"The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems." --Mahatma Ghandi

Elevation requirements

Here is one example of a house that has been built according to the new elevation requirements for those living in the flood zone. This adds considerably more to the already expensive cost of rebuilding.

A mural created by Hands On Gulf Coast in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Biloxi

Warm ocean waters fuel hurricanes, and there was plenty of warm water for Katrina to build up strength once she crossed over Florida and moved into the Gulf of Mexico. This image depicts a 3-day average of actual sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005. Every area in yellow, orange, or red represents 82 degrees Fahrenheit or above. A hurricane needs SSTs at 82 degrees or warmer to strengthen.

View of Biloxi beach (longest man-made beach in the world) from Hwy 90, or Beach Boulevard.

THANK YOU TO ORGANIC VALLEY!

A big THANK YOU to Nick Levendoski and Organic Valley (http://organicvalley.coop/) for donating Wisconsin cheese to the volunteers at Hands On Gulf Coast!

IMPACT OF HURRICANE KATRINA IN MISSISSIPPI

• Many coastal towns of Mississippi and Louisiana were obliterated in a single night.
• The winds from Katrina hit the coast of Mississippi and lasted over 17 hours, spawning 11 tornadoes (51 in other states), and a 28-foot storm surge flooding 6-12 miles inland.
• Many, unable to evacuate, survived by climbing to attics or rooftops, or swimming to higher buildings and trees. Over 100 people were rescued from rooftops and trees in Mississippi.
• Afterward, over 235 people died in Mississippi, and 47 counties in Mississippi were declared disaster areas for federal assistance.

Mississippi and Louisiana

• Louisiana and Mississippi are among the poorest states and lack the necessary resources to fuel a full recovery.
• According to the 2000 U.S. census, Mississippi ranked 2nd only to District of Columbia in its poverty rate, making it the poorest state in the nation, with Louisiana ranking as the 2nd poorest.
• Mississippi also ranks 50th in the quality of its health care, while Louisiana ranks 49th. Both states also share the lowest level of educational attainment in the country.

AmeriCorps contracts

I am very pleased to say that 2 individuals who came down to help out on the Gulf Coast for the Spring Break trip I organized this past April are each signing 4.5 month AmeriCorps contracts here at Hands On Gulf Coast. Laina Breidenbach will be working in the area of construction, and Jesse Weber will be involved with youth development. They will be a great addition to our community, and will be joining us here over the next couple of weeks!

FACTS ABOUT HURRICANE KATRINA

• The rebuilding effort is expected to take at least 12 years.
• Hurricane Katrina was a Category 3 hurricane when it hit ground, and the eye passed close to the Mississippi/Louisiana border.
• Katrina pushed a 28-foot wall of water called a "storm surge." In Mississippi, the water rose for about 8 hours, and then drained. In New Orleans the same wave breached the levees and reversed the drains, but was then unable to recede, leading to the prolonged disaster period.
• At least 1,836 people lost their lives in Hurricane Katrina and in the subsequent floods, and the storm is estimated to have been responsible for $81.2 billion in damage, making it the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history.
• You can still come down and volunteer to help on the Gulf Coast...feel free to contact me for more information, or visit our website at www.handsongulfcoast.org.

Tours, tours, tours...

I have been giving a ton of tours to groups lately, and know quite a bit about the history of Biloxi, how it has gone from a shrimping town and is heading in the direction of a "mini Vegas," etc. They announced last month that a $700 million Margaritaville Hotel and Casino will be coming to Biloxi. Jimmy Buffett, who grew up about 45 minutes from Biloxi, is partnering with Harrah's Entertainment on the project, which should be completed by 2010. Some of the most recent tours I have given have been to a Jewish Funds for Justice group from New York, a teen group from a residential weight-loss school from North Carolina, and a group of students from Dartmouth College. I have a great time doing it, and get to meet all sorts of people from all over.

It has been getting really, really hot here and is only going to get worse. My poor Wisconsin skin isn't ready for this heat. I may just melt here in Mississippi...

Marmalade the cat

I have sad news for those who were down on the Spring Break trip and remember the "base cat," Marmalade. She wandered out into the road about a week ago and was hit by a car. We "retired her jersey" on the wall here and she was buried in the back of our base.

Coming home...

I was home about a month ago, and didn't get to see everyone I wanted to--the time went by way too fast. Sam and I should be back again towards the end of August, so hopefully I will be able to get around to seeing more people then.

Update...

Wow, I haven't posted on this thing for awhile! We have been settling down from Spring Break madness here at Hands On Gulf Coast, catching up on cleaning (the "Spin Cycle" is spotless!) and just getting back into our regular routines. We have a lot less volunteers these days, which is actually a nice break, and many of them are older groups than what we've had the past month and a half. I have been giving orientations to groups and individuals, and taking them on tours. A new AmeriCorps NCCC team arrived a few days ago and I took them around East Biloxi, to lunch, and out to the Friendship Oak yesterday (the Friendship Oak is over 500 years old and is on the University of Southern Mississippi campus). I also went to a 3-day conference in Jackson the earlier part of last week. It was put on by the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits and the conference was great, but I must say the highlight for me was taking a "real" shower and sleeping in a "real" bed. It was a luxury!

Meeting Mr. Earl...

Today I went out and had an amazing day working at a new house Hands On Gulf Coast is working on. It belongs to Mr. Earl, who is 62 years old and uses a walker to get around. He has lived in the house for most of his life. Like a lot of the older residents of Biloxi, he survived Hurricane Camille in 1969, so decided he could stick it out for Katrina. Here is the story he told me as we sat on his porch and talked today...
Like I said, he had lived through Camille in '69, and the water had come up to the second step of his porch then. Like I have heard a lot of Biloxi residents say, they never thought anything could be worse than Camille. The night before Katrina was to hit, the power went out in his house and he used candlelight to get around. He went to bed that night, and woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. He said, "I stepped off the bed like I always do when I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, but stepped knee-deep into water." He said he got up and moved around his house for a little while, and when he looked outside it was like he was on an island--there was water 360 degrees around his house. He said there wasn't anything he could do about it, so he went back to bed, but he was concerned about the water getting higher. When he got back in bed, he stuck his hand in the water off the side of his bed so he could tell if it got any higher and he would wake up. Fortunately, the water didn't get any higher. He did fall back asleep, and when he woke up again, the water was gone.

This illustrates how differently things occurred in Biloxi as compared to New Orleans. In Biloxi, the water came in and receded in a fairly short amount of time. In New Orleans, most of the damage was due to the breaking of the levees. When that water came in, it had nowhere to go, and the area was like a big bowl that held the stagnant water for weeks.


I had a great day talking to Mr. Earl and also getting some work done for him. I went there with my boyfriend Sam, who had gone through the house with Mr. Earl and made a list of all the things he wanted help with. Mr. Earl lives alone and doesn't have many people around him to help him work on his home. He has had both volunteers (other than Hands On volunteers) work on his home, and he has also hired people to do work. He says he trusts the volunteers he has had more than he trusts the hired help, and that probably 85% of the progress he sees around town is being done by volunteers. Mr. Earl had asked that a crew he had hired be very careful with an awning that had survived both Camille and Katrina. They were rough in handling it, and slightly backed into it with their truck. These are one of the things we are going to repair for him. I was walking through his house and saw a ceiling that had been painted by the hired individuals and they hadn't bothered to remove the light fixture from the ceiling--they just sprayed paint right over it, and the light from the lightbulb was barely coming through the paint. We took it down and I cleaned it with water to get all the paint off, and we put it back up. Mr. Earl has doors in his house that have been there since it was built, and I believe he installed them himself. When the crew that he had hired was working in the house, he asked if they could either cover or take down the doors before doing any painting in the room, as they were very important to him. They didn't do this, and there is paint all over the doors. Sam and I took one of them down today and I spent part of the day scrubbing the paint off the door and staining it. We put it back up at the end of the day and he was thrilled, and I said I would be back to do the same to the rest of the doors, and he was even more thrilled and so extremely grateful. Days like this confirm that this is where I need to be right now, and I couldn't be happier...

New Orleans...

I spent last Friday and Saturday in New Orleans for a Leadership Conference and was able to go on a tour of areas that were hardest hit by Katrina. It is something you have to see to believe. We got to see where the levee broke, and you can literally see how the water fanned out from the levee and wiped out house after house. Most of the houses near the levee had around 8-10 feet of water come through them. When we first got to this area in the Lower 9th Ward, someone on the bus asked if there used to be houses there, because you couldn't tell that there were until you got closer and could see the foundations. I learned that a lot of the water in these areas sat for at least 6 weeks. When they went in to pull everything out of the houses after the water receded, they had to duct tape the refrigerators shut--otherwise the trucks coming around to pick up debris wouldn't take them because they smelled so bad.

Spring Break madness

We are starting to get Spring Break groups in this week, and we will continue to get them through the first few weeks of April. Groups that are here now include Xavier University (Cincinnati), St. Cloud State (MN), University of North Carolina, Boston College, and Northeastern University (Boston). This means we have nearly 150 people here at base right now. Some of things they are working on include: mold remediation, painting, construction, gutting, building picnic tables and fire pits, tuturing children, and flyering neighborhoods. Some of these projects are ongoing, and some change based on the needs of the community. It's really fun to be around these different groups and the new energy they bring--they are so ready to jump in and help with whatever they can.

How I got involved in disaster recovery on the Gulf Coast...

For those of you who don't already know how I ended up down here, here is my story...My boyfriend, Sam, is currently volunteering for AmeriCorps NCCC. It's a 10-month program where he travels around southeast United States with 11 other individuals helping wherever there is need--a large percentage of the work has been disaster recovery in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. He was working at Hands On Gulf Coast (the organization where I am now working and living) for 6 weeks in September/October 2006 in Biloxi, Mississippi. I flew down to visit him for what was supposed to be 5 days. The night before I was supposed to fly home, I made the decision to skip my flight and stay an additional week. During the time I was here in October I was given the opportunity to work with the Red Cross, Humane Society, a local children's Discovery Center, and also to work directly on a family's home helping to lay flooring, put up siding, and other various construction tasks. Being able to come face to face with a family who was severely impacted by the storm made the experience something I was never going to forget.

I came home after having learned more than I ever knew about how the Gulf Coast was impacted by Hurricane Katrina and knew that I wanted to do more to help. It's so easy to forget about things that are going on in our country when we no longer see them on the news. While most news coverage focused on the devastation in New Orleans, I learned that other areas on the Gulf were hit just as hard, if not worse, than New Orleans. I also learned that rebuilding efforts are expected to take at least 10 years. So, I decided to plan a trip to take 25-30 volunteers from Wisconsin to Biloxi to stay and volunteer at Hands On Gulf Coast. While planning that trip, an opportunity came up through AmeriCorps (domestic version of the Peace Corps) to stay and work at Hands On Gulf Coast, and I decided to go for it.

CHECK OUT WWW.HANDSONGULFCOAST.ORG TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION I AM WORKING WITH

So much work to be done...

Beginning last Wednesday, I started the orientation for my 9-month AmeriCorps position at Hands On Gulf Coast. Today was the first day I started working on the projects to which I am assigned. For anyone wondering what I am doing down here, I am working in the areas of local volunteer recruitment and corporate engagement. What does that mean? Well, as far as local volunteer recruitment it means going out and getting the locals involved in what Hands On is doing in the community. Currently HOGC operates with the help of volunteers that come from outside of the Gulf Coast region. In order for the program to be sustainable, it is crucial to involve the locals to keep it running as its focus shifts from disaster recovery to other issues that need attention in the community.

The other area that I am working in is that of corporate engagement. What this means is that when a corporate group wants to come down, I correspond with them and help find a project that is feasible for them. When the group comes down, I meet with them and get them acclimated to life here at base. I am their "go to" person and answer any questions that arise during their stay. At the end of their volunteer time, I meet with them again to reflect on the work they have done over their stay and go over things like what they thought about their experience, what it means to the community, and how it fits into the bigger picture.

I got the opportunity to go on a tour of the Biloxi/Gulfport area with my teammate Sabrina, who was born and raised in Biloxi. As we drove along the Gulf and saw foundation after foundation where things used to be, she was able to tell me what used to be there. That was Ruby Tuesday's, that was an old antebellum house, that was an Olive Garden, an Arby's, a casino, Taco Bell, a souvenir store, another casino, a hotel, condos, and on and on and on. They are gone, I mean COMPLETELY GONE, something you have to see to believe. Not having seen the area before Katrina, one might think that there was never anything there in the first place, because there is literally nothing but a pile of bricks that remains of so many of the buildings that used to line the shore. I was really able to absorb how devastating the storm was to this area, how right it feels to be here helping out, and how excited I am for the Spring Break trip so that others can witness this for themselves, and hopefully make others aware of how much help is still needed.

Getting settled in...

I'm pretty much settled in here in Biloxi, and my home is a bunk as of right now. I'm hoping to get a room like most long-termers have, but in the meantime have created a pretty comfortable nest for myself. I arrived in Biloxi the afternoon of Thursday, February 15th and went to work Friday morning. In the morning I helped to weed a community garden to help clean up the park for a community event that was to take place the following day. Over the lunch hour, I volunteered with a group of women from Bethesda, MD and served lunch to over 100 volunteers at the Salvation Army. Then I went back to weeding and worked with a group of high school Seniors from Maryland. Nearly the entire Senior class of the school (very small all male private school) had come down with the president of the school and some teachers and parents. Each year the Senior class participates in a service project, and working at Hands On for the week was their project. By the time they were getting ready to leave, many of them were already talking about returning.

For Volunteers: What to Bring

This is taken from the HOGC website. I have made comments on some of the items listed. If you have them already--great, bring them. If you don't already have them, there are many of these items that are here at base for volunteer use, so don't run out and spend money on buying them new.

*Completed Volunteer Liability Waiver (if you can print this off the HOGC website and have it already filled out, terrific. If not, I will have copies for everyone.)
* Short-sleeved t-shirts (also, each volunteer gets a Hands On Gulf Coast t-shirt and there are other clothing items available for purchase)
* Shorts
* Work clothes (keep in mind they will likely be damaged)

• Long-sleeved shirts for protection
• Jeans
• Work boots (these are available at base if you don't have them--a pair of tennis shoes that you don't mind getting dirty is fine for most jobs)
• Hat or cap (optional)
• Work gloves (these are also available at base if you don't have them)
• Sunscreen (probably a good idea)
• Eye protection (goggles are available at base)
• Sleeping bag (blanket and pillow will suffice if you don't have one)
  

* Air mattress (if you have one, good idea to bring it--otherwise there are quite a few here)
* A flashlight or headlamp - in case of power outage or hurricane evacuation (optional)
* Towel (important)
* Personal hygiene and medical items (important)
* Tent (optional--I believe we will have the option of either sleeping indoors or out, and there are tents here if you would like to set up camp outside...more details to come on this topic)
* Your sense of humor! (important!)

Other things you may want to bring:

• camera
• some snacks for the long ride
• i-pod, Soduko puzzles, portable DVD player, books--things that might keep you occupied in the vans and at down times around base
• I'll add more as I think of things...
  

Facts about Hands On Gulf Coast

• On January 30, 2006, the city of Biloxi awarded Hands On Gulf Coast a key to the city in recognition of its contributions to the recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina.
• Over 3,500 individuals have volunteered their time at Hands On over the past year and a half
  
• The building's security network consists of Helicopter (dog) at the back entrance and Marmalade (cat) who combs the premises hourly.
• Helicopter is one of 26 puppies that were saved by a long-term volunteer at Hands On. White House staffers adopted four puppies during their visit and the puppies rode home on Air Force One.
• The "jerseys" hanging on the loft wall above the kitchen are former long-term volunteers who made a significant difference at Hands On and in the community. When the long termer leaves, their "jersey" (work shirt) is retired.
• The building has served as a volunteer center since a week after Hurricane Katrina, when the facility was used to house Hands On USA volunteers.
• HOGC has proven to be the most addictive volunteer center in the Gulf. No one comes just once.
• Usher, George and Laura Bush, and Anne Fudge (one of Fortune's 50 most influential women in American business) have all volunteered with HOGC.
• HOGC, in partnership with KaBOOM, has helped rebuild 8 playgrounds along the Coast.
• President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis' plantation, Beauvoir, included the property which is now home to HOGC. Katrina destroyed his historic home. Hands On volunteers were instrumental in recovering Civil War artifacts from the rubble.
  

Random information for those going on the trip...

There will be a group of UW-Madison students at Hands On the same week we are there, so Wisconsin will be well represented (about 50 volunteers total between both groups.)

Each Thursday evening, there is a "No Talent Talent Show," so feel free to bring your ukelele, tap shoes, trombone, hula hoop, glass eye, book of poetry, or whatever you might use to display your talent (or non talent).

There is a local watering hole within walking distance that volunteers are free to visit after work hours.

You will likely have the choice of either sleeping on a bunk indoors, or pitching a tent outdoors. The Hands On Gulf Coast website gives a list of things you should bring with you. If you have questions or need clarification about any of the items on the list, feel free to contact me.

More to come!

LIFE AT HOGC

I thought I would write a little bit about the day-to-day life here at Hands On, for those who are coming down to volunteer and those who are wondering what in the world I am doing down here. Each day, crews go out to various job sites to do various things. At dinner each night, volunteers put their names down for what they would like to do the next day. You can sign up for something new each day, or you can work on the same task for a number of days. Just a few examples are mold removal, gutting, working at the Humane Society, framing, drywall, tutoring, working at the Boys and Girls Club, working in a community garden, painting a mural, and other various tasks that may arise. For example, today I was on a crew that helped a woman move boxes, furniture, and other items out of her water-damaged house and into a U-Haul, then unloaded it into a storage locker she had rented. This is just one example of many where a citizen asks for help with a specific task, and Hands On helps them out.

There are a lot of other things that occur at dinner each night. Aside from the regular job board, there are other duties that people sign up for at dinner. Among them are preparing breakfast, breakfast clean-up, dinner preparation, and dinner clean-up for the following day. There is also the job of being the "Ira," who picks up/drops off volunteers at the airport, jobsites, or anywhere else they might need to get to. Apparently there was a volunteer named Ira who was here who was so excited to have just gotten his drivers license that all he wanted to do was drive people around, so they named the job after him.

Another thing that occurs at dinner is that any new volunteers introduce themselves, usually saying where they are from, how they found out about Hands On Gulf Coast, and some silly question, like "What is your favorite fruit?" This is also when volunteers who are leaving the next day say their goodbyes and talk about their experience at Hands On.