Community Collaborations in the News
Emory Diary
A few weeks after the season ended, spring break offered a chance to unwind after a long, yet exciting, season. It was a chance to do something individually, as opposed to with the team; some players ventured home, while others went on cruises and various other trips. I decided to go on the Alternative Spring Break trip to Waveland, Mississippi - a small town of about 7,000 residents on the Gulf of Mexico - utterly devastated by Hurricane Katrina. I went with a group of 37 other Emory students and we were housed in a beachside "village" set up by Community Collaborations for relief workers. The "village" consisted of a mess tent, showers, and hundreds of tents (each complete with 4 cots and a light bulb), where over 500 college kids from across the nation came to spend their respective spring breaks.
I was not prepared for the level of total destruction that we met there. Waveland experienced a 30-foot tidal surge during the storm, and as such, only 25 homes in the entire city were deemed "habitable" after the storm. Six months later and people were still living in tents next to the debris of their former homes; FEMA trailers were abundant, as were homes where only the front step remained. I went on the trip under the pretense that weĠd be helping to rebuild the community, but the town was nowhere near ready for that. Instead, we spent our time picking up debris and gutting houses that had been untouched since the storm, leaving only the structure with which the families could rebuild. Even homes 3 or 4 miles inland, that outwardly appeared to be undamaged, still needed to be gutted, due to 8 to 10 foot high flood waters. The debris consisted of everything you could imagine: toys, diaries, books, pictures, televisions, bicycles, wheelbarrows, marbles, and even air conditioners.
Two days before leaving, our Emory group drove over to New Orleans, about 1 hour west of Waveland. The difference between the Ninth Ward and the French Quarter, the heart of New Orleans tourism, was almost fantastical. The Quarter appeared as if it had never been hit, while the ninth ward was simply ruined. However, in contrast to Waveland, where some lived in tents on their property, the people of New Orleans had no choice but to live in mold-infested homes that were literally falling apart.
I think most of us went on the trip with a lot of preconceptions about what had happened. But staying there, even for a week, changed my entire perspective. In the wake of any natural disaster, volunteers are the most equipped to help because while the government must account to the taxpayers for all of its spending, volunteers can simply knock on someoneĠs door and ask, "What do you need?"
The locals were extremely grateful for our help; their continuous thanks almost made me feel guilty - why had I not come before? - Why was there still so much damage? - On our last night in Waveland, the local police and fire department even threw us a little beach party, complete with a bonfire and a DJ, in appreciation for our help. Six months later... to most the storm is a distant memory, but to those living in the affected areas, the struggle to rebuild is very much a reality. Help will definitely be needed for years to come
Lauren Bugg is a freshman from Pembroke, Fla. She would love to answer e-mail questions from Emory recruits and fans.
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