| “I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.” ~Mahatma Ghandi~ |
The team was up and at ‘em bright and early this morning and off to the Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, LA, where we enjoyed a “Private Pinz Tour” in a Pinzgauer High Mobility All-Terrain Vehicle. We’re going to post a separate blog entry with just pictures in it, but here’s a sneak preview of one of them:
Our tour guide pulled this little guy out of his lunch box!
Tomorrow is the day the team has been waiting for, and the whole reason we’re here—to do post-Katrina Habitat for Humanity service. Here are the team members’ thoughts in anticipation of our big day:
From Erica Fairchild: This morning we went on a safari tour. We were told we would get to pet and feed the animals, but I was a bit skeptical. Turns out, that is exactly what we did! By the end of the tour I was covered in drool, but it was well worth it. I love animals and this event really reinforced the great time I’m having. Tomorrow we start Habitat, and I can’t wait to start the thing we really came down here to do. I’ve had a really good time so far getting to know everyone, so I look forward to working with them and other Habitat volunteers tomorrow! Can’t wait!
From Caitlin Cohn: I’ve been excited for months to begin our Habitat work, but after the tours of the city and seeing the destruction, it’s overwhelming how much work there is still to be done. Our team though is determined to help make a difference as much as we can these next four days.
From Miriam Kamya: Tomorrow I anticipate it will be a long day. But it will be worth it to make a difference.
From Victoria Edwards: The last few days have been hard being sick, but not as bad as these people have seen. Tomorrow I put aside my pain to help others… service tomorrow!
From Marion Price: These past four days have been challenging in their own right, but I am anticipating the hard work yet to come. Not knowing what we are doing at the Habitat houses is kind of exciting. Hopefully the weather will be good for the rest of the week so we can get the most work done as possible. New Orleans is an amazing city and I am glad we are here to build it better than it was before Katrina.
From Branson Kinsey: Louisiana has been ballin’! I’m pumped about our work days and can’t wait to do some serious building.
From Amanda Smith: The last couple of days have been a great opportunity to experience New Orleans culture. I am excited to get to work tomorrow and give back to their community.
From Isaac Jordan: For the first couple of days I have enjoyed getting to know everybody and having fun. Tomorrow we start Habitat and I can’t wait to start serving and building houses and continue to build relationships.
From Blair Morton: The safari tour this morning was a pleasant surprise; I liked feeding the animals even though some got rowdy with the feed cups. I’m eager to start our service and hopefully meet some homeowners and hear their stories. After seeing the damaged houses and the ones that have already been rebuilt, I am ready to make my own contribution.
From Andrea Stocks: Bonding with the entire group has been a blast. Everyone gets along really well. I’m very excited to get on site and begin our service. I anticipate the team’s chemistry to be contagious on site.
From Eliza Biswas: The past few days we’ve had a great time exploring the city. It’s made the trip very real to see the firsthand impact of Katrina. I’m excited to start volunteering for Habitat tomorrow.
From Pressly Blackley: I am excited to start Habitat tomorrow. Today we had a chill day off, so I am anxious to be active and get my hands dirty on the worksite.
From John Martin: I look forward to watching this team proudly represent NC State University as we begin our four days of service.
From Chris Kronenwetter: After all the speed bumps earlier in the week I am stoked about serving with the locals.
Tracy DiTucci, our Team Leader: Today was our last day before we started our Habitat work days, so we decided to surprise the team with a private safari tour at Global Wildlife Center about an hour north of where we’re staying in New Orleans. Yes – believe it or not, there are giraffes, camels, zebras, and even Shrek donkeys running (relatively) wild around Louisiana. Opting for the “Private Pinz” tour instead of the safari wagon option was definitely money well spent. We took 2 Jeep/Safari-esque vehicles (dubbed “Pinz”) out onto the grounds for an hour of pure craziness. By the time we approached the first group of animals, all hell broke lose. I don’t think anyone in our group expected the animals to actually come up close to our vehicles, but within 30 seconds the giant African antelopes surrounded the vehicles and stuck their heads in looking for the giant bucket of feed we had hidden in the vehicle, and the atmosphere did not change throughout the rest of the tour. Our guide, Drake, was incredibly knowledgeable about the animals on the reserve – turns out he’s a student as well studying wildlife biology, so we tried to coax him in to transferring to State…who knows, maybe we’ll see him on State’s campus next semester!
Tomorrow we start our Habitat work days, and there’s a sense of angst and anticipation amongst the group to get started on the work we came down here for. We’ve definitely faced our trials and frustrations throughout the first part of the week, but through open discussion we’ve been able to vent these feelings and work through them as a group. I, for one, can’t wait to get my hands dirty and make a contribution to this community. I’m still processing all the images and knowledge we’ve taken in over these past few days. Going through the lower ninth wards and other neighborhoods on the outskirts of downtown New Orleans – seeing homes that are in ruins next to homes that have been relatively rebuilt – is unfathomable. I’m interested in learning how the families who have rebuild their homes perceive these homes next to them – do they see them as a constant reminder of the horror and heartache they faced so few years ago, or do they see these messages and demolished homes as inspiration for the rebuilding and rebirth that is yet to be carried out in the coming years. Graffitied messages like “2 dogs dead” on the side of these homes serve as a constant reminder for the continued work that needs to be done here. Even in the airport right after we arrived in New Orleans, I gained a sense of the immense resilience the people of this area have – for their city, their homes, and their community. It’s my hope that these next 4 days of service will open our eyes to a brand new perspective on affordable housing for all and give us a personal perspective to the effects that Katrina and other natural disasters have had on this city and its remarkable people.
Pictures of the safari to come tomorrow! And tomorrow’s destination 8800 Olive Street, New Orleans, LA!