If you asked my family about me working on this trip they would probably laugh at the thought of a hammer in my hand. Surprisingly, for the second year in a row, I am doing demolition on a house with a group of 6 others and the house is coming down in pieces. (yes, with my help mom!) We have to save the trim around the windows and the walls because the home owner wants to re-use it when the house is being put back together to get the historical look that it currently holds, which made the first two days extra long. Now that all the important parts are stored away, sledge hammers, crow bars, hammers, and anything else we can find to put a hole in the walls and tear down the boards behind them, are in our hands.
Our home from the outside...needs some work!
Rochelle and Shane taking more drywall down, and working on the window trim
When we first walked into the home, the walls were crumbling, the ceiling had holes in them looking into the attic, and mold lined almost everything all around the home. Besides for the fact of it falling to pieces, you can tell that the house at one point was extremely beautiful with vibrant blue walls, pink walls, unique fire places and very tall ceilings. The person that is going to live in this home in the future will be very fortunate!
Ceiling just falling apart
Kitchen when we first walked in, no work done, falling apart as well.
After work on Monday our leader Tom Duffield took a group of us to one of the struggling communities which had an extremely cool art project on the side of an abandoned building. The artist turned the side of the building into a chalkboard wall where people can write things they want to do before they die. Apparently it was getting torn down the next day, so we made it just in time. This was by far my favorite part of the day!
Tuesday was another long day of work, work, and more work as we saved more trim, doors, and windows around the home. We left our worksite a little early to come to camp and prepare a nice BBQ Chicken dinner for everyone. Seeing that I have never touched a grill before, the boys guided me through it and dinner turned out amazing! No one was sick this morning either, which was an extra bonus on my part. hahaha After dinner the 17 students from H.O.P.E, our fearless leader and professor Rochelle Zaranek, Queen Julie Guzman Smith, Captian Frank, and the one and only Dave led us down to Bourbon Street for some Karaoke at "The Cat's Meow." ....nobody had ANY idea what we were in for. Let's just say that the boys sang Shania Twain, one of the students, George Mikla, was famous by time the night was over, and the girls did a great job at dancing to every song. I really do not believe I have EVER laughed so hard before in my entire life. Couldn't have asked for a better night!
Shane and Billy singing to "That don't impress me much" by Shania Twain - HILARIOUS
George belting away to "Dancing in the Street"
the boys doing the YMCA...before they got in costumes hahaha
Lisa & Kristin singing to Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman"
One of George's many acts. - Speechless!
Today was HOT without a breeze which made the day very long. Our goal was to get all of the drywall down and the boards behind it off. About 3/4 of that is done and within an hour tomorrow we should be where we wanted to be by the end of today. Definitely making some progress! Dinner is GUMBO for the night being made by a local chef and we're all looking very forward to it! I look so forward to these trips all year long and it feels like they're over before we even get started. I can't wait to see what tomorrow and Friday hold for us at the work site and I look so forward to seeing a better and even more Beautiful New Orleans when I return years from now, knowing that I was a part of this wonderful experience.
Kate taking more of the wall down. You're actually looking into two rooms!
It's crazy how a week down here can put so much of your life into perspective. I am a strong believer that everything really does happen for a reason, and as horrible and heart breaking as the hurricanes that hit these homes was, and as much as the volunteers are working to serve the community and God, I will never be able to pay back everything I have learned from the home owners and this city.
Spreading HOPE from one city to the next, Kristine Mannino.
oh, and if you have been following and you know our rule about being FLEXIBILE with Gumby and P-Dah, you would have known that P-Dah was a little too flexible and broke his leg. Luckily, I did the honors of patching him up and gave him a nice little cast! P-DAH IS BACK IN ACTION!
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