CUNYAC Goodwill Tour -- New Orleans, LA -- Day 6

Going Separate Ways

The group was split up at the beginning of the work day on Memorial Day, as fractions went to different worksites.  Some stayed on the Annuciation campus while others went to local homes and some went to a local community center.  It was the first time on the trip that the CUNY Team would be split into groups.

Relating to the Devastation

The fraction that remained at the Annunciation Mission watched a brief video that showed the plight of Father Jerry Kramer, of the Church of the Annunciation.  He was shown walking toward the church in the days following Katrina, only able to find his way after he saw some neighbors who gave him their boat.  The visual effect of the video was tremendous as it showed Kramer walking into the same entrance to the mission that the group has been going in and out of daily in their stay.  The video then went on to interview many of the community members who were left without a home after Katrina and received help from the mission and consequently joined the cause, remaining with the mission.

"Seeing the video was heartbreaking," said Kevin McKessey of Medgar Evers College.  "I got a chance to speak with Perry, a truck driver who was interviewed in the video. He was telling me how difficult it was to leave the city during Katrina. The highways were backed up and then if you got off an exit, you would not be allowed to get back on.  When he got to Atlanta, he never planned on coming back.  When the mission asked for his help, he returned and when he saw how much good he could do for the community he stayed." 

Helping a Community Get a Fresh Start

After seeing the video, the volunteers from CUNY were highly motivated in the task of painting what will be a community center on the grounds of the Annunciation Mission campus.  Duane, the Director of the mission, would lead the painting crew in prepping for their days' work and then they would proceed to climb their ladders and start priming the building.   

"It feels good to be out here in the sun working hard knowing that we are helping this community to have a future, after going through so much," said Heather Ruger of CCNY.  " I feel as though helping to rebuild this community center, that we watched on video being flooded with water, will bring so much to this neighborhood for years to come."

The building is relatively large and therefore the CUNY members that are working on it will be doing so for the entire week.  While they got lots done on Monday, they did end a little early as James, the do-it-all staffer of the mission, prepared a late afternoon barbeque in traditional Memorial Day fashion.

Lending Hands....and Sometimes an Ear

One of the other fractions of Team CUNY went out to a local resident's home to help him with some work around the house. Jack, an activist in the community, gave much of his time to helping neighbors over his lifetime.  Much of the needed help with was actually lighter than what the group was used to doing over their time in New Orleans, but the effect the CUNY students and staff who visited with him was far greater than any chore.  "He appreciated talking to us and making a connection," said Danielle Maresca of Brooklyn College.  "I got to meet his dog and we found out we are both dog lovers.  I could tell that it meant a lot to him that we were there."