During Spring Break 2007, a group of Chancellor's Scholars and
I went on an Alternative Spring Break to Biloxi, Mississippi
with an organization called Hands On Gulf Coast.
The trip was a week long and we performed various tasks all
over Biloxi, including digging trenches for sewage, siding homes,
restoring destroyed homes, painting, removing mold and
destroying those homes that we considered uninhabitable.
We also spent a day in New Orleans walking around in the
French Quarter and eating at the world famous Cafe Du Monde.
To my surprise, even after a year and a half, signs of the
hurricane were everywhere. As we drove into New Orleans,
I was shocked to see "HELP ME" spray painted on rooftops
or across sides of buildings.
Even more disturbing was a sign we saw in Biloxi that read,
"If Looting, WILL shoot to Kill." I bring this depressing
point up not to startle, but to raise awareness
that things are still not the same in the region,
and it is predicted to take 15-20 years to restore the
region back to its previous state.
If you have any desire to help, you too can do so...
just check out www.handsongulfcoast.com or www.americorp.org
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