I had a wonderful experience volunteering this spring break. I got to know the group from Coe well, along with meeting a bunch of interesting and fun people. We all enjoyed ourselves -- working hard together, going to New Orleans and the beach, and hanging out in the common area. We also learned about construction through days of building steps, porches, and sheds.
The experience was very eye-opening for me: I had heard the news stories about Katrina and seen the pictures, but none of it really hit home until I went down to Mississippi. Driving along the coast we saw driveways with no homes, houses gutted out, and debris all over. I couldn't believe that so much is left to be done after so long. I was very glad to be able to be a part of it and spend a small amount of my time helping people who need it so much.