Of all the cities I've been to, none casts a spell over people like New Orleans.
Eleven women and one man arrived in the Crescent City last Saturday via cramped 12-passenger "creeper van." The vast majority had never set foot in Louisiana. We were thrilled to not only be spending our spring break away from the snowstorm that had just hit Missouri, but to be using that time to help out in an understaffed volunteer animal rescue.
Animal Rescue New Orleans was founded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina as a temporary first response team. While the national attention and volunteer help was (understandably) focused on the human victims of the storm, the animal population largely went ignored. ARNO stepped in and rescued these lost creatures. The need of the city was so great that ARNO continues to operate today as New Orleans' only no-kill animal shelter. The BP oil spill only increased the demand for their services, as those who worked on the Gulf of Mexico lost their jobs and were unable to keep their pets.
The shelter is understaffed, as it comprises solely of volunteers. With our team of twelve, daylong chores were knocked out before lunch and we could then all focus our attention on improving the shelter. We deep cleaned cages, re-organized the shelter, and gave the animals the extra love they'd been missing. It was amazing to see what our group could do and everyone at ARNO threatened us that we aren't allowed to leave. Ever.
The animals weren't the only ones affected by this trip. I spent the week watching our group roll up their sleeves and really committing to a project selflessly. As the work went on, a new energy and spirit was instilled in each member. The look on Kourtney's face whenever Marky Mark was brought out of his cage was one of pure love. Tori's entire day revolved around making sure Sunshine, a cat diagnosed with feline leukemia, would be able to have some much-needed attention and love. Hell, Jayme even donned extra layers of clothing in order to spend time with Patty Cake, a puppy with a case of scabies.
ARNO was an inspirational volunteer experience and the city of New Orleans was the absolute best backdrop for it. Our impression of the city evolved as the week went on. On our very first day, we visited the Lower Ninth Ward. This area received international media attention as an example of what devastation Katrina had done. Many have chosen to rebuild, but a very large amount of broken shells of homes remain. It was a sobering and humbling experience and I doubt any group member will forget it. We all saw the destruction on the news, but to see it firsthand even years later is entirely different.
Despite the hurricane, much of the rest of the city has bounced back even better than before. We fell in love with the French Quarter, which has more culture and history than you can handle. We did a little dancing, we did a lot of eating, and we even sang *NSYNC karaoke on the same stage they did on Bourbon Street. We went uptown (which is technically west, but New Orleanians don't believe in cardinal directions) and saw beautiful large homes and the gorgeous campus of Tulane University. Every neighborhood of New Orleans has its own flavor that can't be found anywhere else in America. Those who may have been a bit hesitant about the city at first quickly came around. The people are friendly, the food is amazing and the spirit of the Big Easy can be felt on every corner. We already have plans to come back in the summer and take on even more of this beautiful place.
This has been an amazing experience. Not only did New Orleans completely win me over in every way possible, but I had the opportunity to see it win over everyone else as well. The homeless animals inspired us, the city inspired us, and we inspired each other.
I want to thank everyone who helped support the New Orleans trip as well as every other ASB trip this year. Thank you for reading our blogs and our tweets as we went on this adventure. While we are sad to have left behind such an amazing city, we're excited to bring our experiences back to Mizzou.
And if you ever get the chance to visit New Orleans, stop by Banks Street and give Nola the cat our love (and let him inside for a bit…but don't tell anyone).
Eliot - ASB NOLA
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