Today was a good day. We all woke up with smiles on our faces, ready to work in the much anticipated sunshine and 65 degree weather! We munched on a delicious breakfast of bagels and cereal, provided by the United Saints and chatted with the other group that is staying with US, the alternative break group from Rochester Institute of Technology from New York. Their group has a total of 27 staff members and students! We have become quite aquatint with them, it’s no surprise we have done so either, we quickly realized they are here for the same reason we are, to help out the city of New Orleans, rebuild their city.
After breakfast we headed over to work with the Youth Rebuild New Orleans program. We did various activities, including building bunk beds for their future volunteers to stay in. We later helped the YRNO unpack their offices into their new home, which they rebuilt themselves and will later sell to a NOLA teacher to help support the growing consciousness on education in New Orleans.There was a whole lot of saw dust flying in the air, but even more determination to get work done. I couldn’t have been luckier to be leading such a great group of Johnson State students.
One thing that was discussed today, was the dedication that the people of New Orleans have to rebuilding their own city and not to just rebuild it, but to make it better than before. Matt (YRNO Founder) told us that after the storm, the people of New Orleans knew there was much to be rebuilt, not just the city itself, but it’s task forces, like it’s criminal justice system and education system. The storm almost gave the city a new clean slate to rebuild itself into what it’s always wanted to be, grand.
It has become clearer to all of us, just how lucky we are to live where we live, breathe the air we breathe and have what we have. Only two days in and many more days to go, we can not wait to keep working on. Every day we have a board up in the apartment with a quote, today’s quote was “How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it.” and what a beautiful day it was.
-Kailie & JSC Break Away Disaster Relief 
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