Hurricane Relief Service Trip
New Orleans, LA

June 16 - 24, 2007

In mid-June, four St. Norbert alums, representing the class years of 1970, 1985, 1987, and 2000, friends of the college, and a Japanese exchange student traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA) to help with hurricane relief efforts.  Below are pictures documenting the group's time in NOLA, along with reflections from several alumni.   

Steve Herro:  It means a lot for me to be a presence to people who are so beat.  We had more personal contact with those affected than we did on our MS trips.  As one of our presenters said, NOLA is on mile 4 of a 26 mile marathon.    

Becky Welch:  The notion of irony has been floating in my mind as a way to give meaning to what we have seen and experienced.  I guess “situational irony” would fit best:  a gap between the expected and actual results.  An example:  A sign in a mold and trash-laden area reminding residents to put their trash in tied plastic bags.  Could they know we would come and do that very thing?

Patrick Browne:  The work site was Dantean!  I have never felt in my life I was closer to hell.  The mold, mice droppings, indescribable stench, looted apartments, and the nature of the work had me all but not eating each night. 

Steve Herro:  Many seniors that we served at the picnic the next day lived in the very complex that we cleaned.  What do you say when they mentioned that they were looking forward to returning to Sacred Heart Manor?