The last week in March we had Ohio students from Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine come help us out. This year the school organized over 50 students with the help and inspiration of 4 volunteers from 2009. Thanks again to Sonia, Dan, Meagan and Casey for making this year a success.
Texas A&M sent us a wonderful group of volunteers and with their help we were able to complete the painting on our first home for 2010. It can cost as much as $10,000 to paint a home in New Orleans so our volunteers are giving a gift that these families would never be able to afford. One homeowner said that it was the best gift anyone had ever given him. That one testimonial reinforces that we’re doing something special in this city.
We continued painting the second week in March. It rained one day so we showed our volunteers how to make beignets. They loved them.
The New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl this year made the month of February one to remember. Just about everyone in the greater New Orleans area was out for the street party. What an amazing thing to happen to such a special city.
We had a wonderful group of students come volunteer the last week of February from University of Michigan. We found it so amazing how the members of this group didn’t know each other before their trip and were singing “kum bay ya” by the end of it. Maybe it was the mojo? Hope to see you next year!
The first week of February we hosted a group from Madison Wisconsin. They started our painting project off and it was a really cold week. Thanks for all your help!
Onsite volunteers Larry and Sue came back to New Orleans on two occasions this summer to help a local school rebuild its library. The students pitched in to build a number of needed book shelves. Thanks again to Larry and Sue for donating their time and money to this good cause.
On Wednesday March 25th we took some of our volunteers out to watch the filming of a new HBO series named “Treme” at Vaughn’s Bar in Bywater. Four of our volunteers were lucky enough to be placed in the scene and also had a chance to meet Elvis Costello who was playing himself in the pilot episode. Here are some photos:
After completing work on James Brown’s home in the lower ninth ward he invited our volunteers to a crawfish boil at his place.
It was a night of amazing food, singing, dancing and love. Their family was our family and for us that’s what it’s all about.
