[StBernard] Sacrificing Spring Break

[Westley Annis]

>From The University of Maryland


This story was printed from Diamondback Online.
Site URL: http://www.diamondbackonline.com. 
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Sacrificing Spring Break 
Melanie Lidman
March 10, 2006 

Spring Break 2006: hazardous waste suits, heavy boots, pre-packaged lunches,
mold warnings and FEMA tents. This spring break will not have the typical
beer-soaked, sunshine-filled days for more than 90 university students
heading to New Orleans with Maryland Hillel to get dirty and help rebuild
the area following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Whether you’re reading the paper or watching the news, it’s obvious how
much work remains to be done in the Gulf region. At the same time, it’s
also easy to skip over the articles or change the channel. New Orleans is no
longer at the forefront of our consciousness the way it was directly after
last year’s hurricane season.

President Bush’s administration and the Federal Emergency Management
Agency have both failed the people of New Orleans. On a personal level, I
see spending my break in New Orleans as my chance to prove I will not fail
them as well. Here is an opportunity to get down and dirty, and to really
donate my time and myself.

The Hillel Center for Jewish Life on the campus is organizing two busloads
of students to travel to Chalmette, La. through the National Relief Network
(NRN). According to their website, the NRN organizes volunteer trips to
state and federally declared disaster areas to help communities rebuild
their homes and their lives.

Excitement is running high among all participants and staff. The people I
have met thus far are passionate about social justice and can’t wait to
spend their spring break doing something so worthwhile.

“It’s one of the first times in my life where there has been a humongous
catastrophe and someone has given me the opportunity to do hands [-on] work
there, not just giving money,” said freshman letters and sciences major
Shira Lawrence.

Assistant Director of Hillel and trip organizer Glenda Wucher is ecstatic to
be sending so many students to Louisiana.

“I’m excited to do it myself, but more I’m excited to see how it
impacts such a diverse group of students,” Wucher said. “Ninety
students, each doing 40 hours of work. That’s 3,600 hours of service in
four days — more than a year of work!”


Last year, there were only 10 students on Hillel’s spring break trip, said
Noah Allen, a junior criminology and criminal justice and Jewish studies
major and one of six students helping the professional staff plan Hillel’s
trip.

Independent from Hillel, the Office of Community Service-Learning (OCSL) on
the campus is also organizing spring break trips to Chalmette through the
NRN with 35 students. The OCSL is also running alternative spring break
trips to Chicago, New York, Atlanta and Kentucky.

This university deserves to be congratulated for a student population
dedicated to tikkun olam, the Jewish value of “repairing the world.”
Through the OCSL and Hillel, over 125 students will travel to the Gulf
Region this spring break.

It is wonderful to know I am not alone in my desire to help in Louisiana,
and to know there are opportunities on the campus that will enable me to
realize these dreams. I am looking forward to a week filled with challenging
work, meaningful reflections and many new memories. I hope to return home
with 124 friends I can draw on to make a difference both in Louisiana and on
the campus.

Check back after spring break for stories about our time in Chalmette. For
more information, visit www.marylandhillel.org/asbhillelathon.

Melanie Lidman is a sophomore journalism major. She can be reached at
mlidman at umd.edu.