Barrie Mann - Special to the Sun

Editor’s note: Barry Mann, a freelance writer for the Sun, is a member of the local group of volunteers, GRASP (Gulf Relief and Support Program), that recently returned from its fourth trip to New Orleans where they worked to reconstruct homes destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in August 2005. Part one of his firsthand account of the group’s latest trip to the Big Easy appears here. Part two follows next week.

It’s 3:30 AM Sunday April 13th and I’m standing in the parking lot of the Wofford Heights Post Office waiting for six other people to show up so that we can drive to Bakersfield. The reason we are leaving so early is that we have a 6:00 AM flight out of Bakersfield with our eventual destination being New Orleans in Louisiana. Eventually everyone arrives and we load our luggage into two vehicles and head out.

GRASP Team taking a well earned break. From Right to left, Judy Dodd, David Derr, Joel Maki, Glen Maki, Barrie Mann, Lisa Ross, Dawn Jordan.

The reason that we’re heading to New Orleans is to work on houses that were devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita back in 2005. I am a member of a group called GRASP which stands for Gulf Relief and Support Program. The program started in 2006 after I made my first trip to the Gulf region to work as a volunteer. Although it was a year after the storms the devastation was so immense, the people of the area so traumatized, that I knew I needed to do more. So, with the help of some friends the GRASP organization was formed. Fund raising was undertaken; six months later the first GRASP team went down to New Orleans. Now, two years later, I am making a third trip as a member of the fourth team to go and work.

Like other teams that have gone down this team is made up of volunteers, some whom have been there before, David Derr, Dawn Jordan, Judie Dodd, are the veterans, the others, Joel and Glen Maki (father and son) and Lisa Ross are the rookies, who are somewhat excited at the prospect but express some trepidation as to what they can expect when they arrive and take on their first task. We assure them that they need not be concerned, as we understand our task this time is one of rebuilding, not clearing out storm soaked and trashed homes. That task, known as 'mucking out' has been pretty much completed. Now the rebuilding stage has begun and we are to be a part of it.

After some minor delays at airports we eventually arrive at our destination. Collecting our baggage and getting our rental cars goes smoothly and soon we arrive at our 'home for the week,' the North Rampart Community Center located at the North East end of the fabled French Quarter. After checking in, we have a leisurely dinner in a local restaurant. It’s been a long trip we’re all feeling tired and call it a day.

The team gets up early, breakfasts together and packs lunches. This is to be our morning ritual for the next five days. At the UMCOR (United Methodist Commission on Relief) Uptown Station, one of several stations organizing and administrating the activities of teams such as ours, we are given our assignment. Our task this time is one of rebuilding and not clearing out storm soaked and trashed homes. We are installing dry wall in a home being rebuilt.

The remainder of the week the team works at hanging and finishing dry wall during the day. In the evenings the team has elected to dine in at the community center for two of the nights, but other nights choose to try some of the local eateries in the French Quarter. We’re not disappointed. The food is excellent, reasonably priced and the Quarter is once again alive with tourists and partygoers.

Look for Part Two in next week’s issue.