Amanda put together a great collection of pictures and music from her time in Pass Christian over spring break. You will like it!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
BonaResponds Survey
We'd all love you to take a second and fill this survey out if you would. It is short. And Emily would really appreciate it! thanks!
Click Here to take survey
Click Here to take survey
Monday, March 10, 2008
More Pictures are online
Almost 600 pictures now online from the Spring break trip!
We still have some more pictures coming from Pass Christian and Gassville, so stay tuned.
BTW I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend using Piclens to view the entire set. It is amazing! Worth the trouble of downloading it. (here is the Internet Explorer version that a few people were asking about.)
We still have some more pictures coming from Pass Christian and Gassville, so stay tuned.
BTW I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend using Piclens to view the entire set. It is amazing! Worth the trouble of downloading it. (here is the Internet Explorer version that a few people were asking about.)
Saturday, March 08, 2008
New Video
Jen made the following video to introduce what BonaResponds is and does. It may be updated with the past two trips but otherwise is very good.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Take the Poll!
As many of you may know, recently St. Bonaventure University has begun charging groups (including BonaResponds) 5% of any money we raise through fund raising or donations. This, even to most moderates, seems a bit much. It is one thing to not fund groups while not allowing them to fund raise, but it is quite another to take 5% of the money that is given to them.
So please take the poll on the BV webpage. Or better yet, write to University Officials and ask that they rescind the 5% tax on money raised by service groups UNLESS the money is raised through the advancement office.
(The Poll is on the lower right hand part of the article)
My Turn- BonaResponds - Opinion
My Turn- BonaResponds - Opinion:
"Two and a half years later, Katrina recovery isn't 'sexy' anymore. Cities, towns and victims have been forgotten about. People forgot Pearlington.""Great article Emily!
SBU organizations fork over cash under new Board of Trustees' policy - News
SBU organizations fork over cash under new Board of Trustees' policy - News:
"A 5 percent gift assessment fee established this year by the Board of Trustees charges on-campus service organizations like BonaResponds, Bona Buddies, Students in Free Enterprise and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for donations it raises on its own."
BonaResponds keeps a positive attitude despite money denial - News
BonaResponds keeps a positive attitude despite money denial - News:
"BonaResponds almost had to leave students behind when it ventured to Pearlington and Pass Christian, Miss., and Gassville, Ark., for a service trip during midterm break.
Jim Mahar, leader of BonaResponds, budgeted for around 40 to 45 people, but when 63 signed up, he realized he would need more money to fund the trip, Mahar said."
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Update from Buffalo
Laura Jean sent the following:
"BonaResponds Buffalo Volunteer Day March 29th, 2008
"BonaResponds Buffalo Volunteer Day March 29th, 2008
9:30am Doors open for meeting at The Valley Center http://www.thevalleycenter.com/about.php
People coming up from Olean will probably be showing up around 10am.
Work will begin at 10am. We will start wrapping up the work day around 3pm. After cleaning up, we'll head back to The Larkin at Exchange Building, one block from the Valley Center to have a celebration from 4-6pm with free food, music, and time to share about your experiences from the day. (Lunch will also be provided.) This event is alcohol and drug free.
If you can not participate in the whole day, be there for as long as you can. We appreciate your presence for as much as you can give.
If you can not participate in the whole day, be there for as long as you can. We appreciate your presence for as much as you can give.
For the work day we will break up into groups, size depending on the site the group is going to, as some sites can use more people than others. We will be working with the following organizations:
- The Valley Center / The Valley Community Association, 93 Leddy St. Bflo NY 14210
- The Bob Lanier Center, 185 Lang Ave, Bflo NY 14210
- The Belle Center, 104 Maryland St. Bflo NY 14201
- PUSH Buffalo www.pushbuffalo.org
- Buffalo Re-Use www.BuffaloReuse.org
- Compass House http://www.compasshouse.org/
- The Morlock Foundation http://themorlockfoundation.org/
- and possibly some community gardens, and street / park clean up, depending on the weather.
Still waiting to hear back from Urban Roots http://www.urbanroots.org/ ."
FInal Blog entry from the Gassville Crew
While they have some pictures to upload, this is their final blog entry
March 4, 2008And on behalf of BonaResponds, let me offer you our thanks for a job well done!
Well, everyone made it safely back to St. Bonaventure.
The journey was long but well worth it. We'd like to
say thank you to everyone that made our spring break
the best ever. Frankly, none of us knew what to expect
when we first arrived in Gassville. We got there late
at night and none of us had ever seen tornado damage
before. It was quite an eye opener. Gassville has many
great benefits, such as the food and especially the
people. The families from Riverside Church of Christ
know how to cook! We ate like kings and queens everyday
for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thank you everyone
that helped make that possible. I'd hate to have to judge
but I might give the first place meal to the Tuesday
night dinner, BBQ chicken, BBQ ribs, pulled pork,
chicken spaghetti, mixed fresh greens and salad. I heard
the desserts were amazing as well, but I had no room
left. The other meals included a full thanksgiving
dinner, homemade beef stew, and sausage gumbo. Some of the
best food we've ever had. Thank you so much!
Thank you to Bill and Beca for allowing us to work
with Hands On Disaster Response. We learned a lot,
especially how important it is to support the people both
physically and mentally by listening to their stories.
Thank you to Gary and Paula Flippin for letting us
stay two free nights at their lodge, Rim Shoals
(www.rimshoals.com), on the White River. The countryside was
beautiful on the River and the change of scenery was
particularly nice. The best perk was our ability to trade
in our air mattresses for real comfortable beds at
the cabin. Thanks again.
We all agreed that overall our trip was perfect
because the people in Gassville made it that way. They
really are the nicest people in the world. It was mind
blowing to all of us how friendly, caring, and supportive
the people in that tight nit community truly are. We
enjoyed hearing their stories.
Finally, Thank you BonaResponds for giving us this
wonderful opportunity and allowing us to venture on our own
through this amazing journey. We all had so much fun
and helped a lot of people at the same time.
Thank you from,
Tyler Drysdale
Mackenzie Edel
Tessa Ocke
Tim Ryan
Ryan Steele
Mike Vieyra
Jared Young
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Hands On Disaster Response » Arkansas
Hands On Disaster Response » Arkansas:
"In appreciation of our volunteers, The HODR colors flew over the City of Gassville, Arkansas on 2/28/08.
From February 12, 2008 to March 3, 2008 HODR volunteers assisted the Gassville, Arkansas community after a tornado cut a diagonal path across the city on February 5, 2008. Gassville, a city of approximately 2,000 suffered a direct hit by a EF2 tornado destroying 79 homes and severely damaged 100. All tolled 267 structures were affected....We hosted volunteer groups from Arkansas State University Nursing Program, Emmanuel Church of Mountain Home, Kimberling City United Methodist Church of MO, BonaResponds, Rocky Ledge Baptist Church of MO, Future Business Leaders of America of Yellville High school, 1st United Methodist Church of Conway AR, Gassville Riverside Church of Christ, Rogers Church of Christ, Fellowship Bible Church of Mountain Home AR, Girdner Community, and Wallis Construction."
If you went on the trip, this one will bring back memories!
Just watch it. If you did not go on the trip, it will not mean much to you.
Monday, March 03, 2008
A look back at a good week
Spring Break is over. The BonaResponds' Spring break trip is completed. All day I have been answering the question "how did it go?". Here are some of my thoughts.
The trip was good. It was not perfect but it was very good. The lack of tools and organization at many sites was annoying and cut into the the amount of work that the volunteers could get done. But as annoying as waiting for supplies was to us, it is just a small small reminder of how annoying waiting two and a half years to move back into your home is.
Most everyone worked hard. Of course there were exceptions, but they were just that, exceptions. To dwell on them misses the bigger picture. Volunteers paid over $200 each to go and drywall, paint, or haul trees to help people they did not know, and in most cases will never see again. The next time you hear that people no longer care, remember these volunteers. They do more than care, they do something positive to help those in need.
In the Gulf, many local residents and long term volunteers just are burned out. This shows up in the extreme cases as suicides, but in every day dealings this burn out shows up in lack of energy, depression, and just a mood of sadness.
Physically things are looking better. Many homes will never be rebuilt and for miles in New Orleans it still is awful, but progress is being made in most places. Biloxi continues to lead the way, but everywhere things are getting better, just at a rate that is much too slow.
Did we help things along? Definitely. From the physical labor to the "just being here" the volunteers should all be proud of how they spent their spring break! In fact, I can't imagine a better way to spend a break.
The trip was good. It was not perfect but it was very good. The lack of tools and organization at many sites was annoying and cut into the the amount of work that the volunteers could get done. But as annoying as waiting for supplies was to us, it is just a small small reminder of how annoying waiting two and a half years to move back into your home is.
Most everyone worked hard. Of course there were exceptions, but they were just that, exceptions. To dwell on them misses the bigger picture. Volunteers paid over $200 each to go and drywall, paint, or haul trees to help people they did not know, and in most cases will never see again. The next time you hear that people no longer care, remember these volunteers. They do more than care, they do something positive to help those in need.
In the Gulf, many local residents and long term volunteers just are burned out. This shows up in the extreme cases as suicides, but in every day dealings this burn out shows up in lack of energy, depression, and just a mood of sadness.
Physically things are looking better. Many homes will never be rebuilt and for miles in New Orleans it still is awful, but progress is being made in most places. Biloxi continues to lead the way, but everywhere things are getting better, just at a rate that is much too slow.
Did we help things along? Definitely. From the physical labor to the "just being here" the volunteers should all be proud of how they spent their spring break! In fact, I can't imagine a better way to spend a break.
Volunteer sites
A few people have asked what the web site is for the location we volunteered at so without further adieu:
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Suicide rate up dramatically in Harrison Co. | clarionledger.com | The Clarion-Ledger
This was a very big topic of conversation last week. The feeling of hope is gone. Whether it is driectly tied to Katrina or to teh loss of jobs in the area, or who knows what, it is a serious problem.
Suicide rate up dramatically in Harrison Co. | clarionledger.com | The Clarion-Ledger:
Suicide rate up dramatically in Harrison Co. | clarionledger.com | The Clarion-Ledger:
"BILOXI — There have been nearly three times as many suicides in Harrison County this year when compared to the same timeframe last year, but no one knows exactly why."
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