News

Katrina cleanup: Youth, adults lend a hand

By Jeff Kurowski
Compass Assistant Editor

	KATRINA CLEANUP: Bridget Ellis (left) of St. Bernard Parish, and a graduate of Notre Dame Academy, Green Bay, at work on the Gulf Coast. (Submitted photo)
	Hurricane help The U.S. Catholic Church's national Hurricane Recovery collection will be taken in all parishes of the Green Bay Diocese the weekend of Sept. 16-17 or 23-24. Related articles: from September 15, 2006 issue: • Stewards share treasure freely from August 25, 2006 issue: • Editorial -- Much still undone from June 16, 2006 issue: • Area teens to help house Katrina survivors from May 19, 2006 issue: • Phlox, Mattoon help Katrina victims     Sidebar: Pastor responds • Editorial -- A chance to ask 'What if' from March 10, 2006 issue: • Editorial -- Paying attention to signs from December 2, 2005 issue: • Warm coats warm hearts from November 25, 2005 issue: • Editorial -- Proving the old axioms from October 21, 2005 issue: • Diocesan Catholics give $1 million to Katrina aid from September 30, 2005 issue: • Sidebar: Hurricane help from September 23, 2005 issue: • Picking up after Katrina disaster • Editorial -- Feeling some solidarity from September 16, 2005 issue: • Money remains best way to help • Editorial -- Managing risk • Editorial -- Don't blame God • Bridging the Gap by Bishop David Zubik --     Bridging the Gap: One more time from September 9, 2005 issue: • Katrina: Area Catholics can help • Salvatorian Mission Warehouse sends flood relief supplies • Mississippi priory spared by hurricane • Editorial -- Flood with aid from September 2, 2005 issue: • Bishop asks prayers, money for hurricane survivors

"I thought that people may not even need our help because so much time had passed," said Alex Davis, a sophomore at Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay and member of St. Matthew Parish in Allouez. "I wasn't expecting so much damage. When we got down there it was more than just a few trees down. They lost all their belongings. There was so much debris, so much devastation."

Nineteen teens and five adults from the Diocese of Green Bay traveled to Mississippi in July to provide assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast communities of Waveland and Bay St. Louis as part of Young Neighbors in Action (NIA), a Catholic service organization. Group members picked up debris along a highway, cleaned a park and assisted residents by removing damaged items from homes.

"I was expecting half of what (damage) we saw," said Cassie Froelich, a member of St. Mary of the Angels Parish in Green Bay. "The weeds in the park were four or five-feet tall. It took us two days just to shovel the debris and remove the weeds."

"We found a lot of photo albums in the park and kids' stuffed animals," she added. "That was tough seeing how much they lost."

Froelich had made NIA mission trips the previous two summers but those experiences did not compare to the Mississippi outreach, she said.

"We helped a family in Washington, D.C.," she said. "In Detroit, we helped clean up a retreat center. On the other trips, we helped one family or one parish. This trip, the entire area, the entire state was affected. We tried to help them to restore their lives."

The neighborhood surrounding the park was once an affluent area with Victorian homes from the 1800s.

"It's eerie seeing it now," said Mary Anne Froelich, one of the adult chaperones on the trip. "It used to be such a nice neighborhood, but you wouldn't know it. All that remains are the stairs that once led to the front doors of huge, beautiful homes."

"Seeing the trees that are destroyed makes it even more devastating," she added. "Not only did many of the trees get blown down by the wind, but the 25-foot tidal wave killed the trees. The salt water covered the trees and the heat baked in the salt. They are all dying."

Many residents who returned to the area now live in FEMA trailers.

"I feel bad for them," said high school junior Nathan Brandner, a member of St. Matthew Parish. "We found a lot of personal belongings. There was a TV down on the beach. We found cups and glasses that were wrapped up. It's hard to determine how long it is going to take to clean everything up. They need help. The people were really appreciative. It really didn't seem like we were doing that much, considering the damage, but they were very thankful that we were there."

Interacting the people who lost their homes had a lasting effect on high school senior Shannon Connors, also a member of St. Matthew Parish.

"The people from the program told us to stop working if someone wanted to talk with us," said Connors. "These people need to tell their stories. It's helpful for them to share what happened. We learned about their lives."

It was a powerful faith experience, she added.

"I learned a lot about our church and Catholic social teaching," said Connors. "There were scheduled programs at night with speakers. We reflected on the days in our journals. It was a good experience. I've already talked about going back."

When the group finished removing debris and weeds from the park, they sanded and painted the existing playground equipment. Local men were so impressed with their efforts that they helped finish the job by leveling the ground with machinery.

"We thought that if we can clean up this park it would really help the community," said Davis. "We did all that we could. When they leveled the ground, it looked so much better than when we started."

The group stayed at Camp Coastal, a camp developed especially for volunteers. The cost is only $15 a night including three meals a day. In addition to cleanup efforts, the volunteers spent a day working at World Vision, where they packed 1,800 backpacks with school supplies.

The Mississippi heat was an obstacle, but a small sacrifice to help people in need, said Cassie.

"You were already sweaty during morning prayer," she said. "We drank a lot of water. We got used to it. If I could have, I would have stayed there for the entire summer."

"We are certain not to forget the people we have met, and the stories of their faith and hope," said Mike Westenberg, director of religious education at St. Matthew Parish and one of the organizers of the NIA mission trip. "Our group returned much more aware of the overwhelming needs that still exist in the area hit by the hurricane. If there is one message from the people we met and helped, it is 'don't forget us.'"