by Nicole St. Onge, HFCS Sophomore
Christmas break is typically the same old, same old every year-families travel to spend time with relatives, Christmas music blasts from radios, lots of parties and, of course, the gifts! You’ve probably heard it about a million times, but Christmas isn’t really about what you get; it’s about what you give – or is it? What if you could have the best of both worlds?
Believe it or not, it is possible to both get and give something with the Christmas meaning still being intact. Just ask the Youth Impact group from right here in Hoosick Falls, which is made up of HFCS senior Amelia Reynolds, junior Stephany Bradley and sophomores Mary Peters, Anna Restino and Nicole St. Onge. Leading the young ladies were Aelish Nealon and Jason Jansen. With a mere two days in between waking up early on Christmas morning and waking up even earlier on December 28, the group was packed and ready to head down to New Orleans, Louisiana, to help out with Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat for Humanity is a country-wide, non-profit organization that helps people who need assistance with housing. Volunteers are put right into the action (with a supervisor) in the construction process, doing everything from the foundation to siding to the roofs of the homes. From start to finish it typically takes about three months to finish one house, but, considering the circumstances, it is well worth the wait for the recipients of these service projects.
To refresh your memory, about five years ago the infamous hurricane Katrina hit the city of New Orleans and the nearby areas, which were all below sea level. The levees that were meant to keep the water out of the city broke, allowing water to plow through everything in its path. Strong winds, falling objects and pouring rain attacked in addition to the waves. For those who lived there, there was nowhere to hide from the storm. Even after it left, Katrina still left a haunting shadow over the city. Families were searching for loved ones and possessions among rubble and the murky water below them. Where homes had once been, nothing more than muddy scars were left by one of the worst natural disasters of the decade.
After the water levels died down and debris was cleared, Habitat stepped in. Building about 300 houses in the first year after Katrina, the group’s work was far from over. Volunteers from all over the country came to help the cause, getting New Orleans housed and somewhat back to normal. Five years later, the city still needs help. Volunteers have decreased in number, and houses aren’t going up as fast as they were at first. It seemed as if people are either trying to forget those few days in 2005, or they already have.
Upon stepping off the plane, the leadership group was ready to begin its excursion into the unknown territory of the French Quarter of New Orleans. The first night was about seeing the city and getting a feel of the atmosphere, but they couldn’t have imagined the feeling they would get the next day when they stepped onto the lot where the house was being built.
An old schoolhouse rested on one side of the street, with its windows knocked out, and the rest of the area looked like a ghost town. Down the street towards the site, you could see empty lots, abandoned homes and two or three new houses in progress. The group stood where a monster had ripped through a city – ripped through people’s lives. Seeing the scene and walking towards the site, the group suddenly had a new motivation for what they were about to take on.
A common remark about the house that the teens were helping to build was how some people referred to it as a “site.” For them, it was more than just a place to rack up some community service hours; it was an escape for the woman and her daughter who were going to move into the house upon its completion, and they were involved in the improvement of the lives of the small family. Before long, hammers were pounding nails into siding, power tools were whirring, and ladders were clunking against the walls – all before the sun even reached its peak.
It didn’t all have to be completely serious. Music played from a stereo, and the group was laughing and having a good time while working for a good cause. The neighbors were friendly and stopped by, and at lunch break the volunteers had an opportunity to just relax and socialize in the warm weather (a treat for native New Yorkers!). Before they knew it, it was time to catch a cab back to the hotel. The conversations buzzed back and forth in the five girls’ room with opinions on how the first day at the house went and what the next day would bring.
When asked about her overall thoughts of the trip, Mary Peters said, “It’s hard to put into words how you feel after working on one of these houses.” She continued, “It was an amazing experience and truly eye opening. [The people of] New Orleans were so grateful we were helping them during our vacation time. It was incredibly rewarding for us to be able to go down there and realize that just two days of work could have such an impact.” Mary concluded by saying that the trip will stay with her as she grows up and that she will always know “that a simple act of kindness can go so far.”
Clearly, the leadership group brought home not just souvenirs but experiences and memories that will be carried with them for their entire lives. They gave about 12 hours of service, as well as their entire hearts, for a family who didn’t really have a place to go for the holidays. In return, they got a taste of what the real world can sometimes become but also how it can change for the better.
For information on the Youth Impact Team, contact the Hoosick Area Youth Center & Community Coalition at 518-686-9050.