[StBernard] Students still doing Katrina work

[Westley Annis]

Students still doing Katrina work 
 
BY JAMIE SCHUMAN : The Herald-Sun
jschuman at heraldsun.com
Apr 8, 2007 : 6:28 pm ET 

CHAPEL HILL -- It's been well over a year since Hurricane Katrina hit, but a
UNC student group is trying to remind people that a lot of work still needs
to be done to rebuild the Gulf Coast. 

A student organization called Extended Disaster Relief is hosting a series
of events starting today for what they are calling "Remember the Gulf Coast
Week." 

"The reason that it's important to remember it now is that this is the point
where we've forgotten about it," Extended Disaster Relief president Mary
Small said of Hurricane Katrina. 

To kick off the week, the group will host a vigil outside UNC's Wilson
Library at 7 p.m. today to honor Hurricane Katrina victims who have
relocated to the Triangle. Other events include a panel discussion on
rebuilding the Gulf Coast; a screening of Spike Lee's documentary "When the
Levees Broke"; and donations of parts of area restaurants' proceeds to
hurricane relief. 

Since forming in the weeks after Hurricane Katrina, Extended Disaster Relief
has sent around 230 UNC students to do relief work in the Gulf Coast. 

UNC sophomore Chris Williams went to the Gulf Coast this spring break for
the first time since before the hurricane hit. 

With about 25 other UNC students, Williams did rebuilding work in Chalmette,
La. -- a community which he says has dropped in population from 32,000 to
12,000 since the storm. He said he was surprised to see that many of the
houses there had been bulldozed or abandoned. 

"I was just completely shocked at the amount of work that still needs to be
done," Williams said. "It was just complete devastation there." 

Upon returning to UNC, Williams joined the Extended Disaster Relief board.
In addition to leading service trips, the group has hosted events on campus
to raise money for and awareness of hurricane victims. 

Members have "adopted" Biloxi, Miss., as a city to give special help to, and
are trying to organizing a trip where teenagers from Siler City in Chatham
County will volunteer alongside UNC students. 

Small said she became involved with the club because she worried that much
of the help in the weeks after Katrina hit was "crisis oriented" and not
focused on the long-term needs of Gulf Coast residents. 

"We're kind of an ADD nation sometimes," Small said. "What's going to happen
to these people once we get bored of hearing the same story every time?" 

UNC is one of about 40 colleges nationwide that is holding events this week
to remind people to keep the problems in the Gulf Coast on their radar, even
though the hurricane is no longer on the news every night. 

Highlights of UNC's schedule include: 

-- Information stands, with photographs of the hurricane-ravaged areas and a
chance to meet volunteers, on Polk Place at UNC from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today
through Thursday. 

Students also will be collecting signatures for federal legislation in
support of the "Gulf Coast Civic Works Project," a program that would employ
displaced Gulf Coast residents to rebuild their home communities. 

-- A panel, "What Now? Rebuilding the Gulf Coast," at Greenlaw 431 at 7 p.m.
on Wednesday. Experts in economics, levee construction and other disciplines
will discuss how they are approaching the aftermath of Katrina. 



--- 

Schedule of Events 

Today 

Vigil, steps of UNC's Wilson Library, 7 p.m. 

Five percent of proceeds at Boleros and 10 percent at Mediterranean Deli go
to hurricane relief 

Tuesday 

Ten percent of proceeds at Firehouse Subs go to relief efforts 

Wednesday 

Panel, "What Now?: Rebuilding the Gulf Coast," Greenlaw 431 at UNC, 7 p.m. 

Ten percent of proceeds at Spanky's go to relief efforts 

Thursday 

Screening of Spike Lee documentary "When the Levees Broke," Greenlaw 431, 7
p.m. 

Five percent of proceeds at Mediterranean Deli go to relief efforts
Today-Thursday 

Information displays and petition signings at UNC's Polk Place. 11 a.m.-2
p.m.