Students trade spring break beaches for Gulf Coast relief
BY MICHELLE HERSHMAN, L’07
Richmond students dubbed it “Spring Break 2006: Destination Gulf Coast.” More than 70 students lined up to join hurricane relief efforts similar to those that six Bonner Scholars experienced during fall break.
“We were so moved by our experience over fall break, we decided to plan a free, alternative spring break trip for interested students,” said Sarah Potter, publicity director of Spring Break 2006 and a sophomore Bonner Scholar.
After returning to Richmond, the Bonner Scholars formed a steering committee to arrange the spring break trip. They were overwhelmed with interest and selected 45 students to participate.
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Students clear debris during spring break trip to Mississippi |
With only five months to plan, the students contacted St. Thomas Catholic Church, in Hattiesburg, Miss., to request lodging. St. Thomas provided the Bonner Scholars with shelter during their fall trip.
“We knew the church and the area, so we felt this was the best place to call home base for our trip,” said Corrie Mixon, service director of the steering committee.
The committee also contacted Main Street United Methodist Church in Bay St. Louis to coordinate organized response efforts. Planning in advance was tough because service needs change on a daily basis.
The next task was to locate funding to make the trip free for all participating students.
The committee requested funds from numerous campus organizations. The Provost’s Office and the Jepson School of Leadership Studies provided donations, and money from friends and families brought the total to more than $30,000.
As part of the learning component, the committee provided each student a copy of Michael Eric Dyson’s Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster and a reading packet about Mississippi and Hurricane Katrina. The group also had two formal discussion programs during the trip.
Before long, 45 students were on a charter bus that arrived in Mississippi at 2 a.m. March 5. After a tour of the area, the real work began Monday morning when students gutted, cleaned, insulated, drywalled and removed debris. They took off roofs and performed demolition.
“We worked on a total of 12 different houses in five days,” Mixon said.
As soon as students returned to Richmond, the steering committee began planning a permanent relief organization on campus. They recently finished writing by-laws for the Collegiate Disaster Relief Team.
“The students at Richmond are more than willing to help those in need. These resources and opportunities to effect change cannot be ignored.” Mixon said.
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