Day 7, and the aftermath–
On the last morning of our trip, we packed up and shipped out of Detroit before the sunrise. The rectory was a flurry of activity, with everyone rushing to stuff stray chargers, socks, and toothbrushes into their suitcases, making sure that we didn't leave anything with our housemates. After stopping for gas, we left Detroit for good with a week's worth of memories and newfound appreciation and understanding. We came to Detroit a week ago, full of apprehension and fear for a city we had only known as a dead city. Now, we leave it knowing that people like Ms. Reit in Brightmoor, Christine and her associates at the United Neighborhood Initiative, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and many of the residents of Detroit see their situation differently—they see a future and a life in their city that no one else can see quite yet, but no doubt will very soon. We will each take away something unique from our experience, but we will be able to share this hope with the people we encounter at Mizzou and beyond. Below are thoughts from our participants from our week.
Stephanie:
I remember receiving the email congratulating me on being chosen as a participant for the Detroit ASB. Excited beyond normalcy, I called everyone I knew, and they all had the same reaction. "Detroit? Why would you want to go there? It's dangerous!" Not once did I feel a bit of fear walking or driving around this city we have all grown to love in the past week. In fact, the most fear I felt was waking up this morning wondering what will happen now that we all have to go back to Columbia and back to our routine. School. Work. Homework. Sleep (rarely). Repeat. I fear that after this week, everything will go back to this routine without taking the time to remember all of the experiences we learned on this trip and using them to help one another in need and help bettering ourselves. It all starts with a story in Detroit. I learned far more from the high school students at UNI about pursuing dreams in the most difficult of situations than I could have possibly taught them. They seemed to have no fear even with their difficult situations. They inspired me to keep alive my own dreams and to use these lessons to help me achieve them. To all my fellow ASB members, I know you all will achieve your dreams. American love!
Stephen:
Upon returning to Como from our service trip to Detroit, I feel enriched by all my experiences in the Motor City. Each day brought something new and exciting. Despite the stereotypes about the city, I grew to love Detroit, with its artistic energy and friendly people. Detroiters also seemed to have hope for a better future for their city and are working hard to realize that dream. Although we accomplished much, we also learned a lot about the city's troubles and its residents. I loved that my talks about urban agriculture with Mrs. Reat and the visitors to the soup kitchen were so engaging. Coming from a farming background, I was very curious about urban ag, a new trend in Detroit and a particular brand of farming with which I was unfamiliar. Also, in addition to my invigorating volunteer work, I experienced a musical breakthrough at Baker's Keyboard & Lounge on Livernois. With the encouragement of my fellow ASBers, I sung "Fly Me to the Moon", a song from my boy Frank Sinatra, before the patrons of the jazz club. I was nervous and excited, but so happy to have that memory of singing before an audience for the first time. I was so fortunate to have had the support of the other members, all of whom I am so glad I have gotten to know over a week. Though I'm a bit disheartened leaving such an interesting city and returning to the rigors of school, I could not ask for more from my spring break.
Roze:
Confronted with the task of summing up the week in a tidy paragraph, I am at a loss. The past seven days do not lend themselves to cursory overviews at all.
The Good:
· The amazing work done by the community organizers in the city, including urban gardeners (the people at the Greening of Detroit and Reit in Brightmoor), the United Neighborhood Initiative, and the Capuchin Soup Kitchen
· The art community in Detroit, which is so freaking cool and complicated and ripped apart and beautiful
· My fellow Detroit ASB-ers, some of the funniest, kindest, sharpest, most wonderful people I've ever met
The Bad:
· The undeserved reputation of Detroit as a broken, empty city
· How little attention the attempts to rejuvenate the city get
· How much work there is left to be done (but at the same time, I have faith it will get done)
The Ugly:
· The short length of the trip
· The short length of the trip
· THE SHORT LENGTH OF THE TRIP
Nick:
I'm from Chicago, and live fairly close to Detroit, but never visited previously because of its negative reputation. The prevailing opinion seemed to discredit Detroit as a city worth visiting due to poverty, violence, and other forms of urban decay. Going to Detroit took a leap of faith, but looking back on our visit, I find myself impressed beyond expression by the spirit of the people and sense of community. In Detroit, I got the feeling that everyone was in it together. The city rose together when the auto industry was doing well, and now that its fallen on tougher times, communities and organizations seem to have stayed together in search of a remedy. One thing I'm taking with me is the importance of human relations wherever you are. When times reasonably are good it's easy to get caught up in our own individualism, and to turn our backs on others that are struggling. It's worth considering Detroit, however, to appreciate common human struggles, and how engaged communities can help foster positivity when everything seems to be working against you. Specifically, the conversations at lunch at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen left me thinking about how vulnerable we all are, even those that appear to be the most intelligent and well off. The great support networks and community organizations of Detroit were an impressive example of how we can combat the
Alicia:
We gathered last Saturday in the darkness of 6am. As we loaded into the vehicle we had high hopes for making a difference in the Detroit we have all heard about – one in shambles of gunshots and broken people. Looking back at the week, it is hard not to laugh at how wrong all of the stereotypes have been. Yes, there are empty homes and people without jobs. But for every person who aches with a longing for the Detroit we know as the booming motor city, there is another who wants to create a new Detroit based in everything from art to urban agriculture. You would think that after a week of living on the "wrong" side of 8 mile and eating in soup kitchens we would be ready for the serenity of our college town. But somehow, we found smiles and stories on the faces of everyone we spoke with and I am in no way ready to say good-bye. I wish I could have seen Detroit when it was at the top of it's game but even more so, I hope I am blessed enough to see the art filled, green Detroit of the very near future.
Paul:
Before arriving in Detroit, I didn't really know what to expect. Sure there were the obvious stereotypes of a city in decline, stricken with homelessness, poverty, drugs, unemployment. It is hard not to know, or at least here about these things. What I didn't know, and I'm sure most of us not from Detroit were unaware of as well, was the determination of Detroiters to not give up on their communities. This is what makes Detroit special. The people. One of my favorite quotes is, and don't ask where it comes from because I've long forgotten, "Engage people, not issues". I like to think that is what we were doing in Detroit. That is what the people who are involved in the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Urban Neighborhoods Initiative, or the Greening of Detroit are doing. Yes, Detroit has many issues and can't be fixed overnight, or even in a week. In fact, it may never be the same again. But when people come together in times of need, that is when they truly grow and begin to make a difference in their own and each other's lives. When I sat down to eat lunch at the soup kitchen I was no longer a white kid from the suburbs. I was a man, hungry and grateful for the food in front of me, just as Jake, O'Terria, Hosea, and Alicia were. It is only in those shared moments of laughter, sweat, conversation, smiles, and love that change can be made. Detroit is changing. I was a part of it. My fellow ASBers were a part of it. The people of Detroit are it.
Taylor:
When I first found out that I would be going to Detroit for spring break, I must admit I wasn't very excited about going up north to colder weather. I was also very nervous about staying in what I thought was a "rough" city. However, this past week has completely surpassed all of my expectations. I had the most amazing time ever and made some amazing new friends. I actually miss Detroit already. I definitely had my stereotypes about the type of people who lived in Detroit; but after meeting some of the citizens I learned so much about the people in this city. I was truly touched by their stories and was able to empathize with their situations in which they now find themselves. When the auto industry left the city it also left thousands of people without jobs and without a bright future. So many people counted on work in the factories to provide for their families, and when there were no more jobs they had nowhere to go. This week really gave me a chance to reevaluate my life and realize how truly fortunate I am to live in a nice home in a nice city.
After many hours of volunteering at various sites in the city, I realized how connected the Detroit community is and how determined they are to get Detroit back on its' feet. Whether it's urban farming or working at a youth center after school, the community is constantly trying to find new ways to keep kids out of trouble and get them engaged in productive work. I was amazed to see that almost all of the organizations were connected to each other in some way to better the community; it's a huge city with a small town feel. Although there are so many problems with drugs and gangs, the community remains very optimistic about the changes and advancements occurring. I so badly want to go back and help them make the changes necessary to improve Detroit's heartbreaking situation.
I feel so fortunate to have been able to volunteer in Detroit for a week and hear the people's stories. This experience has made me think about what I want to do with my life and how I can help people in cities just like Detroit. I think I can speak for all of us when I say this has been an eye-opening experience that we will never forget. I love my new ASB family and am so glad I was able to share this awesome experience with them. Motown rocks!!
Carol:
I have to admit that when I first heard I will be going to Detroit for my spring break, I wasn't very looking forward to it because it's up north and very cold. Also, I am a bit scared when I realized I need to travel with a group of American friends to another city and I was afraid there is nothing left for me to talk about with them and I would be left out. But it turned out there is nothing for me to worry about because all of the people I went with are so great and amazing people, we are definitely like a big family together.
One of my favorite parts about the trip is the people I went with. I am fascinated by their passions and enthusiasm to engage me to do anything. I really love the nickname they give me which is "Chinatown", actually everybody has a nickname in our group and we called each other's nickname to make us even closer to each other. We always sat around the table every evening to share our interesting things happened each day, and we will shop together, sleep on the same floor, help each other cook etc. I can think of million things we've done together like a family!
As for the volunteering thing, we have done Greening of Detroit and helping out at the youth center. We've done volunteer work varied from gardening, to playing games with kids. It's always nice to talk to different people and step out of my comfort zone. When we went to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen to volunteer, we actually went to the places to eat with the homelessness people for lunch and we talked with them. I have to say that at first I am a bit scared to talk to them when I saw all the African-Americans men were sitting there. But I got over myself and had very interesting conversations with them and I am surprised to see that how willing and happy they are to talk to us and have their voices heard.
For our last day in Detroit, we went to downtown Detroit and have a relatively fancy dinner there. I realized that Detroit used to be a prosperous city, but now Detroit needed help from everyone to get back to its prosperity. There are many people moved out of Detroit, GM headquarter is kind of empty, there aren't many people walking on the street even though it's weekdays. I am happy to see that everybody in our group has a warm heart to give generous help to whoever needed.
I really miss everyone teasing me all the time; it makes me feel I am part of the group, an indispensible part. I feel so lucky to participate in the ASB and know this group of amazing people. I love them all!
Jake:
Life is made up of defining moments. More often than not, these moments come in the form of extraordinary events: meeting inspiring individuals, completing a significant or difficult task, losing something or someone important to you, and/or a multitude of other experiences. My trip with Alternative Spring Break included all of these things. Detroit is one of my life's defining moments.
Outside of my own self-absorbed musings on the world, witnessing firsthand the driving passion of the people of Detroit is the most inspiring thing I have ever been a part of. I wouldn't change my trip for the world, even after seeing all of my sun-kissed friends return from warm locales. Seeing the power of an idea manifest itself in real change is unreal. As Margaret Mead said more eloquently than I ever could, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
I remember during the 2008 election, many people demonized the "community organizing" background of Barack Obama. I couldn't think of something more important than community organizing, especially in a place as desolate as Detroit. The people of this city have not lost hope. They don't only hope things will change, they know they will. And they're not going to sit idly by and watch it happen from a safe distance. I hope one day I can make as much of a difference in a community as so many of the people we worked with.
I will never forget the relationships I formed on this trip. The other 11 individuals on this trip are some of the best people I have ever met. Although I was the "grandpa" of the trip, I couldn't imagine feeling closer to individuals in a 7-day span. Each individual brought a unique skillset, and the bond formed through giving back is unbreakable. As a senior graduating in a SHORT 5 weeks, my one regret is this being my first and only ASB trip at Mizzou. But at the same time, I'm glad all the people on this trip will be my reflection on the program. They set the bar pretty high.
I think this was the perfect trip for me to attend prior to serving the low-income, inner-city community of San Antonio as a teacher. I'm pretty excited I get to continue my passion for serving communities starting in late-May through Teach For America. I WILL incorporate the sense of community action in my work in Texas, because only together can real change come to fruition. There is only one method to ensure the future is a place you want to live: be the change you wish to see in the world. I'll see you there.
Monica:
To be completely honest, I was not expecting all that much from our ASB trip. I wasn't even sure if I was going to have any fun. I just assumed that we would come together, do the best we could to help the Detroit community, go back to Columbia and move on. The funny thing is, the first night I slept in my own bed after we got back, all I could think about is how I wish I could be sleeping in the rectory at Detroit Mercy on the floor- keep in mind that this floor was ant-infested, cold, hard and uncomfortable. When we started class again on Monday, my friends and teachers asked me how my break was and I didn't even know where to begin. At one point I stared in silence at my folklore professor for 10 seconds until I gathered the word "amazing" (lame, I know) out of the all the thoughts I was trying to articulate. I didn't know how to explain how it feels to enter a downtrodden city like Detroit, littered with burned houses and abandoned buildings, and leave it with a sense that while there is an overwhelming amount of work to be done, there is a vibrant community that is alive and trying to do its best. Every day I became more surprised by how interconnected the community is in Detroit. All of the organizations that we volunteered for knew of each other and were often somehow directly working with each other. While we were at Brightmoor volunteering with Riet, I expressed how I would have no idea how to start something as significant as she has and she explained that the most important thing to remember is that you can't do it alone, stressing the importance of a support system. By the end of the week I realized how completely right Riet was. The organizations we volunteered for relied on each other, our ASB group relied on members within the group and we relied on the organizations as much as they relied on us. I felt a connection to the inner workings of a city like I never have before and I couldn't get enough of it. There was a wonderful, comforting sense of community that we all felt, and none of us are even from Detroit. I look forward to returning to Detroit soon, especially if it's with our ASB group in tow.
Michelle:
After reading everyone else's reflections on the trip, the only thing I can say is that I am completely overwhelmed. I am the kind of person who sets her expectations ridiculously high, but despite this fact ASB Detroit completely superseded every single one that I had, a million times over. Our participants were absolutely phenomenal—no one complained, no one got in a fight, no one thought that the work we were doing was pointless and stupid. I didn't have to send anyone home for breaking the rules (if they crossed the border to Canada, it was super sneaky and without my knowledge). We all loved each other, and we all fell in love with Detroit. Before Nick and I decided to go there, I knew absolutely nothing about the city. I had read articles here and there about how empty and downtrodden it is, but I didn't know anything about its history or how it go there. Researching before the trip taught me a little bit more, but it wasn't until we arrived that I began to fully understand. Seeing a city large enough to fit 2 million people nearly empty is a jarring experience. We wandered around downtown on Sunday, our free day, and only a few people here and there could be found. However, the small population leads to something truly unique to Detroit—a tight knit community surviving together. Even though we found our housing and our three volunteer sites through random Google searches, every time we met someone they already knew someone else we had spoken with. Detroit is beautiful and filled with amazing people, and it's obvious that they are still there because they have a dedication to the city that is nearly impossible to abolish. I loved traveling there and discovering this passion, and I am excited to bring it back and share it with the people I know here in Missouri. I am thrilled to have eleven fantastic people to do this with, and I look forward to doing more good things with them and with Alternative Spring Break!
I roll over and open my eyes. Waves gently tumble onto the shore, leveling out any imperfections in the sand. I have no conception of the time of day or the day of the week. I sit up and look across the ocean towards the tourist traps that line the horizon. A moment of perfection. And then a water balloon pelts me in the back of the head.
That moment in time captured this trip in a nutshell. This week, there have been so many times where I've literally stopped in my tracks and marveled at my surroundings. Even now, I'm too busy laughing at everything you guys are saying to write this post. The 11 other people that I've spent every waking moment of the past week with are among the most compassionate, hard-working and hilarious people I've ever met. They have made this trip one of my most memorable ones yet. The best part about this week is that they aren't just people I've met once and will never see again. I get to take these great memories and newfound friendships back to Mizzou.
Our day off was a nice break from the routine we had gotten so accustomed to. We slept in (past six in the morning!), made enough PB&J sandwiches to feed a whole country with, and spent the day at the beach. I wouldn't have had it any other way. We started our trek back to Columbia the next day, spending the night in Nashville along the way. The three L's of Nashville? Loveless, line dancing and laughing. It wasn't like anything I had ever experienced before, so I savored the opportunity to take it all in.
When you spend every waking moment with a group of people, you generally start to get sick of them. If spending a week together wasn't going to be enough, the 17-hour drive back home was bound to do us in. But it never happened. When we parted ways on our arrival to Columbia, I felt a sense of emptiness, not one of relief. I didn't know how I was going to go five days without seeing these people. And to think we started off as mere strangers only a few months ago! I don't want to conclude this blog post because I don't want to accept the fact that this trip is over. You've all made a lasting impact on me and I will never forget you guys. I know our trip didn't go exactly as planned, but our optimism and teamwork enabled us to prevail no matter what obstacles were thrown our way. I'm so lucky that I got to experience ASB as a sophomore, so that I can take advantage of this amazing opportunity in years to come. Lastly, Raha and Chelsea, I can't thank you two enough. I can't even imagine the work it took to plan and execute this whole expedition; I can only hope to be as effective of a leader someday.
-Veronica Polivanaya
The time I have spent in Florida has been such a grand adventure. From the very beginning, the 15-hour long drive, to now, reflecting upon each other, every moment has been a build to what is now. Each person I see now, I see as an unconditional friend that I have come to love. The growth that each individual has had is such an inspirational feeling for me. I notice that each person creates such a well-knit group, a group that creates the best out of nothing. We have become unconditionally close, better friends then so many of those on campus, just in two weeks. We wake up at the crack of dawn, exhausted, but it didn't matter. We not only worked HARD, but we had fun doing it.
On campus this semester before the trip I felt out of touch with my surroundings. In signing up for this trip I had no idea what I got myself into. This trip has meant so much to me. I have learned so much about this group and myself, just in one week; it is hard to express that in words. This out of touch feelings has only made me realize that things are all good, no matter the stress or worry. I think I have learned upon this trip many things because of the relationships I have built, and the great positivity that has come from this group. I see each person reflecting now, upon the week and it gives me great inspiration to be able to openly talk about ones experiences, and how it has affected ones life. I feel as though I will take upon many techniques of leadership, friendship, and service that I will use the rest of my life.
This trip is going to truly affect how I spend the rest of my years. I feel as though I am a lot more ready to take upon the challenges of what lies ahead. Chelsea and I were talking and she made me realize that I have come to fulfillment from this trip. I think I am ready for the next step, which is Europe. I feel as though I have the courage to get upon the plane. Thank you everyone for helping me build a better understanding of myself, and others. I love you all =)
Oh btw. The beach was awesome today. Muhaha. Gobble.
Louie
**Special Note**
I learned after getting back to Mizzou and checking my email that the blog posts of Thur. and Fri did not go through. Sorry for the confusion. Saturday 4/2 is below these two, so you can actually read about the last three days in order starting here...
3/31/11
After a late night of fun and games, we woke up early to plant some trees with Tony in Blairsville, Georgia! We placed 137 trees along butternut creek to improve the landscape there. The work consisted of hole digging, root awakening, fertilizing, and beaver protecting. We found this work much more relaxing than invasive plant removal, and we appreciated not being stabbed by the evil multirosa. It was good to give life to something rather than violently ripping something up by it's roots. A local volunteer provided lunch for our group and we enjoyed turkey sandwiches on picnic benches. After lunch we went back to work, and Tony was extremely impressed by our efficiency. We finished planting 85 trees before lunch and quickly ran out of creek-side ground to plant our trees on. He even said we were one of his hardest working ASB groups ever! We ended the day a little early and headed home. On the ride back, we took a touristy group picture across the state line between Georgia and North Carolina (two places at once!) Since our work was less tiring, Laura decided to go for a 9 mile run for the fourth time this week (marathon training). The rest of us (except for Sarah who still needed a nap) took the opportunity to go on a hiking adventure. We drove through the Appalachian Highway and stopped off the road at scenic overlook. Feeling adventurous, we climbed down the mountain hopping from boulder to boulder. We now have a stronger appreciation for gravity and large falling rocks. After this excursion, we found a safer overlook and found a beautiful trail along a gorgeous creek that turned into a waterfall gushing through huge mossy boulders with fallen trees littering the sides. Hiking finished, we raced home and went to a bonfire with delicious RIP bbq provided by the HWRC. Once fed, we took the opportunity to play chubby bunny…Max won, Cole lost with marshmallow drool dripping down his face. Andy and Max were inducted into the wild potato clan. On the walk back from the bonfire through the rive cane trail we discovered firsthand the legend of the river cane ghosts. Then we headed back to the house listening to our new theme song "Home" for our typical game night. I never knew that ten randos could become a fam in four days.
-Murphy ASB
4/1/11
Friday, April first: Back to clearing weeds and taking names. The cabin awoke from another late night of cabin shanaigans to a beautiful, chill North Carolina morning. The late night kept our breakfast conversations to a minimum and we are not sure if everyone awoke in time for their morning showers. Anyway, we rendezvoused with our fearless leader, Tony and headed south into Georgia. Our team remarked about the stark contrast of the neighboring states lifestyles. North Carolina seems to be more relaxed and spaced-out. When we got to Byron's house we were ready for our last day of invasive removal. The honeysuckle and multi rosa were worse than expected. Luckily the owners dog, Ree, tagged along to help pass the time and chew our water bottles. The morning was a bit chilly and clearing the invasives was tiring and at times monotonous, since it was our last day we made it great despite lack of energy. At noon we met at a rustic mountain home to enjoy a lunch provided by another kind-hearted volunteer. There, we had two more dogs join in on the days activities, but they were second rate compared to Ree. As a side note, the deviled-eggs didn't go over as well as planned, but the rest of lunch was wonderful. Callie also showed up and let the team purchase shirts and caps for volunteering for the week at a double skookum discount. You know, for the memories. After another classic hour-long, Tony break were set to leave the lunch sight and return for our final afternoon of saving the world. The sun played tricks on us, and the hoodies and jackets were off and on. The team caught a groove and finished strong clearing Japanese knotweeds and Autumn Olive. As a side note, Tony was rocking the chainsaw and Max and Sarah was usually found playing with Ree. Overall, we were glad to finish on the beautiful property and enjoyed our experience. It made us appreciate Tony for all of his hard work and gave us a sense of accomplishment. We all feel closer to nature now and will never look at a rose bush the same. It was very hard work, and sometimes depressing because there is so much to do, but very necessary and quickly rewarding. We definitely learned a ton about the environment , watersheds, and can even ID about 5 plants. After work we swung by the cabin with a little extra pep in our step. We got ambitious and headed to the tallest peak in Georgia to hike, Brass Town Bald. We had a small mix up with the provided directions. Apparently we are much less successful at navigating without Ralphie at the helm, but eventually we straightened out and made it to the majestic mount. Speaking of that mischievous GPS, he played an April Fools Day joke on us when he reset himself and came back with a sex change (as a woman's voice). Since Ralphina doesn't quite fly, we changed him back pronto. The view from the top of our mile hike was beautiful and it was a great way to way to signify the trip's accomplishments and bonding. The trip back was less eventful and we spent our evening relaxing around the cabin waiting for a fabulous pasta dinner with cheesy bread out of hotdog buns . We planned our meals perfectly and we are finally getting in the days routine and swing of things. It is starting to hit the team that our time here is finally over and I think we will all miss it dearly and won't forget ASB '11 anytime soon. Tonight will again be full of fun, games, and plenty of laughter. On to Louisville tomorrow gang.
Love,
Murphy ASB
Day 6: April 2nd
This has been an incredibly rewarding week. Everyone worked hard Monday thru Friday so we could play today. The crew loaded up bleary eyed at 7:30am to make the hour and a half trip to Lexington, Kentucky just in time to catch the last hour of morning workouts at Keeneland racetrack. Keeneland is known as one of the coldest places in Lexington and today was no different. Although we were given a warm, Kentucky greeting by our tour guide – Pete, who promptly showed us to the racetrack to watch the thoroughbreds in action. After everyone had been shivering for a good bit watching the horses we were ushered to the clubhouse, where less than 1% of the Lexington population has ever been - so we felt pretty special. Afterward we rounded all the troops and headed into town for pizza and calzones at one of my favorite restaurants, Pazzo's, just off the University of Kentucky's campus. We filled our bellies with delicious Italian treats as we watched UK fans file-in, in preparation for the BIG game tonight (UK vs. UCONN in the Final Four). We all agreed we (Mizzou) is black and gold….not blue and white.
After lunch at Pazzo's, I proudly showed everyone around the University of Kentucky campus, where I began my life as a college student. It has been almost a year since I had been in Lexington, let alone on campus, so I was happy to see the hospital in its final phase of construction (considering it started over 2 years ago). Everyone seemed surprised at the quaintness of the campus in comparison to MU. It was much smaller than they seemed to expect.
The Kentucky Horse Park was the next item on the list of things to see/catch before we headed back to Louisville for the night. At the Horse Park we all got to ride horses (some of us for the first time!). We took a 40-minute ride around the paddocks and learned all about the Equestrian Games that were held on the farm last year. Some of us (myself included) had feistier horses than others, which made the trip all the more interesting. My horse, properly named Diesel, was quite cheeky and had a little attitude when he didn't want to follow the rest of the horses. After our ride we loaded up, once again, and took the vans full of tired participants back to Louisville.
Our final (and nicest) dinner in Kentucky was at Bristol. We invited Mary Sullivan from the United Way to join us. She has been such an instrumental part of our trip we only felt it proper to treat her to dinner. Everyone chatted and noshed on delicious dishes like crab cakes, pork chops, and linguine with all the works. We presented Mary with a bouquet of flowers and a card, and she (surprised us) by giving us each a photo of the mural, a certificate, AND home-made treat bags for the ride home! Oh….and she hooked us up with some more United Way T-shirts, which was nice since most of us haven't done laundry and have been wearing the same clothes for a couple days. Now we won't stink up the vans on the ride home!! Yay!! Well, we decided to leave bright and early (7am EST) so I better be off to bed (it's 11:50pm), but as I said before. This week has been very successful, I speak for both Evan and I when I say, we couldn't be prouder of our participants and all the hard work and dedication they put in this week. The University of Missouri has officially left its mark on yet another great city. We hope to see you in years to come, Louisville!
-Madison
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
CANADA
Things our site leaders let us do today: go to Canada.
Today, the Felton crew took a well-earned break from all of our hard work on the farm and had a Fun Day. We said farewell to the Travelodge in Morehead and began our trek up to the border. After a brief run-in with the border patrol, we ran around in the Canadian wilderness and played a little bit of hockey while we were out there.
From there, we headed to Minneapolis. One of the cars passed the time by trying to see who could be the first to find a hill in flat Western Minnesota. The game was derailed by Taylore's impossible to live-up-to expectations of what a "hill" should really be. The other passed the time by singing country songs.
Once we arrived in Minneapolis, we headed straight for the Mall of America. Due to a complex parking garage set-up, there was a brief debacle in our efforts to find an available spot. We almost died in the parking garage. But Team Felton prevailed. After a quick lunch, we were overwhelmed by some of the crazy-cool parts of the mall. LegoLand was definitely one of our favorites. Some of us got presents for our friends and family. Some of us were content with trying on cowboy hats and funky sunglasses. Before heading out, a couple of guys showed us some awesome magic tricks.
We lost another member of our crew today. But we met a new friend who graciously is letting us crash in her apartment. Our last group dinner today was a delicious Thai feast, where we also got to celebrate Site Leader Lyndsay's birthday! We ended the night with some ice cream at Sebastian Joe's, a local Minneapolis favorite.
As our trip comes to an end, we all are starting to realize how lucky we are to have had this experience in Felton. We learned a lot working at Riding on Angel's WIngs. We definitely appreciate the value of hard work a lot more than before. We also have a lot more love for Missouri weather, as hard as that may be to believe. Most of all, we earned a lot of respect for people who work with people with disabilities. Bette and her workers wowed us with their commitment to what they do, and we will never forget them and the lessons they taught us.
This is our last blog, and we really appreciate you all checking in on our trip. Without your support, we couldn't have done it. Thank you. A million times, thank you.
Even though we didn't really know each other when we started, we have now become great friends. We all owe a lot to our awesome site leaders, Lyndsay and Taylore. We would have been lost without them. Thank you.
Oh yeah, that Canada thing…..April Fools.
-The Best of the 216
