This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Volunteers Still Helping to Rebuild after Katrina

A group of volunteers from United Methodist Church of Libertyville will make their sixth annual trip to Gulfport, Miss. to help families and businesses rebuild after Hurricane Katrina.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused devastation along the central Gulf Coast states.

Since the disaster, volunteers from have gone to one hard-hit city, Gulfport, Miss. to help the residents and businesses rebuild.

On Sept. 10, Welch along with eight other adult volunteers will go again their sixth time.

Sixth Mission Trip to Gulf Coast

Welch first traveled to the affected area as a volunteer when Red Cross made a request that 60,000 more volunteers were needed. What he remembers is the devastation, buildings knocked off their foundations, trees laid flat and roads covered in sand.

“That little 20-mile strip of Gulfport that we saw, the coast was repeated over and over across thousands of miles. You don’t realize the scope of it,” he said.

He returned to Libertyville and proposed organizing a mission trip to help the area. Each year, Welch has recruited more adults from the Libertyville church to make the trip. Among them is Bill Wilson.

“We live in a bubble called Libertyville that is pretty comfortable. And I think that we’ve all been so blessed and have the opportunity to help,” Wilson said. “You can tell your kids it’s important to help or you can show your kids it’s important to help.”

Find out what's happening in Libertyvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Transforming More Than Homes

Welch said within the region, there are many who at first would not ask for help. But as the years have progressed, they are coming forward, still dealing with the physical and emotional trauma of the hurricane. He recalls one family whose mother died and now the grown sons live in the trailer that was falling apart. Spending several years at this home, the volunteers were able to transform the inside and outside of their home.

He said the projects run the gamut in homes and businesses from rebuilding support piers to installing drywall, roofing, electrical work and plumbing.

“You can literally see how strangers can affect another person,” Welch said. “You could see, day by day, how they were becoming more optimistic.”

Find out what's happening in Libertyvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Sharing Stories, Lives

Wilson said the people who live there can tell their stories. He recalls talking with a woman who had 40 people living in her house with no running water.

“You could see her get a sense of relief when she was sharing her story and getting it off her chest. We were helping her, after she had helped all these other people,” Wilson said. “It was nice for her to share her sense of community.”

Walking through neighborhoods, Wilson said they are approached by families thanking them.

“We’d go out to dinner and run into people who would say ‘I was helped at one point too. Thanks for not forgetting about it and coming down and helping out,’ ” Wilson said.

All Skill Sets Can Help

Welch said they see how they are transforming lives. And as volunteers, they are transformed too, seeing what it is like to serve and learning no matter the skill level, they can help.

“You serve outside your comfort zone,” Wilson said. “I believed I would not have much to offer. I was surprised at how they can find things for you to do. I decided to go again because I got such a good feeling of helping. You leave there feeling you are blessed more than the blessing you have given to other people.”

As they travel again to Gulfport, another new volunteer, Bert Kibbler will join the effort.

“I just want to try to help out where it is needed. I have no expectation as to what we will find,” he said. “I’m keeping my eyes open to whatever it is we find.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?