York Town News
Youth Group takes vacation week to volunteer in New Orleans
By Melissa Wood
YORK - For these kids, school vacation will mean a lot of work, but they don't seem to mind.For their entire February vacation, the youth group, along with parishioners of St. George's Episcopal Church in York Harbor, will be in New Orleans on a mission trip, doing volunteer work as the city continues to struggle in its rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina's devastating blow.
The group includes five adults and seven children and teens, ranging in age from 12 to 17.
Trip organizer Brenda Ervin said that helping out in New Orleans was something they had talked about as a church, but "the kids really picked up on it and how things are still a mess. … They really wanted to help."
In particular, she noted the recent reports of a 10-year plan for the city's recovery, meaning it will be a long time, if ever, before city residents can return to their jobs and homes. Many are still living in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) trailers and face unemployment because companies moved out of the city after the hurricane.
"It's pretty scary when you think about it," said Ervin.
She said the kids, including her own son, Chris, 14, were pretty excited as the days counted down before the trip.
"Some of them have circled the calendar," she said.
After packing up all their supplies into vehicles in St. George's parking lot on Friday night, Feb. 16, the group left around 5:30 a.m. Saturday with a plan to drive all the way to New Orleans.
While there, the group will be gutting houses and cleaning up, rebuilding houses, feeding people and donating supplies.
The trip is organized through the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and has been scheduled to last for 10 days, from Feb. 17 to 27.
It is the first time the youth group has traveled so far on a mission, Ervin said, adding that previously their mission work has been in-state.
She said that none of the members going have been to New Orleans since the hurricane hit in August of 2005, and so will be witnessing the devastation for the first time.
"It will definitely be a memorable experience," said Ervin.
Be watching The Independent in March for a special feature on the experience of the St. George's mission group in Louisiana.
