Salisbury University students use Spring Break to help Hurricane Katrina victims

When Samantha Beck and students arrived in the downtown of New Orleans she described it as a whole different world full of people and various cultures.

However, when the group reached The Ninth Ward they saw the devastation .

“It was complete opposite of what bourbon street, the roads hadn’t been paved and after the storm was there were huge potholes on the roads and there are just houses that are uninhabitable,” says Beck.

Beck a graduate student at Salisbury University organized the trip with twenty other students.

They traveled to New Orleans for their spring break to help fix areas still feeling the after effects of Hurricane Katrina.

“They said 50% of the lower Ninth Ward hasn’t come back yet which is astonishing its been ten and a half years you would think there would be more progress”.

The students planted trees, laid foundations to houses, and fixed roofs.  

One thing Beck says she wasn’t expecting was the smell from the storm left in its wake

“When you think storm you think I have to load up my fridge get ready for it were going to be in here  but all the food and everyone had to leave and then all the food  was just staying in there and it just decayed,” says Beck, “You don’t think of the small things you don’t think of things people had to throw away that we take for granted.” 

The students met with a family who lost their home in the storm and years later — were able to move back.

“The woman you could tell she was so into it, she was so excited to talk about the paint color, she was like i get to pick Yellow number three”.

This experience Beck says was unforgettable.

“I’ve done the spring where you just go and have fun but you come back and you see  that this is a completely life changing experience,” says Beck.

   Beck says they are still deciding where the group wants to go during summer break.

For more pictures http://http://www.salisbury.edu/careerservices/students/VolunteerCenter/NewOrleans.html