Habitat in the Big Easy! Session 3

8/1/08 • Group and Family Programs •

The Habitat New Orleans crew got off to a great start. The group was escorted to Newark by the legendary Bud Cox (Godfather of Adventure at Frost Valley). Where we met up with three of our fellow Habitat N.O.’s participants! They successfully boarded their plane and headed out.
The first day at the site the group met at Habitats Camp Hope located to the East of the city, in an area that was deeply affected by Hurricane Katrina three years ago. The group got to see first hand the devastation that still affects the local population. After meeting and greeting our site foreman the group waited out a small thunderstorm and headed out to the worksite. Which was located near by, the work we would be doing was painting! The home had just had the drywall put up and the trim installed so they were really starting from scratch. The two days were slow priming isn’t incredibly fun work and on the second day the group met the woman we were building this house for, her name was Mrs. Edna she inspired the group with her stories and words of encouragement and the work picked way up! On the third day the colored paint started to go up and things really picked up, with most of the color going up on the walls and spirits high they ended the day feeling they accomplished a great deed!

Notable Notables:
Jeff is a trim painting master, he also is great at putting up and taking off painters tape which believe it or not is a very difficult thing to do.
Hannah is the early bird she helps get people up in the morning
Sasha and Anne tend to be the comic relief slightly clumsy around trays of paint.
Evan & Dean are incredibly gifted singers (but not according to the rest of the crew)
Sam gets his work done and he’s a good motivator for the boys.
Lara is focused and hard working (Hint for the parents at home)
Laiya & Natalie are our closet painters! They are small enough to get inside and really do a great job with the tiny space.

 Photos to come hopefully! ((Camera Issues!))

Kam Kobeissi
Assistant Adventure Director
kkobeissi@frostvalley.org

Kevin Terrell
Adventure Director
kterrell@frostvalley.org 

About the Author

Zach eigenbrodt

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Zach couldn't keep himself out of the woods when growing up. He started working at a Northern Wisconsin YMCA Camp as a wilderness trip leader while in college and fell in love with getting kids into nature. The smiles on kids faces after returning from a once in a life time wilderness experience is why he is here today. Zach brought his talents to Frost Valley YMCA, in 2014, when he started as the Trips Coordinator and soon was promoted to Adventure Director. Zach loves all forms of Wilderness exploration, though some would say his heart lies most with canoeing.

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  • Madre Shana

    Glad to hear about your safe arrival. It sounds like a great group of kids….I hope everyone is having a good time but being safe too! Hope to see some pictures soon and am looking forward to hearing more about what’s going on.

  • fvadventures

    Everyone is doing very well! We are anticipating a fun day helping in New Orleans City Park. The rest of the day will be in New Orleans French Quarter! We visited the 9th ward as well today and got to see the Musicians Village, made famous by Harry Connick Jr. in those N.O. adds on T.V. I’m trying to get the pictures up but I’m still having camera issues! I’ll see what I can do to get those up so you can see group covered in paint for the past few days!

    Kam Kobeissi
    Assistant Adventure Director
    kkobeissi@frostvalley.org

  • Emily Listfield

    Have some beignets in the French Quarter if you can!
    (And why doesn’t it surprise me that Sasha was a little ‘clumsy comic relief’ with the paint tray!
    Enjoy!
    Emily
    (Sasha’s Mom)

  • Julie

    Sounds like hard work is required, which is good. Learn as many skill as you can and make the houses you work on as solid and beautiful as possible.

    How exciting to meet the owner? What could be more inspiring? Laiya, get out of the closet!

    Please get some pictures posted…

    Julie
    (Laiya’s Mom)

  • David (Laiya’s Dad)

    Hope you are having a great trip and learning how to build a house. I miss you lots and can’t wait to see you home.

    Love Dad

  • Susan Albertine

    Early rising helps in that heat. Hannah, please eat a rum praline at least once, and talk somebody into getting muffelettas for lunch (from an Italian shop by the levee over by what used to be the Jax Beer factory, which is a shopping mall now, I think–or else right by Jackson Square). If you can get around in Metairie, go down Homestead Avenue and you’ll be in our family place (the house is 444). But most important of all, build a good house for Mrs. Edna. –Hannah’s mom.

  • We saw a show at the Museum of Modern Art about pre-fabricated houses. One was designed for New Orleans. The floor was painted blue. Have you seen that in New Orleans? The story behind the blue floors is that it keeps ghosts away at night: ghosts don’t like daylight and blue is a daylight color.

    I hope everyone is enjoying all the new sights and sounds and the satisfaction of seeing the results of their hard work.

    Love to Evan from Mom. Warm wishes to everyone.

    Anne

  • Emily Listfield

    Hi, all –
    So there seems to be a big storm approaching your neck of the woods. Hope you all stay dry and safe. Sasha – you may wish you bought those rain pants despite your fashion objections!
    Hope all is going well,
    Emily
    (sasha’s mom)

  • Madre Shana

    Hey:

    I was checking the weather…at least it seems like you’ll only be getting rain…hope everyone is staying hydrated with those high temps. Can’t wait to hear more about what you’ve been doing.

  • Jared & Melissa

    We miss you, Lara.

  • Don Williams

    Hope all are well and staying cool & dry (or one of those, anyway). Are there other postings/ pictures for this trip? Best wishes for a great stay the rest of the way, and a safe trip home . . .

  • Dean Mitchell

    hi……wutsup, im dean, it was fun

    bye

  • Lara Miller

    hey, i was wondering when all the AMAZING pictures are going to be posted!

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