Alumnus helps relief effort in Gulf Coast
Chelsea Eakin
Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Features
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While Hurricane Katrina may have come and gone for some of us, the disaster and disarray left in the wake of the storm is still a prevalent reality for many residents of the Gulf Coast.
For the past month and a half, Katie Gilroy '06 has been helping with relief work in the Gulf as a member of AmeriCorps*NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps).
AmeriCorps, according to their website, is a network of local, state, and national service programs that connects more than 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet our country's critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps*NCCC is a branch of the organization, focused on strengthening communities and developing leaders through team-based national and community service. To participate in the 10-month program you must be between the ages of 18 and 24. The work that AmeriCorps*NCCC does is focused on the environment, education, public health and safety. While work usually takes place in the region in which one of the program's four bases is located, since the hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast in August of 2005, efforts have been largely channeled toward recovery in that region.
If any national disaster were to occur, AmeriCorps*NCCC would be prepared to respond, Gilroy explained: "We would respond to any sort of disaster-September 11th, hurricanes, floods, ice storms."
"Right now I'm working with Habitat for Humanity building houses. We do a project for six to eight weeks and then switch-after this, we're headed to work with the Red Cross on disaster assessment," Gilroy, who became certified by Red Cross in Disaster Relief as part of her month-long AmeriCorps training, said. Other parts of the training that took place over February included first aid, CPR and power tool safety.
"I've been living in Mississippi and I had no idea how gorgeous coastal Mississippi is-it is really a pretty area," Gilroy, originally from York, Maine, said. "You can be standing on a gorgeous beach, yet you look out at the ocean and what used to be piers are now ruins, bridges still haven't been repaired."
"It is so impressive how many volunteers are down here, especially after spring break-so many spring breakers came down," she said. "A lot of older retired people have little RV camps set up, and they are down here working months on end, which I think is awesome."
Gilroy said she had met innumerable people who were affected by the storm. "People are more than anxious to tell you their story-this obviously wasn't just a hurricane, it was the biggest that has ever hit down here, it has altered their life," she said. "There are some people that don't have anything, and are still trying to piece together some resemblance of the life that they had."
Gilroy will continue to work in the region through the summer, after which she will likely change location back to the AmeriCorps*NCCC base in Denver, Colorado. "Then after that I don't know, but I'm meeting lots of great people so I'm hoping something will come together as far as another program or job or something."
For the past month and a half, Katie Gilroy '06 has been helping with relief work in the Gulf as a member of AmeriCorps*NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps).
AmeriCorps, according to their website, is a network of local, state, and national service programs that connects more than 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet our country's critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps*NCCC is a branch of the organization, focused on strengthening communities and developing leaders through team-based national and community service. To participate in the 10-month program you must be between the ages of 18 and 24. The work that AmeriCorps*NCCC does is focused on the environment, education, public health and safety. While work usually takes place in the region in which one of the program's four bases is located, since the hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast in August of 2005, efforts have been largely channeled toward recovery in that region.
If any national disaster were to occur, AmeriCorps*NCCC would be prepared to respond, Gilroy explained: "We would respond to any sort of disaster-September 11th, hurricanes, floods, ice storms."
"Right now I'm working with Habitat for Humanity building houses. We do a project for six to eight weeks and then switch-after this, we're headed to work with the Red Cross on disaster assessment," Gilroy, who became certified by Red Cross in Disaster Relief as part of her month-long AmeriCorps training, said. Other parts of the training that took place over February included first aid, CPR and power tool safety.
"I've been living in Mississippi and I had no idea how gorgeous coastal Mississippi is-it is really a pretty area," Gilroy, originally from York, Maine, said. "You can be standing on a gorgeous beach, yet you look out at the ocean and what used to be piers are now ruins, bridges still haven't been repaired."
"It is so impressive how many volunteers are down here, especially after spring break-so many spring breakers came down," she said. "A lot of older retired people have little RV camps set up, and they are down here working months on end, which I think is awesome."
Gilroy said she had met innumerable people who were affected by the storm. "People are more than anxious to tell you their story-this obviously wasn't just a hurricane, it was the biggest that has ever hit down here, it has altered their life," she said. "There are some people that don't have anything, and are still trying to piece together some resemblance of the life that they had."
Gilroy will continue to work in the region through the summer, after which she will likely change location back to the AmeriCorps*NCCC base in Denver, Colorado. "Then after that I don't know, but I'm meeting lots of great people so I'm hoping something will come together as far as another program or job or something."
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