CUNYAC Goodwill Tour 2011 -- New Orleans, LA -- Day 7
Eager To Get To Work
Most of Team CUNY got right back to work on projects that began on Monday and were excited to get to their sites and see some real progress throughout the day. The 8 am start to the work day has become routine for the group and therefore energy was high and the day ahead seemed to be bright.
The Presleys
One of the projects that would be continued on Tuesday was the painting of the Presleys' home a few minutes from Annunciation Mission. The Presleys are a couple who could not afford to make necessary improvements on their home largely due to being conned by an unscrupulous contractor. A large amount of money was taken from the couple and services were not completed. The Presleys turned to asking help of volunteers from Annunciation, however, they discussed that there are many problems with some of the volunteers that have passed through their home. Many volunteers are not dilligent and therefore the work must be redone. In addition, many helpers only stay for a day or two and then the couple must train new workers to continue a job that takes a week or more to complete. The couple was glad that the CUNY Team was here because they would stay through Friday and were hard-working and organized. While on Monday the fraction sent to the couple's house mainly prepped, on Tuesday they began to paint and made lots of progress. "At first it seemed like an impossible challenge to paint the Presley house. We came together as a team, created a game plan, and got to work. I'm really proud of all we accomplished for the Presley family." commented Shanita Scott of Hostos Community College.
A New Friend
One segment of the group that would not be continuing with a project from the previous day headed to meet a man named Rene who needed help constructing his house. Rene, who is currently living with a friend while his domicile is being worked on, is a New Jersey native who came to help post-Katrina. Like many of the volunteers who came to New Orleans, he ended up remaining in the city helping many to rebuild their homes. A charitable man, Rene did not worry about his own living situation but is trying, with help from Team CUNY, to get his own house built. "Rene needed help with his patio. I didn't get a chance to finish but it's coming out nicely. I can't wait to finish it so I can give back to a man that gave so much to his community" explained Kim Battle from City Tech. The CUNY volunteers gave him great reason to be optimistic as they made tremendous headway throughout the day and promised to return tomorrow.
A Good Meal
After the long day of work for all, the CUNY family got to go out for a treat, a dinner at Ralph's on the Park, a fine restaurant in Mid-City, New Orleans. The eatery featured exquisite scenery, both inside and out, as it sits opposite beautiful City Park. On arrival, the CUNY students and staffers walked into the park to pose for a group picture before eating their dinner some moments later. The menu was well-rounded and the food was excellently prepared, which was a welcome change from the typical dinner at the mission.