MC students help in Hurricane Katrina area

By Kaile Schreiner
Courier Staff

Who in their right mind would want to wake up at the crack of dawn on spring break and work?

Freshman Kelsey Cole, a participant of the Gulf Coast Spring Break trip, commented, “Everyday was so refreshing waking up and knowing I was going to help someone. Waking up at 6:30 didn’t matter.”

Sophomores Anna Prohaska and Holly Butz spoke of their Gulf Coast Spring Break trip to help hurricane Katrina victims during their presentation to MC Relation staff members, professors, and alumni Thursday, March 16 at noon in the Highlander Room.

The Katrina help luncheon is a Monmouth Associates luncheon that takes place once a month and has been going on for nearly twenty years. Monmouth area business people and alumni are invited to attend the luncheons.

The 17 MC students and three advisors, who were early risers, took a week long trip to Gautier, Miss. on Saturday, March 4.

Ayako Yamaguchi, an international student, and one of the 17 members replied, “It really became reality when I arrived in Gautier because it was so hard to imagine it when nothing was happening where I live. I am really glad I got to be a part of it.”

The other students and advisors who had the opportunity to go on the trip were Sergio Arteaga, Pamela Astua, Heidi Benson, Butz, Megan Carlson, Cole, Stefanie Fitzsimmons, Daniela Garcia, Randal Napier, Ashley Nuzzo, Prohaska, Rachel Smolinski, Amanda Villanueva, Nanako Wada, Jamie Walker, Kenny Weitzman and Yamaguchi.

The advisors who accompanied the students were Kenny Blair, James Godde and Steve Price.

A typical day for the group began when they awoke at 6:30 a.m., ate breakfast and attended prayer at 7:45 a.m.

Shortly after breakfast the students were assigned groups to work on houses until 4 p.m.

One detail that caught Anna Prohaska’s eyes was, “Clothes that should have been neatly folded in drawers were hanging on trees.”

The work on the houses was followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and ended their day with prayer and devotional service at 8 p.m.

During this time of reflection, the groups would sing with instrumental music and spoke of their experiences that day.

The Gulf Coast Spring Break group was new to MC this year and donated to a Presbyterian Church (USA).

The church was a national organization hosting the site, in Gautier.

Blair, assistant director of Greek Life and director of the TNT Involvement Center and Service, began assembling the group through sending emails to ask who was interested in being involved with this volunteer opportunity.

As for their resting location the group was able to stay in a Presbyterian Disastrous Assistance village, located in Gautier.

“There was not one person that came home from Gautier and said they learned nothing. Personally for me it was a difficult thing to do to come back, but I would not change one thing,” said Prohaska.