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New Orleans Relief Trip 2009

Welcome to the web page for the 2009 Centenary College and Drew University Relief Trip.

Photos

As we work hard down here day-by-day we're taking photos and slowly collecting them online for your perusing pleasure.  Click here to view the photos.

Requirements

These are the forms that must be completed in order to go on the trip:

The completed forms must be dropped off with Student Affairs or at Brotherton 218 by Friday, 11/21/09 (this includes faculty and staff). 

All your shots and vaccinations must be up to date - Nurse Jean must sign off on everyone traveling to New Orleans before the Christmas break or you will not be allowed to go. If you have any questions please stop by the nurse’s office in Seay.

Here are a few more invaluable documents for your reference:

Schedule

This is just a preliminary schedule.  A final schedule will be posted within the coming weeks.  Bus arrival times will not be exact.  Please allow for at least 30 minutes of variation.

    Saturday, January 3rd
    • 5:30 AM - The first bus will start loading at Drew.
    • 5:45 AM - The second bus will start loading at Centenary.
    • 6:00 AM - The bus at Drew will leave for Centenary.
    • 6:45 AM - The bus from Drew will arrive at Centenary and
      fifteen Centenary students will board it.
    • 7:00 AM - Both buses will leave Centenary at 7:00 AM sharp.
    • 6:30 PM - The buses will arrive in Morristown, TN (625 miles). 
      Stay overnight at the Morristown United Methodist Church.
    Sunday, January 4th
    • 5:00 AM - Buses will be packed.
    • 6:00 AM - Buses will leave Morristown, TN. 
    • 7:00 PM - We will arrive in New Orleans (625 miles).
    • 8:00 PM - After unpacking we will have team meetings and a light
      snack.
    Monday, January 5th
    • 6:00 AM - Wake-up, breakfast, work assigned.
    • 7:00 AM - Off to work.
    Saturday, January 10th
    • 7:00 PM - Final dinner.  Families we work with during the week and
      special friends are invited.
    Sunday, January 11th
    • 5:00 AM - Wake up, clean the churches, pack the buses.
    • 6:00 AM - Buses depart.
    • 5:30 PM - Buses stop overnight in Morristown, TN.
    Monday, January, 12th
    • 5:00 AM - Wake up, pack the bus.
    • 6:00 AM - Buses depart for home (one bus will be packed for Drew
      and one bus packed for Centenary).
    • 6:30 PM - Bus arrives at Centenary.

Lodging

The buses will stop at the following location for an overnight stay:

While in New Orleans we will be staying at the following two locations:

Sleeping bags, air mattress, and pillows are required.  60-70 people will be staying at Grace Evangelical and 40 at First Grace.  The churches are about 2 ½ miles apart.  We will be eating our meals together at Grace Evangelical.  Each location has showers.

Work

We will be working with homeowners through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), First Grace UMC, the First Grace UMC Women's Shelter, Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, Beacon of Hope, and individuals who may request assistance.  We will also deliver donations of new items, i.e. clothing, produce, etc. to the shelter.  If you would like to make a donation contact Connie Edouard at edouard@centenarycollege.edu.
 
As in the past we will once again be installing sheet rock, insulation, flooring, tiles, cabinets, doors, painting, power washing and cleaning, limited roofing, electrical, plumbing and doing some landscaping.

Teams

We are now in the process of setting up work teams.  YOU MAY WORK WITH ANY ONE PERSON YOU CHOOSE (please do not sign up in groups of three or more).  The two-person team will be assigned to a work group that will work together all week.  Your teams will be made up of both Drew and Centenary students, faculty and staff.  All teams will be a mix of skilled and unskilled people.

If you have not signed up with a partner please stop by Brotherton 218 and do so this week.

On-Site Transportation

Once in NOLA, each team will be assigned a rental vehicle that the team will use for the week only the team leader will drive.

Meals

Breakfast - continental; cereal, bagels, danish. 

Lunch - sandwiches; lunch meat and cheese, bread, chips, granola bars.  Each team will pack their lunch for the day when they are at breakfast. 

Dinner - Linda G., the executive chef from Centenary College, is preparing 4 dinners for us and putting them on dry ice, for us to take down there.  There are 6 dinners while we're in New Orleans, the 4 pre-packed from Centenary, 1 night you're on your own, and the last night will be a banquet.

*Note:  If you have food allergies or are on a special diet please stop by Brotherton 218 and complete the form so we can plan and make arrangements.

Spending Money

Each person is responsible for their own meals/food while traveling to NOLA and on the return trip. Buses will stop at fast food restaurants for lunch and dinner on day one and breakfast and lunch on day two of the trip.  Each person is also responsible for one meal in the French Quarter, and what ever personal items they want to buy.  ATM’s are available in the area if needed.  Each person should plan on bringing between $100 to $200 (more if you are going to buy souvenirs). Most places do accept credit cards.

Cell Phones, Computers & Valuables

All cell phones work in NOLA.  Pleased leave all computers, jewelry, or valuable items at home.  There is no way to secure personal items in the churches.  Cameras should be taken with you to the work site.  Do NOT leave cameras behind in the church.

Entertainment

We will be traveling by bus (NO rental or personal vehicles will be used) into the French Quarter 2 nights.  There will be a banquet on the last night at which time you may invite the home owners you worked with to join us. Guest speakers and other group activities are in the process of being planned.

Fundraising

A Poinsettia sale will take place the week after Thanksgiving. Help is needed; please contact Kristin Lesion, lesinok@centenarycollege.edu.

Contact

Please direct all inquiries to Russ Yarnell at yarnellr@centenarycollege.edu or Norm Cetuk at cetukn@centenarycollege.edu.