It's Almost Time......

It's Saturday morning - 10 am - here on the East Coast.

Our US and Canadian volunteers are gearing up for Sunday departures to New Orleans. Our five UK / Dublin volunteers are going to arrive in New Orleans a little later today and will be greeting the first group of US volunteers, as well as the two Canadian volunteers, when we arrive on Sunday in the late morning. We plan to get some lunch, head to Wal-Mart for some essentials (bug spray, bandaids, snacks, etc.) and then go to the church where we will be staying. Our 40+ sleeping bags and 40+ pillows are waiting for us there!!! (We will be leaving our washable sleeping bags and pillows at the church as part of our donation since they do not typically have these available for their volunteers.)

The second group of US volunteeers arrive on two separate flights in the early evening. By 9 pm we should all be at the church gearing up for our first day of work. As of now, the weather report calls for rain on at least three of our work days. We're all planning accordingly.

That's it for now...... Check in regularly for updates on our trip to Mississippi!!!!

London Gulf Region Volunteers ‘sweat it out’ to raise US$2062.88

The London volunteers decided to dust off their running gear and get their bodies moving, to raise sponsorship dollars for their participation in the Clapham Common 10km Series. And while they knew this would prove a challenging feat (more challenging for some than others), they could think of nothing more rewarding than crossing over the finish line and raising a whopping US$2062.88 for the charity.

So on a brisk Sunday morning, while most sane people were still safely tucked up in bed, the small team assembled at the starting line. Nerves were starting to show, but all put on a brave face as they contemplated the three long laps that lay ahead. The gun fired and they were off. After some confusion and jostling for position with the ‘professional’ athletes, they managed to make a break for it.

The track was congested in parts, muddy and slippery in others, but all managed to navigate their way through without incident. With lungs burning and muscles aching Abbie was first across the line at 47’19.62. Mike followed closely behind, finishing at 50’03.46. And while Paul was called to the US and unable to participate in person, he claims to have completed a healthy 12kms (2km extra as a penalty for not competing ‘live’) in 1:10,08.57 (photographic evidence still pending…)

Having crossed the finish line, proud of their achievement and the money they raised, all they could think of was the celebratory lunch they had planned at a local pub...

Now preparations begin for the work that lay ahead in Bay St Louis!