Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Pat's Experience on the Gulf Coast Last Week

From left: Kayla Adams, 16, of Marquette High School, and ElizabethAngelo and Karen Bossaller, both 18, of Lafayette High School, workat tiling Linda and Joe’s laundry room in Pearlington, Mississippi.

Seems I just can’t get away from Missouri – not that I want to, of course. Soon after arriving at the Pearlington Recovery Center in Mississippi, we chatted with some high school students who were alsospending their spring break doing recovery work … and then learned they were from Missouri! Turns out there were about a hundred of them– 73 students, the rest faculty – from the four public high schools in the Rockwood School District: Lafayette in Ballwin; Eureka in Eureka; Marquette in Chesterfield, and Rockwood Summit in Fenton.(These towns are on the eastern side of the state, near St. Louis.)The next day, my family and I found ourselves working in the samehome as one of the Missouri crews. Here’s a picture of three of the girls getting ready to tile a room. Yes, they did it all: Cut the tiles with a wet saw, cemented them to the floor, placed the spacers,and returned the following day to do the grouting. And it looked great when they were done. Meanwhile, their classmates were busy sheetrocking a bedroom ceiling. Wow.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is amazing! Most teenagers are out on a beach somewhere having the time of their lives during Spring Break, but these kids desided to help out people in Mississippi that needed it most. I hope I get to do somethimg like that when I get older.

G3Kiera

Anonymous said...

I think it's pretty cool that people are nice enough to help each other out to the extent where your making the houses! Most people fixate themselves on whats bad thats happening but this is what is good thats happening.

Bullseye

Anonymous said...

I think it is really cool that they are helping out the people in Mississippi. I think it is really cool that there are so many of them helping.

G3Flasher

Anonymous said...

I feel u did a good thing by helping people on the Gulf Coast. It is a good thing that someone is doing something like this you are very caring and must think of other people. Also those kids must want to do this bad if there doing this on there spring break.

SkooderDOOM

Anonymous said...

I think that it is great that people deside to help out other people on their own spring break.

G5Storm7

Anonymous said...

Wow, thats cool that kids would do that during spring break! I would rather be on some coast on an island, not building houses. Thats so cool that they would do that. Thanks Kayla, Elizabeth and Karen For such determination!

G5Garking

Anonymous said...

Helping people is a good habit to get into. Alot of people don't appreciate the help they get and don't help others when they need it,but when they need the help its good to see people helping them. It shows alto about their character

G5SecretService

Anonymous said...

to me i think those kids care alot to give up there whole spring break just to help other people out and i think its great

G6superman

Anonymous said...

That's great that kids would build house or help out with other things in there free time. I also think it's great that you care a lot about the people around our country and is willing to help them out.

G8 blue

Anonymous said...

Pat,
Thank you for including this on the blog site! I don't think people realize how many people still need help down there. My church sent a group of us to Bogalusa, LA last summer to help build and repair houses and paint schools as well as provide block parties and VBS for a great community. They are so appreciative that they are not forgotten.
WCA Mrs. Shinall

Pat Raccio Hughes said...

To Mrs. Shinall -

It is so true, isn't it, that people think "oh Katrina - that's over with." People think New Orleans is "back" because the French Quarter is fine. No one sees the total devasation of the Lower Ninth Ward. And in Mississippi and small Louisiana towns like the one you worked in - people don't even realize they "had" a hurricane! But once you get down there, it's just shocking how much destruction and upheaval ordinary people are still coping with!

And it's also so true about the appreciation of the people.

I'm trying to figure out how I can go back again!

- Pat

Anonymous said...

i think that its good that some people will help others that arnt so fortunet. Alot of people know what happened to these people but they usually dont help these people

"hockey man"

Anonymous said...

This is really cool giving back. i think that is a good idea to give back to people. Over there Spring break to!!.People should do this more offten

Anonymous said...

I think it's great that other teenagers are deciding to help Katrina victims on their own time

JaySun unlEEshd

Anonymous said...

That is so awesome that kids would spend their own spring break to help some stranger in another state! That is so cool!

WCAjonathan

P.S. I'm the dude in the long-sleeved red and blue shirt standing on the brick wall!