The Full Circle

Here at The St. Bernard Project everyday is exciting. Everyday I have no idea who will be showing up to volunteer at the house I am supervising. On Monday it was a group from Brooklyn, Tuesday it was a group of genetic researchers from Tulane University, on Wednesday it was a senior class from a private girls high school near by, on Thursday it was a group from Boston, and Friday it was a bus full of Spanish speakers from all over Central America. I did take a lot of Spanish in high school, but unfortunately there was not a chapter on "the construction site", I would have done much better if we had been in a grocery store. With the help of an interpreter I eventually found out that these people I was working with were hand picked to be awarded this three week long trip across the US that they were on. These people helping me drywall a pantry were congresswomen, mayors and founders of non-profits in their countries.

This Monday I find myself working with a couple from California that is celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary, and I am struggling to keep up with them! Never before have I found myself around such a variety of extraordinary, inspiring people. I feel like I am learning so much from each group that comes in, and I am so honored to be a part of their New Orleans experience.

Two years ago I was a college volunteer gutting a house in New Orleans under the supervision of an AmeriCorps NCCC corps member. It was that experience that made me decide to join AmeriCorps. Now, I am the one in the A leading volunteers, I feel like this story has gone full circle for me. That week trip out here two years ago was life changing for me, and now I get to do my best to send these volunteers home with a similar experience.


~Katie