HHS Habitat for Humanity Helps Rebuild New Orleans

Huntington High School’s Habitat for Humanity chapter knows its mission well and is tireless in pursuing it under founding faculty advisor Robert Gilmor III. Members of the organization recently returned from another trip to New Orleans where it helped in the continued rebuilding efforts from mind-boggling destruction wreaked by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. “It was another outstanding trip,” Mr. Gilmor said about the week-long excursion. “It was our sixth time traveling to New Orleans. Our goal is 10 trips by the 10th anniversary.” The students who made the journey included Sabrina Blakley, Shannon Smith, Emily Coleman, Janna Gambarelli, Nikki Smoot, Jennifer Cordes, Aleia Isoldi, Alexa Gorczycki, Haley Miller, Ryan Lader, Brian McConnell, Josh Morris, Summer Rudish, Olivia Palmer, Brittany Rubert, Scout Ziegler, Joey Tuozzo, Elizabeth Whitcher and Talia Yakobi. Joining Mr. Gilmor on the trip was Huntington science teacher Craig McKee and security guard Youlanda Carey. “The students never cease to amaze me,” said Mr. Gilmor, a Huntington High School dean. “With a wake-up call as early as 6 a.m. they were up and ready for another day of grueling work during their spring break.” The Huntington contingent spend long days on several projects. “It proved to be a lot of hard work, but it was extremely rewarding to see the finished product,” junior Summer Rudish said. “Even after eight years there is still so much devastation. It’s gratifying to know that we’re helping in the recovery process, even if it’s just one house. It was a great experience and I really can’t wait to come back next year!” Huntington’s Habitat for Humanity club members never shy away from hard work. They spent many weekends in Breezy Point, Queens in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, which devastated that south shore village, doing everything from clearing debris to helping to put houses back in habitable order. There was little time to waste in New Orleans with such an ambitious plan for the week. “We began to build a wrap-around ramp and completed the wood floor and tile for a double amputee Habitat homeowner,” Mr. Gilmor said. “The work was back-breaking at times, but the students did not quit. We also had the opportunity to prepare and laid the lawn of 70-plus year old woman who lived in Gentily, an area hit by six-plus feet of water.” The Huntington students and chaperones took on some challenges assignments. “We worked on a home for a handicapped man for the first three days,” senior Nikki Smoot said. “When we arrived, other Habitat groups had already demolished the existing home and began to rebuild. We did things like install wood flooring, install tile flooring, lay foot molding, prepare sidewalks, paint the deck, pour cement and build a handicapped ramp to the entrance of the home. Working on this home was very rewarding and we feel that we truly left it better off than when we arrived.” The journey south was a unique educational experience for the Huntington teenagers. “The trip was incredibly eye-opening for me,” junior Olivia Palmer said. “By working with other volunteers, I learned that life’s most rewarding experiences include helping others. The trip to New Orleans reminded me of volunteering in Breezy Point and how everyone has a small part to play in rebuilding the communities that we love.” Huntington Habitat for Humanity club members worked until the last possible minute on the trip. “On our last day, we worked on landscaping for a single elderly woman,” Ms. Smoot said. “We laid sod throughout her entire backyard and front yard. When we arrived, her home was finished being built, yet without grass it looked incomplete. With green grass surrounding the property, the woman was very grateful that she finally had a place to call home again. She rewarded us with a lunch and cake.” Homeowners in the area the Huntington group worked in were grateful for the assistance. One man provided a tour of his destroyed home and parts of the town and river. “Most of us were 16 to 18 year old girls who really had no experience, yet these people still thanked us for being "such a big help,” junior Sabrina Blakley said. “Habitat is something I’m so passionate about and this trip was one of the most amazing experiences.” After each long day, the group cleaned up, changed clothes and then decompressed. “At night we were able to explore New Orleans,” Ms. Smoot said. “We tried many different authentic New Orleans foods, including pralines, beignets, fried alligator and more. We had an amazing time and I know that I can’t wait to go back. We were also able to walk around Tulane University, visit the Mississippi River and shop at a flea market and other shops.” Each of the 19 students who went on the trip had their own personal reason for making the journey. “I’ve traveled with Habitat to Breezy Point a lot this year and after my first trip I really fell in love with everything Habitat does,” Ms. Blakley said. “I decided to go to New Orleans because I knew they could use the extra helping hand. I learned a lot on the trip, like how to install wood flooring and lay down sod. I think the most important thing I learned was how important it is to help other people. It’s so easy to justify not helping people by simply thinking someone else will do it. It’s a really humbling experience to see how grateful the people of New Orleans are.” While victims of Hurricane Katrina were happy to see the Huntington group on the scene, the students in the traveling party were grateful to the adults who accompanied them. “The entire trip would not have been possible without our chaperones; Mr Gilmor, Mr. Mckee and Ms. Youlanda,” Ms. Smoot said. “They helped direct us through the city and were a lot of help at the work sites.”