CentreTerm in New Orleans

More pix from Kirk

2006-01-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

Kirk Schlea just delivered a CD filled with more great pictures to the communications office. Here are a few of the best shots.

Welcome home

2006-01-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

The New Orleans contingent returned to Lexington airport Sunday afternoon and were greeted by friends, family—and Lex 18 reporter Chris Lupien, who interviewed them for the Sunday evening news.

Kirk Schlea got these shots of the happy homecoming and of Lupien interviewing president Roush and the returning students.

Taking in the town

2006-01-16T06:53:00.000-08:00

After a week of round-the-clock volunteering and class, the Centre students did find some time to take in the French Quarter and enjoy some of the fine New Orleans cuisine. Here is a sampling of Kirk Schlea's shots.

Alex Ubelhart, Tom Arnspiger, Taylor Thistlewaite, and Beau Braden in a festive mood in the French Quarter.

Kate Smiley models a Mardi Gras mask.

Lunch at the Old Coffee Pot in the French Quarter.

Tyler Hinkle with his new "best friend" on Bourbon Street, where a Parrot Head party was in full swing.

Washing out the cambros

2006-01-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

Thursday found the Centre students hard at work washing out "cambros," portable food containers, for the Salvation Army.

Centre students and President Roush surround Gerard, "the van driver and all-around unreal guy," in the words of photographer Kirk Schlea. They are seen relaxing after a day of work for the Salvation Army in New Orleans in the warehouse where they have been helping with Katrina aid.

Centre students surround "Harry," a volunteer from a Utah/Idaho church group helping the Salvation Army.

Thursday's pix

2006-01-13T07:51:00.000-08:00

Here are Kirk Schlea's shots from Wednesday, when the Centre group visited a neighborhood in New Orleans' 9th Ward.

A barge lies in a neighborhood in the 9th Ward of New Orleans. It was washed over the levy and in to the neighborhood during the flooding after Hurricane Katrina.

Taylor Thistlewaite looks at a full spool of thread that was somehow left perfectly intact in the rubble of a home completely destroyed.

Taylor Thistlewaite and Kim Leake look at the remains of a car.

Centre students play cards in the Mess Tent at Camp Algiers after a day of work for the Salvation Army.

Kim Leake, Brandon Rosen, Ryan Smith, and Taylor Thistlethwaite wander next to a car demolished by Hurricane Katrina.

Kate Smiley pauses and reflects on a statue left standing.

Wednesday entry

2006-01-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

President Roush writes:

We are up at 6:30 or so and on our way to the Salvation Army Command Center by 7:15. Once we arrive, all of us get “volunteered” to assist with cooking, cleaning up, loading up, etc. Then, we head for the five sites where we feed all comers. Yesterday, we served about 4,000 meals. The site where I worked with two students served over 1,000 meals in less than four hours. It was like being at a McDonalds where it was noon all the time. We were "slammed," as they say in the restaurant business.

As one might expect, there is dead time doing this kind of work. I had alerted the students to be prepared for high activity followed by standing around. I was right, though thus far the leadership of this operation has done a good job of keeping us on task. I have been immensely impressed with the full-time Salvation Army workers. These men and women are smart, humble leaders who serve others. For them, it is a commitment of faith.

Our group of 20-plus has been joined with a group of about 30 adults from the West. This group, all of whom come to this work through the Southern Baptist Convention, is a wonderful collection of people of good character and “characters.” They are a more adult bunch—most of them are retired and on the long side of 60. But, they are good people with hearts for service. It has been our pleasure to work alongside these folks. Some of our students are not so familiar with evangelicals, so it has been a good education for them to work with and be comfortable around men and women who “lead” with their faith. As we discussed briefly last night in class, it is valuable to be around such folks and recognize that their hearts are so good, though the manner in which they express their faith can sometimes catch you by surprise. This, too, has become part of the adventure.

I mentioned on Sunday night that our adults group of five had a chance to tour the Ninth Ward (hardest hit by the flooding). There we saw hundreds of homes that are completely destroyed. I cannot imagine that they will be restored. Much of this area was inhabited by poorer citizens without political clout. My guess is that the worst of this area – particularly the parts nearest the break in the levee – will be bulldozed. Regrettably, I suspect this is the right choice. But, the devastation goes way past these hardest hit areas. There are thousands and thousands of homes, now four months after the flooding, that are without electric and water – thus making these residences uninhabitable. We drove past miles and miles of homes where little or no work is being done. And, many of these neighborhoods were nice, some of them very, very nice. I do not know, of course, where all of this stands, but it is discouraging nonetheless.

***

I told the students last night – after day two – that I could not be prouder of their effort and their attitude. All 17 of them have stepped up. For many of them this is their first shot at emergency relief. They have been brilliant. I had high expectations for them. My expectations have been exceeded.

Our "Leadership in Crisis" class met last night at 7:30 p.m., right after dinner. We met for an hour to discuss the day, plus review Chapters 3-5 of John Gardner’s book. The conversation about the day and our plans for the week was excellent. The discussion regarding our readings was rather uninspired. It was clear all of them had read the material, but they were tired and distracted. Me, too. We finished about 8:45, in time for them to walk about camp, get some hot chocolate, and aim for bed around 10 or so.

***

Yes, the students are having fun. It is a different kind of fun, but fun. They have been especially supportive and encouraging of each other. They are starting a card “tournament” tonight. That should be interesting, as I insisted that they all play and that the teams be picked at random. I will probably award some “prizes” on this one, but have made no commitments on that just yet.

It is late, again. I gotta’ go.

John

Wednesday's pix

2006-01-12T06:17:00.000-08:00

Here are the shots taken Wednesday by Kirk Schlea.

C.J. Flynn gets a quick nap in the New Orleans Salvation Army Command Center after working the 3:30 a.m. shift cooking food that will go out that day to feed residents and workers in need from Hurricane Katrina.

Centre President John Roush and his students listen to New Orleans Fire Department officials talk about their involvement with Hurricane Katrina when it hit New Orleans. Left to right: Dr. Roush, Assistant Superintendent Chief Edwin Holmes, Superintendent Charles Parent, and Operator John Cornelious.

Tuesday's pix

2006-01-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

Here are Kirk Schlea's shots from Tuesday.

Morgan Taylor holds a packet of southwest chicken stew as Ashley Ivy cuts it open. The chicken will then be heated and served by the Salvation Army.

Newman McKay hands out water outside a Salvation Army canteen.

Nichole Wendschlag and Newman McKay serving up food inside a Salvation Army canteen truck in downtown New Orleans.

President Roush teaches his "Rainmaking, The Study of and Preperation for Leadership" in a memorable setting, high school stadium bleachers in "Camp Algiers", a camp set up by FEMA for workers and military in New Orleans to help with Hurricane Katrina aid.

Chris Zimmerman studies in his bunk at Camp Algiers.

Two more pictures from the "Rainmaking" class.

Monday pictures from Kirk

2006-01-11T07:56:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos taken by Kirk Schlea on Monday. Kirk, a Danville-based freelance photographer, is in New Orleans to volunteer along with the Centre students.

Nicole Wendschlag moves cans of beef stew to the Salvation Army kitchen trailer.

Kate Smiley, Taylor Thistlethwaite and Bo Braden distribute food from a Salvation Army canteen truck.

Casey Yeakel helps stir the beef stew.

Kate Smiley distributes food from a Salvation Army canteen truck.

Hannah Banks and C.J. Flynn load boxes of food
onto a Salvation Army canteen truck.

Centre President John Roush and student Bo Braden distribute food from a Salvation Army canteen truck.

more than a hurricane

2006-01-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

we're finally here. i've been thinking about this trip and/or planning it since mid-october. however, at least i was able to plan - that's more than some of the people here were able to do in preparation for the storm - more specifically, the flood.

it's such a priviledge to be here. when you see/hear about something so horrible happening, one's natural instinct (or at least mine) is to want to help. maybe you send money, maybe you don't - but in reality, few people are coming to help. i'm honored to be one of them.

our first day here, a man i now count as a friend (we'll call him jim), drove us through the ninth ward. trying to describe such a scene of loss is impossible. absolutely no one is able to live there. this is the area closest to the breaking of the levee. and this, my friends, is what was so detrimental to the city - the breaking of the levee. certainly the hurricane caused damage and loss of homes or parts of homes, but the flooding was insurmountable. as we drove through the streets, cars, houses, boats, toys, telephone poles, etc... were everywhere. being there as a volunteer was rough, but to imagine being the person whose home was destroyed - i cannot fathom that sense of loss.

such a storm knows no social classes. when we serve lunch from the salvation army canteens to people of the city - each face is different and each person has a different background. One minute we are serving a homeless person and the next we are serving a family who has driven up in an escalade suv. i was surprised to realize how little of the city is functioning, at least where we are working. one can't blame the contsruction workers for coming to eat at our canteen, the local mcdonalds has mold growing in the walls because the water invaded for two weeks.

after four months 60 % of the city is still without power. this is not a disaster that will be recovered from quickly and this is not an area or group of people that america needs to forget.

more when there's time.

katiek

We're here

2006-01-10T06:09:00.000-08:00

Photo by Kirk Schlea

President Roush writes:

(Sunday, Jan. 8, 4:26 p.m.)

This one will be short and to the point. We arrived at Camp Algiers around 1:30 p.m., which turns out to be a camp of about 1000 folks—volunteers and some National Guardsmen, and a few contractor types—in a neighboring suburb of New Orleans. The "camp" is located just across the river west of the City. It is about what I expected—a semi-military operation of tents and staging areas. It is fairly primitive, but not too bad. For many of the students this will be their experience with a military "operation."

Photo by Kirk Schlea

We are checked in mostly, though I think we have some additional administrative work tomorrow a.m. Speaking of tomorrow: it will start early. Four of our crowd must report at 3:30 to help prepare the food that we will deliver to five "canteens" around the City. That works starts at 7 a.m. and we return to Camp around 6 p.m. It looks like that will be our job, as the Salvation Army serves about 4,500-5,000 meals a day (I think I have this number correct) in the City between 10 and 3:00 everyday. Bear in mind that 60% of New Orleans is still without power—and this four months after the hurricane.

The drive from the airport to Camp Algiers was not too bad, though the amount of hurricane damage is evident everywhere one looks and it is easy to see how far the water came up on every home or business. We have not yet visited the the Ninth Ward where the flooding was at its worst. I am told that area is beyond description.

Photo by Kirk Schlea

Gotta go. More later,

john