whether it was prayers from Pastor Scott, Mr. West or the team at Camp Restore, the words "Thank You" and "May God Bless You" have never had greater meaning or importance to me and I will forever keep that feeling in my heart and my memories.

March 4, 2011 - Trip Reflections by Jay Werner

This was my 5th trip to the Gulf Coast. Previous trips have been about trying to make a family whole again by making their home livable. This year however we shifted our focus from Mississippi to New Orleans, and in doing so we have found much more work to do. Not just rebuilding homes, but also trying to ease the pain of the “new” normal of a populace largely displaced and primarily forgotten.

This trip I got to work with ARC an organization that provides hope, vocational training, and gainful employment for adults who are developmentally disabled.(This is a segment of our population most of us usually forget about). ARC of New Orleans has a 5 year old bead recycling program in association with the Sierra Club and United Way. I was lucky enough to work with Theodore, Terrance, and Michael, three men my age and older. We sorted and bundled 2 pallets full of beads (800-1000 lbs.). Last year they gathered, sorted, bundled and sold over 90,000 pounds of beads, this year they expect to exceed 100,000 pounds. The proceeds from the sale go back into their programs such as a green house, farm stand, vintage garden soup kitchen, landscaping program, and other job training programs for men and women like my son Lucas. I plan on going back every year for as long as it takes to make the lives of those forced to endure such hardships as those we encountered in New Orleans whole once more.

March 4, 2011 - Trip Reflections by Alison Zarider

We are taught from day one that there are some things beyond our control. Some powers we cannot attempt to confront. Some problems not worth taking on. A hurricane has powers so magnificent, so terrifying, and so incomprehensible. But what I've learned from my years on the Gulf Coast is that there is a power so incredible that it makes hurricanes fall to their knees. It’s the power of our hands. It’s a power that’s in each one of you; a power we are all born with. With the power of my hands I accomplished so much this week. We can use our hands to rebuild. This week I tapped and mudded drywall. We can use our hands to start growth. This week I planted trees. We can use our hands to tell our stories. This week I wrote in Stu’s blog. I really discovered my power as I was reflecting in writing at the end of the day. When I write, I’m holding hands with every author I've ever read. I take the stories they’ve told to help me tell mine. With these many hands of authors, I felt empowered, knowing that I moved people to tears, and realizing the stunning beauty of everything we can accomplish together.

The greatest crime is not realizing the power of joined hands. Sometimes we forget that we are better together. We all have too much in common to waste our time finding our differences, or turning our hands to harm each other. Because when we’re up against a hurricane, we need all the hands we can get. When our economy plummets, we need all the hands we can get. Because the future is always uncertain, we need all the hands we can get.

To the people who've held my hand throughout the years, I thank you. Dayle, thank you for being such a strong person. Andrea, thank you for having an unbreakable spirit. Jay I've always wanted to thank you for being a teacher in every sense of the word. Stu, thanks for believing in me, and for the record, I believe in you too.

Remember to hold the hands of the people in your life. Because with joined hands, we can conquer forces unimaginable.

March 4, 2011 - Trip Reflections by Dayle Fligel

New Orleans 2011 – A job well done. This is my 3rd and best trip for Katrina Relief.  The group participating was great. The work and spending time with the locals, made it extraordinary.

I was able to spend time talking with those we helped. The talking was more important than work accomplished. Lori, the owner of Horse Rescue Mission sticks out in my mind. Her story of how her faith guided her and allowed her to survive 2 horrible ordeals was amazing.

We started our day with Lori leading us in a prayer to ask God for the strength to do the work she had for us, and to thank God for sending us to her. As the day went on we heard bits and pieces of her story. By the end of the day she had told us of her terrible horse accident a few weeks before Katrina, and how her belief in God healed her without surgery. Katrina hit, with spine injury, she went into rescue mode to care of the horses. She turns no horse away and donates the horses after bringing them back to good health. All this is one using her savings and her belief that God will send her people like us to help.

Her faith and belief was renewed after surviving Katrina. To me, this week was an affirmation in my faith and belief. That God does have a purpose for me. As long as we have a mission to work with, a trip going, so will I.

March 4, 2011 - Trip Reflections by Charley Macedo

This year my son Evan and I went to New Orleans to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.  


Although it has been years since that devastating event occurred, and certainly a lot of the damage has been repaired, on our trip we saw that there continues to be a lot of work left to be done.   Our group helped clean out one home that need to be repaired, demolished a church and community center so it could be repaired, and continued on repairs of another house damaged in Katrina.

While construction was a significant part of our collective journey, my path was different on this mission.  I spent a lot of time working on Community Service projects including helping clean a stable for a horse ranch, helping sort beads with disabled adults at the local A R C center, planting trees by the levy as a wind barrier, and participating in a mardi gras parade with a local nursery school.

It was the nursery school which perhaps struck me the most.  We played with the eight young kids and marched in the parade with them.  While the school was in a clearly poor neighborhood, the children were happy and seemingly well adjusted.   One boy, Trent, particularly bonded with me.  I played with him while everyone got ready.  I held him before the parade began, and held his hand throughout the parade.

After the parade was over, and we were finished, we were provided a tour of the facility.  What we learned after our two hours session was that these children were at a homeless shelter for single mothers with young children.   We also learned that sweet Trent became a big brother a few days earlier.

The calm, happy disposition of these children is a testament to the success of the program at this homeless shelter.   The fact that these children who were in such a precarious position did not show it, demonstrates how well this program was working.

This shelter reminded me how important it is to help not only repair the physical buildings in the aftermath of Katrina, but also the community.

Evan and I look forward to going back to New Orleans next year.

March 4, 2011 - The Blog Epilogue - 29 Adar I, 5771

The Blog - How could I not speak about the blog?  It's perhaps an unusual item to reflect on for last week, but in my case its appropriate.  Google gives you all these fancy statistics about your blog  - how many hits, what people clicked on to get there, what country they live in, etc..  I have come to learn, that the number of hits is well over 600, or as we say in Cypress Tree planting land - "hundreds" - rising steadily throughout last week before leveling off this week.

I am not a writer - I never have been, but there was something quite therapeutic about writing this blog.  Reading all of the entries once I got home and being able to reflect back on the week, was, for me, the greatest reward of writing a blog, though I did not know it at that time.

It was comical at times during last week - I would post something before going to bed, head to the bunk house and find Andy on his bunk, lights out, except for a small iPhone screen reading the latest entry - especially after Ali started adding her insight and thoughts.

Many people look at this Katrina Relief trip as a rebuilding trip in a very physical sense - "We're going to rebuild the gulf coast by building homes" - or as we also do many times - demolition of existing physical structures to make way for new or renovated homes.  Yes, we do all of that, but what makes the trip so special, is that this trip is so much more about people than it is about any physical structure.

Its about Mac, Phillip, Mr. West, Lori, Cathy, some nursery school kids, and a guy Jay and I call "Jimmy L'Chaim" and so many others you meet in the areas you visit.  Its about the people you travel with - from getting to know people that you never knew that well before,  to the reinforcement of the life long bonds from previous Katrina Relief trips.

Thank you all for joining me on this wonderful journey....

The last day - February 26, 2011

As if on cue, at 10:00 last night (amid my last blog post), I lost my voice.  I have no idea where it went or if it was stolen, but its gone.  Then my back, which had been a non-issue, all of a sudden flared up as if to say "Hey, I'm still here - Just wanted to remind you".  Hopefully it will loosen up as the day goes on.

The idea today was to let anyone who wanted to sleep late to do just that.  But my body alarm clock went off on schedule at 6 and I am up.  Greg is also up.  And a group of teens that came in last night from Pensacola, FL, was up - and very loud this morning.  Greg and I enjoyed a nice quite conversation, but now my quite time appears to be over as Charley, Gary, Lance, Jay and Dayle have all arrived within the hour.

There is tremendous talk the last few days about 'the blog', especially the posts by Ali Z..  All you here is 'Did you read what she wrote last night' - or the day before or whatever.  All I can say is:  She has what one cannot teach.  Yea, you can enhance it a bit, coach it here and there - but her thoughts and feelings are inherit within her being.  We should all be so gifted.  Next year will be college for Ali and this will probably be her last trip of this kind with this group for a while.  And this saddens me.  Because this trip, despite all the good that we do down here, is also about the people you travel with.  And Ali is just one of those kids that really make this trip so very special.  Last year, we had 4 seniors on the trip - and it was difficult to see them all move on - especially Jeanne & Jen who had been on this trip for a few years.

Jay, Lance, Charley and Evan headed to Waffle House and French Quarter this morning while the rest of us, after a slow wake up, went out in search of a Waffle House - which has trouble handling 18 people.  So we headed to a 2nd waffle house, only to discover IHOP along the way.  Some good grub!  All were very well fed.  Andy's car headed to the French Quarter - the rest of us back to camp to finish packing.

Jay made it to the airport with about 3 hours to spare, the rest of us followed and coincidently, the rest of us all seemed to arrive at around the same time.

So let me say a bit more about the teens on the trip.  As usual, our kids are just amazing and always something to be proud of.  They get along great.  The younger ones are always a chuckle and they listen great and have awesome spirit.  I just love to watch them interact.  Josh is .... Josh -  and he always enjoys this trip for the the kids, the adults, and because he loves to make a difference in the world.  He just thrives in this environment.   For Josh & I, it is really a great week for the two of us to be together and something to treasure in life.  I've know Robin for a while now, but never that well until this trip.  She is always smiling and laughing, but I really learned how well mannered and what a very caring and grown-up young adult she is.  It is only her first year on the trip and she is a senior - so it will probably be her last as she heads off to college, but I think that this trip is something that she will always remember and one that will leave a lasting impression on her.  I look forward to see the paths of our trip graduates as they go though life.  From Larry to Seth, Jeanne, Jen, Laura to Robin & Ali - it will be fun to watch.

And so, this is it - yea I know everyone wants desperately to see the next great blog post from Ali Z.   She declined for this one, perhaps wrapped up in her own thoughts as the week draws to a conclusion.  But this Friday at Woodlands Community Temple at 8:00, I expect we will all hear some great things from several members of our team - adult and teen alike.   But you have to be there to see and hear it.

I hope to see you all there - it will be a very special night..........

February 25, 2011, w/ Ali Z.

So, our last 'full day'.  Ok, I admit it, it was more like a half day, but we worked hard.  I went back to the Deborah's house for the 4th time this week.  The progress is noticeable as we look back at the end of the week from where we started.  Today, we got to meet Phillip - and this put a face on what we have been doing all week.  Phillip is Deborah's husband and he says that he comes by just once per month.  I asked him many questions about his journey through life got to this point.  Phillip described how immediately after Katrina passed, most everything in New Orleans was OK.  Katrina did not immediately deal such a bad blow to New Orleans - and then, over the next day, the levees broke.  And New Orleans will not be the same for a long time.

Phillip stayed behind for 7 days, then was bused to Houston - but there was no room there.  Then they sent him to Dallas - no room there.  Then to Shereveport - no more there.   Finally, Phillip ended up in Arkansas.  He was apart from his wife for 3 1/2 weeks (she had left right after the storm hit).  He said "Thank Goodness for the Internet and Cell Phones" otherwise people would have completely lost each other.

Phillip temporarily lives a few blocks away, but is looking forward to moving into the house that we are working on for him.  If things go well, he has eyes on eventually taking over the lot next time, but I don't think that this is anytime to soon.

We then headed to Sam's Club to pick up a few items for the Pot-Luck dinner at the Touro Synagogue.  We returned to camp, showered up and headed out.  We got to temple around 4:30 for a 5:00 service.  We got a tour of this temple that dates back to the 19th century.  6th oldest temple in the country and the oldest one not in the original 13 colonies.  It was a beautiful place.  There was a whole history display so that you could follow the temple through the years - very interesting.  We then attended a 45 minute service.  It was very nice and familiar, though I must say it was also lacking some of the energy that we normally have at Woodlands.  They mentioned in their announcements that next week would be "Blue Jean service".  Oops - I guess we were a week early!  We attended their pot luck dinner - and I must say how nice it was to get a home cooked meal that was not produced for the masses.  By the time we finished, there was a Mardi Gras parade rolling down the street in front of the temple.  The parade was small by Mardi Gras standards, but entertaining with multiple marching bands and of course beads all around.  It was quickly followed by the cleanup crew.

Somewhere along the timeline of the night, we noticed that "hey - we're not far from the Creole Creamery".  So I put the Google navigation into walking mode and discovered that indeed it was only a .5 mile walk from us.  So, our 22 member team, walked to Creole Creamery and enjoyed a moment of indulgence.  It was well deserved for all.  It's late now on Friday night.  We are all tired, but tomorrow, we do not fly out until 4:45pm, so we have time to sleep-in - will be interesting to see how many actually do.  At least 2 of our 5 cars are heading to the French Quarter, perhaps after a stop at the Waffle House.  Others of us are not too sure yet.  Somehow, one way or another, we will end up at the airport tomorrow afternoon and begin the long journey home.

I feel good that I think all - and I mean all - have had a good time.  I'll get a better sense of that tomorrow.


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< And Now Ali Z. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


This day was the last for my trips here to the Gulf Coast. So, of course, I thought a lot about what I've seen over the years, and what this trip has taught me. As I talked about yesterday, seeing the results of the Hurricane revealed to me a dark side of the human spirit concerning acceptance. But today I saw the light. We went to a very special place today. It was a nursery filled with adorable kids--most no more than three years old. These cute kids, my teammates, and I were in a little parade around the streets surrounding the nursery. These children were special. I didn't know at the time, but this nursery provides homes to pregnant women and mothers that have no place to go, some have been thrown out and would be homeless without this safe haven. I didn't realize these precious kids were the product of such hardship. I didn't realize any of this because these were the liveliest, happiest kids I've ever seen. These kids warmed our souls with their strong spirits. It really made me think about what I love about this city. After three years I still can't get over the warmth that inhabits me when I'm walking down those streets, admiring those balconies. I always wondered what it was about these strange and wonderful people that made me consider this coast my second home. Today, in the faces of those kids, I saw spirit. A spirit unbreakable, untouchable, and unstoppable. These children are the products of hardship just like this city is. The strange and wonderful people here have emerged from the waters. These people have marched out of the Superdome. These people have played their jazz, and celebrated their traditions, and never stopped living their lives to the fullest. These children were the same way. After three years now I know there is still work to be done. But today I saw the future on the faces of those kids, and I know there is a light at the end of this tunnel. The future of New Orleans is full of spirit. And no hurricane can ever stop that. No people can ever ignore that. The future of New Orleans is not a straight path, but I know the path is never-ending. I can never come back here for this week again, but the warmth that I feel right now assures me that this is a city that will survive. I will miss the spirit, but now it has become a part of me. Now I can take the spirit of this city with me wherever I go, and I can build my future. On the back of this year's team shirt it says, "A time to build."  With the spirit of this city we will keep building here. We will never stop. We will never break. Starting next year, I'm beginning to build my future. I'm going to college, taking with me the memory of hardship and survival I've seen in both my life and this city. I don't know what the future will hold for me or the children I met today. But I know that, armed with our spirits of steel, nothing can stop us.

February 24, 2011 - Again - with special appearance by Ali Z.

Hi!

Welcome all to our 5th full day down here in New Orleans.

Today we split into three teams.  One continued the Mudding job (Joint Compound) in the lower 9th ward.  Its a pretty big job.
The second crew of about 10 led by Jay, Lance & Charley went to a demolition job with about 7 of the teens - about 8 blocks away in the lower 9th.  Sid & I dropped by during lunch to take some pictures of the action. We saw a busy team that was cranking at full force.  They finished their job within the day - quite an accomplishment!  The third team of ours finished up at Mr. West's house.  Again, quite an accomplishment.  So tomorrow will bring us some new jobs that we will find out about tomorrow morning.

Driving between the mudding job and the demo job takes you across many of the back streets.  This is where you really see the destruction. of Katrina.  By my estimates, it seems like 1 of every 3 house in the lower 9th is either under construction or boarded up- or just plain - no longer there anymore. It is striking.  Let's remember - its now 5 1/2 years later.  Yea - quite a while.  They said it would take 10 years.  My estimates say that some parts will take much longer.  The  various crews here, from all over North America make a difference - we see it - sometimes in small ways, but the recovery is happening all around us.  The sad part - without all of the volunteers, many of these parts would be left desolate for many more years to come.

Evening brought a tried crew - mostly from the night before.  But lots of games and fun talk.  Dinner was not great - so many went out for additional food of some kind.

Tomorrow brings us Sha-BarBgras - we head to Tuoro Congregation in New Orleans for 5:00 pot luck dinner, quick service and Mardi Gras parade.   Should be fun!

And now, ace guest blogger, Ali Z....

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  Ali Z.  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Today something stuck me on site. As me and my teammates sat to grab water or eat our lunches, we saw a bunch of cars pass us by. Being in this part of the country, most of the drivers we saw were African-American. Of course not everything I've seen in this city is a matter of black and white, but this year I have noticed more when locals realize we don't look quite like their neighbors. The thing that struck me this afternoon was the friendliness and openness of the people that didn't look like us. Although we have run into different kinds of reactions over the week, including confusion and surprise, today every driver and passer-by waved and smiled at us Yankees. It was this acceptance that made me think about the acceptance in America. I think about good old southern hospitality. Acceptance like that of the people here is not an easy thing to come by. And I think of what brought me here. Katrina, yes, but maybe a lack of acceptance too. We all remember, "George Bush hates black people," and other accusations of our government's reluctance to accept. While I don't know exactly what happened in our government when the storm hit, I do know that someone failed to accept the reality of what happened. I think about this and I wish I wasn't here. As much as I love the pulled pork and the beads. As much as I love the weather and Stu Berlowitz. I would love even more to not have to be here. I would love to be able to say that someone, somewhere accepted the people that waved to me today. That someone had taken a stand for them, and accepted them simply as human beings. Someone decided that it was time to accept the realities of a tragedy that actually robbed people of their lives. I want to live a life in which I accept people and their realities, no matter how brutal. A life in which I accept and support people, no matter their color. And a life in which I can help people to accept each other. Because every driver in every car I saw today is a person in the same way that I'm a person. And that's something I never want to neglect, or forget.  Actually, I do wish I could come here. I wish I could come here to wave to all those that were left invisible.  

February 23, 2011 - With SPECIAL GUEST BLOGGER - Ali Z.

By Stu B.

The team slept very well last night - a sure sign of how tired we are all getting from the work we are doing.  I know that many of the pictures you might see are us eating or having fun, but there really is a lot of very hard work going on in between.

Today, we got going by around 8 and we, along with 50 others at camp from other groups, we went to a spot near a levee that was under construction.  We had parked back at the farm, got an orientation that told us to watch out for snakes and then a hayride to the levee.  There was a lot of spraying and lotioning back at the farm -  bug spray, sun lotion, you name it - a chemical wonderland.  Dayle also stopped and got hats for  anyone without one.  Temperatures of 75-80 and bright sun were on hand.  Many of us still got roasted.

We spent about 6 hours planting little Cypress trees all over the place.  We broke up into small 2-3 person teams.  Each team had a tool designed to make the hole in the ground, a ribbon to label the trees orange so they can track the trees and the trees themselves to plant.  Between all 70 people, we planted hundreds of trees - literally hundreds.  The trees help to protect the area from storms and act as natural barrier against future storms.  Many trees were destroyed in previous storms as well as from how the area was treated by man over time.  We ribbon them so that they know what was planted when which helps with future plantings.  A great effort by all and not easy work at that in the warm weather.

Charley came back as a lobster unaware the February sun on the Gulf Coast can be rather strong this much closer to the equator.

A tired crew dashed from the barn in a determined effort to get back to Camp Restore to get to all of the showers before any of the other groups did - this was a highly successful effort - and we had no trouble commending ourselves for it!

Evening activities had us splitting into two groups.  Pastor Scott, Mark & Lance enjoyed the French Quarter to much of their delight.

The other 20 of us headed to The Shed in Gulfport, MS, one of our favorite annual hangouts.  A good meal was enjoyed by all as well as a real good time.

We followed that with a ride to Blizzard Beach - our home in Mississippi away from home.  They close at 8 and we arrived at 8:30, but they were waiting for us thanks to the kids texting back and forth with the Blizzard Beach folks.  Shaved ice was enjoyed by many as well as a tour of their latest Mardi Gras float - The Wizard of Oz.  The detail on this thing was phenomenal.  Plenty of pics out there somewhere.

Some of us then drove straight home, while others took the more scenic route for a while on US-90 through Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis where we have spent some much time in prior years.  It was tough to see much with the fog.  But you can see some places slowly coming back while there are still many abandoned places.  This is where the eye of Katrina hit.

An absolutely exhausting day - many slept in cars on the way to and from the evening activities - all went right to bed upon return.


Now, for someone who can really write!

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  SPECIAL GUEST BLOGGER Ali Z.  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Today planting trees in the bayou felt different than other sites I've worked on in the past. We've always given back to people, but never to the earth. Hearing the stories of what the hurricane did makes one fear nature a little. But being connected to it today was special. Because not only were we giving something to the earth, we were protecting the people that live on it. Never have I ever been able to multi-task like that. It was renewing for me. Having worked to construct someone's home for the past couple of days, I was looking forward to changing things up a bit. It changed the way I see things here more than I expected. My job here is to help people. I felt like, if anything, I would be protecting people from the terrors of nature. Today I'm embracing it. Maybe we can all learn a little bit from the things we fear and the things we embrace. These things can teach us a lot about ourselves. If I can figure out a way to do a little more embracing, and a little less fearing, I think I can lead a fulfilling life. At least learning about what we fear can make us understand each other. And isn't that what I'm doing here? I'm trying to understand what people go through. I'm trying to understand the effects of disaster, and maybe prevent these effects in the future. I think that as long as we can embrace each other, we can overcome each and every disaster

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Isn't she good!

February 22, 2011 - We shift to overdrive

Today started much quicker than yesterday. No more orientation.  The camp is alive with 150 people.  Today we split into three groups.  My team of 8 (Andy, Josh, Gary, Robin, Alison, Lance, & Sid),  headed back to our mudding job.  Lots of ceiling work.  This time we were better prepared with a couple of scaffolds and other tools that we did not have yesterday.  We made a lot of progress, but will need a couple of more days of work.  The team was cranking and we rewarded ourselves with lunch at "The Joint" - a famous BBQ place in the Lower 9th Ward.  Really good lunch - we met a Presbyterian group from California who are working on a house nearby.

A second group of 10 - Dayle, Andrea, Jordan, Greg, Zach, Justin, Jeanine, Mark, Pastor Scott and Aila - worked at Mr. West's House.  Mr. West is a 75 year old Korean War Vet.  The team's task for today was to empty out one of these houses into a portable pod storage.  Apparently Mr. West hoards quite a bit of stuff.  The team successfully talked Mr. West into disposing some real old, stuff - some of it with mildew, but he really held on to most of it.  Its very difficult for people to dispose of their damaged things that really need disposal, but sometimes that is what we are tasked with down here and it is as important to talk about these things with the people as it is to rebuild.  The crew moved a LOT of stuff.  The team arrived back in camp tired and very dirty, but they really enjoyed their time of helping Mr. West - and they may be returning later this week.

The third team of Jay, Charley, Evan, Pauline & Zev went to "Arc" which is center for Adults with special needs where these adults come to the center to recycle Mardi Gras beads - they sort them into different sizes and discard unusable ones.  Did you know that there are over 100 Mardi Gras parades in the area each year?  They also grow their own produce - they then sell the beads and the produce to help fund the center.  The team today worked on the recycling of the beads.   Our team found the experience very rewarding.

A return to camp found the team tired.  Josh, Sid and Charley were all found on their bunks napping and I am sure there were others.  Lance, Pastor Scott, Charley, Evan, Jay & Zev headed to the French Quarter to have dinner and do some touring.  The rest of us hung back for Meat Loaf and Mashed potatoes at camp - not too bad.  Andy led the camp in a Motzi as it was our turn to give a blessing (with some fascinated looks).  The bonus was that Andy decided which tables ate in what order (buffet style) and he picked our table first.  Andy then went table by table - and he ate last - thanks, Andy for 'taking one for the team'!

Traditionally, we celebrate our week on Thursday Night at The Shed - an awesome BBQ place as well as a trip to Blizzard Beach for Sno-cones - its a nice celebration of a job well done.  But Pastor Scott flies back on Thursday - and Gary has to take him to the airport - so this year we will plan on going tomorrow.  Except of course that the place is over an hour away!  Doesn't matter - the kids won't have it any other way.  So that's our plan for tomorrow night.

During the day tomorrow, all of us - as well as 50 others in camp - are all taking a break from our current assignment to head to the coastline to plant cypress trees wiped out by Katrina at the levees.  Dayle is now doing a 'hat check' to make sure we are all covered tomorrow.  High tomorrow is forecast for 79.  We are going to roast!  Dayle & Andrea are heading to the store for 9 hats in prep for tomorrow.

Tonight I will sleep well - that I am pretty certain of.

Till tomorrow...

February 21, 2011 - The work really Begins

It's Deja Vu all over again as Jay, Greg & I arise before the rest of camp.  Some coffee and some wondering what the next 5 days will bring.

I reflected that I was a bit disappointed that it took at least an hour for M.S. or M.S. to respond to my L.S. FB post yesterday!  Lisa Friedman is very nice btw.

We have groups from Canada, Jersey, SUNY Albany, Batavia NY, Pittsfield MA, Weston Ma and I am sure that I missed some - about 140 people in all , 23 in our party.

Looks like this trip will bring the group a variety of tasks.  Today we split into 2 groups.  1 Group went to the horse farm (More on that in a bit).  The second group, which I was a part of, went to a home being rebuilt in the Lower Ninth Ward - nearby to where we were yesterday.  This group included myself, Andy, Lance, Ali, Robin, Josh, Sid and Gary from DFLC.  We thought we were in for sheet-rocking, but instead, it was mudding (applying joint compound) to fill all nail holes and seams and then to sand out.  12 foot ceilings presented some complication, so we eventually put together a scaffold.  But tomorrow should be much quicker as we have more materials and are better prepared.  This was a house destroyed by Katrina.  The owner has been trying to get back into the home and there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.

So now - what the first group did today - a very different thing from out past trips - they went to a Horse Farm.  Not just any horse farm of course - and what does this have to do w/ Katrina one might ask.  Well that's the interesting thing about Katrina's aftermath.  Things have changed in so many ways.  There are the obvious pieces - homes destroyed - you still see plenty of homes (plenty!) boarded up - or just slabs.  And we have done our share of demolition and construction over the years.  But there are many more sides to this disaster.  Public services that are not recovered and desperately in need of assistance.  Stories that still must be told.  We are here for these things as well, and we will be doing a lot of this over the course of week.

Oh - the horse farm.  Now talking w/ Mark K., Greg L. and Pastor Scott - the horse farm has horses that were rescued from the flooding waters (they have other horses also).  This is a farm that existed before the hurricane that has been turned to to help.  The owner lost her house in Katrina and lived in a FEMA trailer for 2 years.  The farm can't operate without volunteers.  So today, we had a crew of 15 do some much needed mucking!  Lunch was very peaceful by the sides of Mississippi (see FB photos on temple web site).

Evening activities included traditional Monday meal of Rice and Beans.  This was followed by many to a drive to the Creole Creamery.  Excellent ice cream enjoyed by all!  Nice to get to one of the local sites.

A return to camp, has 8 of us surrounding a puzzle - the same one that Andy, Andrea & myself worked until midnight on last night.  Puzzles should go faster as you near the end, but this one seems to be grinding to a halt!

Tomorrow is another full day of activities.  My group returns to the house we were at for more mudding and sanding.  The other 15 will split into 2 and go to new projects - more on this tomorrow....

February 20, 2011 - A visit to the Lower 9th Ward Village

It was a ‘Cousin Vinny’ type of night – except for 1 train – I think there were like 5 or more that came through.  It seems like we are always on top of train tracks.

Now, in the very early am, the early morning crew is up pre-6:00 CST.  That means at least Jay and myself, but this am we are joined by Greg L. and we have an early am philosophical discussion about the NYC educational system.  Who would think one has to think this hard this early in the morning?

We’re due in the lower 9^th at 10, so for one morning, the crew can sleep a bit late before the early mornings of the next several days begin.  Also time to check out the Sunday NY Times.

Not even 8:00, Jay, Lance, Charley & Evan are off to the Waffle House leaving Dayle, Josh and Pastor Scott to talk about different branches of Catholicism and Judaism and in which order the WCT kids should visit the area churches.  Heavy stuff!

Lower 9^th was mostly left to the rest of the crew as me and a few others were diverted for reasons that I can’t get into.  By the time I made it there, Mac was holding a reflective session – which we are probably better suited for at the end of the week.  But still to get some pre-week thoughts before we get into the heavy lifting tomorrow was rather interesting.    Will be interesting to compare thoughts with end of the week.  Then we had lunch – and a few hours in New Orleans French Quarter.  Just have to have some Beignets at Café DuMond.  Z.K. couldn’t get enough of them.   A beautiful day in the neighborhood.   A few of us visited a very cool Judaica shop.  Saw a vertical Seder plate.  If not for the price – it would already be on the way home.

Now it’s back to Camp Restore.  Our friends from DFLC are at a 5:00 service, while the rest of us freshen up for a 6:00 dinner.  Dinner was Chicken & Veggies – not too bad.

Just finished putting some photos on FB.  Videos to come?  Who knows.  Kids are all playing in various forms right now, while the adults catch up on the electronics.

We have a bunch of other groups here.  1 group from Canada left in a snowstorm on Friday morning and arrived Saturday night.  There’s a teen group from Weston, MA – seems like they followed us from Camp Coast Care last year.  There’s a SUNY Albany group (who heard of getting President’s week off in college?) – someone actually knows L.S.!  There are others on the way.

Time to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening – the hard work really starts tomorrow, but we got a good start today.

February 19, 2011 - The day is here, we're on the way

February 19, 2011

It’s 2:30 CST – and we’re at 35,000 feet.  Despite some difficulty in checking bags (when will the airlines finally figure out their own business?), the plane actually left the gate a few minutes early.  Sounds like we will land roughly ½ hour early.  The pilot just gave us the current weather conditions in New Orleans – Scattered clouds and 74 degrees – sounds rough, but its something we’ll just have to deal with.

I think the number of iPods on this plane may actually outnumber the number of people.  My unscientific survey says that the most popular app seems to be the Angry Birds (I hope none of them fly near the plane).  There are even some IPad Angry Birders here.  One thing you don’t see much of – real books (except for A.Z.) – my how things have changed.  Kindles, Laptops, iPods & Magazines (I guess magazines will soon go by the wayside also).  J.W. is out cold – already sleeping on the job, leaving the rest of us to pick up the slack.  Some things don't change, but A.H. would be proud if he were here.

I got a lousy seat assignment – 14A – I like aisles, not windows.  But when 14B & 14C don’t show up – it’s the best seat in the house!  I guess this bodes well for the rest of the trip.  There are several yellow shirt people – some Habitat group from Huntington in full uniform, but in need of an off switch for their bright shirts.

I’m looking forward to the lower 9^th ward tomorrow.  We all hear so much about it.  It’s now 5 ½ years later – it will be interesting to see what is doing.

Oh, forgot to mention – got a text right before boarding.  S.B. is at a hockey tournament in who knows where NY – says she got a real good assist last night – Dad couldn’t be prouder!

So we landed ½ hour early- nice flight.  Uneventful as L.R. says – which is always good.  Took some time to get the cars – Alamo guy was super nice – Delta could learn a thing or two about customer service.  Then it was off to our 2011 camp site – Camp Restore.  Not half bad digs.  The men are in a trailer – could probably hook it up in the middle of the night, tow us away and we wouldn’t know until morning!  I didn’t see the women’s digs, but they seem happy with it.

Had dinner at Rocky & Carlo’s.  Not NY Italian or anything, but not too bad either.  Seemed to go over well with the crew.  A couple of cool signs that were in need of a tweet.

Now back relaxing at camp – its off to the lower 9^th Ward tomorrow.  Teens are playing pool, cards, all sorts of stuff.

Shout out to J.E., J.L., S.W. and L.B. – they are all missed, but life moves on, and I am sure they are all having a good time (maybe too good a time?).

Till tomorrow...

February 18, 2011 - The excitement builds

Blogging - something I've never done before, but I expect that this will be a rewarding twist on a trip that I will now do for a 5th straight year.  But perhaps that is not totally accurate since we have never stayed in the same place twice.

This year is New Orleans.  And at some point, maybe I will have lost excitement for doing this sort of thing - or at least try for somewhere else.  But as we approach the eve of the trip, I can truly feel the excitement building by the moment.  Soon, I will be surrounded by 17 other WCT members and 5 members from DFLC.  Some who have been before - and some new ones.  Half teens and half adults.  Its a great combination.

The support from WCT and families over the years has been tremendous and I am sure that we will make them all proud.

Just in time, I received clearance from the Doc yesterday to resume light activity as I recover from a herniated disk.  I am sure activity will not be light, but its good to go into this trip feeling good for the first time in 5 months.

The excitement builds.