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TWU students help
Katrina victims during spring break
4/27/07
DENTON —
Instead of sunny beaches or snow-topped mountains, 14 TWU
students and two staff advisors headed east for an alternative
spring break to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in Biloxi,
Miss.
The TWU group joined
hundreds of other college students from around the country
in assisting the Hands On Network in their recovery efforts
in the Biloxi area.
The TWU group stayed
in an empty dorm at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
and worked long days doing everything from removing mold and
gutting houses to removing debris in order to rebuild a walking
trail.
“Many of
the students had never picked up a hammer before, only to
discover that they could do much more than they thought,”
said Candi Westbrook, volunteer coordinator for the TWU Center
for Student Development, who organized the trip. “Even
with all of the work we did, I think most of us were surprised
about how much devastation is still there.”
Jason Waller,
a senior majoring in psychology, wasn’t shocked at what
he saw. “Being from Biloxi, I knew the devastation was
still overwhelming and the work that needs to be done will
last for years.”
The trip cost $9,000
for the 16 participants to attend. The group received a $4,500
matching grant from the United Way of Denton County with the
rest coming from fundraisers and donations from faculty and
staff. Each participant also paid $100 to go on the trip.
“The support
from the TWU and Denton communities was amazing,” Mrs.
Westbrook said. “It really showed how everyone cared
about what we were doing.”
Mr. Waller is thankful that he and his fellow students were
able to help his hometown.
“This trip
was a life changing event,” he said. “Many people
have misconceptions about Mississippi and how life is there.
I think this trip gave students the opportunity to see how
we as a people are alike and can help in other in times of
need. The students on the trip all feel that we have united
as a family and will continue to serve and educate people
about Katrina and its effects.”
Mrs. Westbrook
plans to continue the tradition of an annual alternative spring
break, offering an out-of-state volunteer project every other
year.
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For Further Information
Contact:
Amanda McKeen Simpson
Director of News and Information
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: asimpson1@twu.edu
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