Hands On New Orleans

[marathoner452]

Just when I think I have everything figured out, I get a phone call from the Southeast Louisiana Red Cross chapter in New Orleans. I have an interview on Thursday and I need to let the NPRC at the Red Cross chapter in Baltimore know my final decision by Friday.

This is scary but I wouldn't trade this chance for anything.

Needless to say, volunteering with Hands On New Orleans last week was another eye-opening experience. It's one thing to serve hundreds of meals to the residents of New Orleans and St. Bernard; it's quite another to go through their homes at their request and put what were their lives out for trash pickup. It forced me to reconsider what material stuff is worth anyway. It forced me to think that yeah, swinging a crowbar at moldy drywall in sticky heat can be construed as fun or at least great anger management, but you're talking about people's lives here. Tearing down to rebuild. You can't get much more hands-on than that. 

So thank you batemanenroute for inviting me down there, and thank you roadwarrior220 and ratkrycek for giving your time to rebuild New Orleans.  Thank you drunah and flamingjune07 for welcoming us with open arms and telling your stories.  popeguss, 30toseoul, and auryn24, I'm sorry we didn't get to meet this time, but I will be back.  We will be back, because we have not forgotten.

~Bethany

Comments

[popeguss.livejournal.com]

You're still my hero. I really can't thank you enough for what you're doing and what you've done. I've always hoped that I personally could change someone's life for the better. And, you've changed so many lives. You're an inspiration to me and I'm sure to many others. We will meet next time you're down here, I promise it.