TeamNola |
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Back Row: Jared Coffin, Tom Strzelecki, Louise Olsheski, Bob Christman |
TeamNola received a blessing at the 4:30 Mass on April 24th and met at St. Mary's parking lot at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, the 25th to begin their fourth trip to New Orleans. On their first trip they worked together to gut three houses. The 2nd year they scraped, caulked, and painted the exteriors of two homes. Last year they installed insulation and drywall in one home. Read on to see what their daily activities have been. |
Day One |
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| The Madonna Home Shelter - Dorm | TeamNola's 'Helping Hand' | St. Raymond's Kitchen |
TeamNola is staying at The Madonna Home Shelter. They start their day and get their work assignments and tools at St. Raymond's Kitchen. They end their day with dinner at St. Raymond's Kitchen. |
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Day Two |
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Neal, the Site Supervisor carries all the supplies that are needed for the weatherization project in his 'Traveling Site Supply Bus' |
In order to deter losing his supplies to thieves he disguises what he has in the bus by making it |
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Gina, Louise, and Nancy have been weatherizing a shotgun home. The work that needs to be done is determined by a 'door blowing' test (a fan from within the house blows outward and indicates where there are drafts). They are adding weather stripping around doors, caulking windows, sealing in air conditioners, and adding foam grommets behind switch plates in the house. The weatherization materials are being paid for by a state grant. Tom, Jared, Andrew and Bob are working in another home putting in flooring and installing kitchen cabinets. Tonight (Tuesday) the group is visiting with Sister Vera, a Presentation Sister, who is involved in the Lantern Light Ministry which we support through our Parish Partnership Program. Learn more about the Lantern Light Ministry and what they are doing to serve the poor of New Orleans at their website: http://www.lanternlight.org/. |
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Day Three |
Day Four |
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The first house TeamNola weatherized |
Bob, Andrew, Tom & Jared on final stage of a rebuilt home at 2735 Lavander St., |
When the weatherization supplies ran out Gina and Louise went shopping at Home Depot |
Day Four |
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Louise measuring the air pressure in the house. The front door is sealed and air is pulled out of the house to find the air leaks. |
Gina is weatherizing around the air conditioner. |
Louise caulking around a window |
Some Background Information...TeamNola works under the auspices of Operation Helping Hands - a subdivision of Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Operation Helping Hands brings volunteers from across the country together to help rebuild New Orleans by rebuilding homes of elderly, disabled or uninsured homeowners. The flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina severely damaged as many as 200,000 homes in the Greater New Orleans area. Hurricane Rita's effects exacerbated the damage already done by Katrina.
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