Oracle Online

For the 16 people at the Hands On site, our Hamline hangout spot was in front of the Walgreens. People would stop and ask what we are doing down there, if we are enjoying our time, what we have done so far. Sometimes they would tell us a bit about their Katrina story. While these people have been evacuated, returned home, harassed by nature, man, government and everything else, they still have smiles on their faces. They tell you that they don’t want you to step into their “soap opera” and talk about all the problems related to the aftermath of Katrina, but if they do, it’s done politely and straight to the pointč“Just use common sense!”

We met many wonderful people down there in the Crescent City. There is Mr. Mason, who buys lunch for the volunteers working on his house everyday. There’s Mrs. Reinkins, who started crying when a busload of 50 volunteers pulled up in front of her house to spend a day painting its exterior. There was the woman who had been watching us gut her neighbor’s house all day and when we were done for the day, came over to tell us how grateful she was that we came down to help out over our spring break, and that we were heroes in her eyes.

And while many stopped us on the street to say thank you or keep up the good work, many others expressed their thanks in other waysčlike Lenny. While we were out and about taking in the sites of New Orleans, we stopped down near the waterfront of the Mississippi River. While sitting on the dock, we were serenaded by Lenny, who sung the R & B greats like Ray Charles, B.B. King and many others. I don’t know his life story or his Katrina story but him singing to us was thanks enough, and if you ever go down to the Big Easy, stop down at the waterfront to hear Lenny sing. He’s been doing it for 48 years and says he will do it for another 48 years. Just like the rest of New Orleans and its people, they have been there for many generations and will continue to be there for many more generations to come.