BonaResponds had a great day working in West Clarksville and Friendship (both small towns about 40 minutes from campus).
We are helping build two homes. These projects will be part of next local service weekend (This coming Saturday and Sunday) as well. SO if you missed out, come out on Sept 13 and/or 14th.
More pictures of the work in Friendship and West Clarksville are available in this set, and from Jen's Flickr account.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Thursday, September 04, 2008
BonaResponds September Newsletter
BonaResponds Fall 2008: September newsletter
Executive Summary:
This Saturday small work day in
September 13 and 14th Local Service Weekend: (10-5:00 on Sat, 12:00 to 5:00 on Sun.)
October 4: BonaResponds workday and New Orleans Jazz Concert.
October 10-14 Fall break Trip
Still to be determined: dates of several other local days TBA .
We wanted to start off the school year with a fast update of what is happening with BonaResponds to keep you all “in the loop”.
Looking back: This summer BonaResponds went on two emergency deployments with HODR (Hands On Disaster Response HODR.org). The first was in May when we worked in Newton County Missouri which had been hit hard by tornadoes and in July a larger group went to Iowa to help gut homes after the June floods in and around Cedar Rapids.
Details of each with pictures and videos can be seen on our website BonaResponds.org.
Locally we also had several days of working on trails and a day on the Tuscarora Indian Reservation.
On August 23rd as part of SBU’s Welcome Days we had our first local service day that was made up almost entirely of incoming students with little or no experience. While only a small handful of leaders were back yet, the day was a success with the new volunteers stepping up and getting a great deal done. Overall we did not have as many volunteers as we expected, but did have volunteers at 10 sites, in 3 counties, and two states.
Pictures and videos are available here http://www.flickr.com/photos/financeprofessor/sets/72157606834791863/
Leaders: As in the past we have had turnover in leaders as last year’s leader (Carrie) graduated and moved on to work in NYC. This years’ student leaders are Laura McDowell and Emily Ciraolo. Also in the spirit of many hands make light work we have many other students who have expressed a willingness to help out as leaders. These include the usual suspects from the past but also many new ones who promise to keep BonaResponds fresh and exciting for years to come.
A few of the leaders that we will be have back Patrick, Steve, Jerry, Jen, Jen, Pat, and Caitlyn. They will no doubt provide the solid base that we can build off. Additionally John, Lauryn, Matt, Mike, Emily, and Allison have signed on as new leaders. As always, we are constantly looking for leaders, so if you want to help organize and lead please let us know. No experience or tie to SBU is needed! Just a willingness to work!
Looking ahead: Even before any disaster (as this is written there are a series of Hurricanes and tropical storms that will no doubt try to take priority), the Fall semester promises to be a busy year.
This fall we have a local service weekend planned for September 13th and 14th. For those of you who have never experienced a BonaResponds weekend you are in for a treat. Two days of hard work with friends (many of whom you just met). Our days are modeled after abbreviated days in disaster recovery zones. In the spring we had about 125 volunteers and we’d love to beat that this semester.
As all BonaResponds events, the local service weekend is open to everyone. We will meet in Murphy at 10:00 on Saturday, break into groups and work until about 4:00 or so at sites around the area. On Sunday the same happens, but the day starts a bit later at 11:00. We will provide a free BBQ after each day. Come dressed to work and ready to both make a positive difference and have a lot of fun!
Among the jobs we have lined up are working on building two homes in Allegany County, working at the SPCA, helping out at Archbishop Walsh, painting at several locations in the area (fire hydrants to hospital rooms!), gutting a house in S Olean, and much more. It will be a great opportunity to help!
On October 4th, there will be a big event for BonaResponds. A jazz band from
In addition to these planned days, we will no doubt other local days. One of our main priorities locally this semester is to get both families into their new homes by winter and there is a great deal of work on both homes needed.
The first house is in Friendship. Donna and Ed are both on disability and have had some bad luck. They have lived the last year in a camper. There lot was cleaned up by our volunteers this past weekend and we will continue to work with them over the future weekends.
The second house is in
The Fall break trip is currently scheduled for
Alumni? Gone from campus? Meet us in
Other things are still being worked out, but we will be making a winter trip (exact dates and locations still being determined) and a Spring break trip as well. In the spring we would like to have another Buffalo Service day this time in coordination with volunteers from VillaMaria some of whose volunteers will be accompanying us on our winter trip.
Other points:
* We are looking to buy a small school bus for local days. The bus would look like the one in this link and cost less than $2500. If you can help donate to this, it would be a great help!.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/financeprofessor/2778317797/in/set-72157606834791863/
(hey we’d LOVE to have a large bus too, but can not currently get it approved. If we do, it would make trip planning so much easier and cheaper. Any ideas or suggestions? Let us know. )
* Alumni, faculty, and community members are needed as leaders and role models. One of the things missing on recent big trips has been the leadership, maturity, and know-how of the non college aged volunteer. If you can come on a trip, your efforts are doubly appreciated!
* for local days we are always in need of skilled volunteers. We’d love to have anyone with carpentry skills, but can also use those who can work on bicycles to help with the SBU re-cycles program.
* Money is always an issue and donations are always appreciated, but if we had to choose, we’d rather have you come volunteer.
Ok, well that is longer than anticipated. Hope to see many of you at upcoming events. Remember BonaResponds is only a great idea without your help. We can help thousands of people, but can not do so without hundreds of volunteers. So please come out and help.
Jim
BonaResponds Friendship NY Pictures from Emily D.
In anticipation of our local service weekend coming up September 13th and 14th, Emily sent some of her pictures from the last local service day just before the start of school.
These pictures are from a site in Friendship where we are helping to build a house for Donna and Ed who have been living in a small trailer for over a year.
You can here what Ed had to say here.
More pictures and some video from the local day are also available. We have about 80 pictures from that day. If you volunteered and have pictures you would like online, please send them to BonaResponds@sbu.edu.
These pictures are from a site in Friendship where we are helping to build a house for Donna and Ed who have been living in a small trailer for over a year.
You can here what Ed had to say here.
More pictures and some video from the local day are also available. We have about 80 pictures from that day. If you volunteered and have pictures you would like online, please send them to BonaResponds@sbu.edu.
THIS SATURDAY! Help build a house!
In addition to next weekend's local service day, we'd like to take a small crew out to West Clarksville this Saturday to work on Mark's House.
If you remember, Mark has severe helth issues and needs several transplants. He lost his house (and dog) in a house fire this January. We are trying to help get him into his new house by winter.
Mike English (who was team leader at Mark's house for the Welcome Days local service day) suggested we go back this week and make a small dent in the work prior to the two day service weekend next week.
So after a few phone calls, we would like to take a crew out this Saturday from 11 to about 4:00. If you have transportation, great! We are trying to line up rides, but so far, nothing is certain.
If you would like to help this weekend, please email BonaResponds@sbu.edu to reserve a spot.
Notice Board Announcement on Local Service Weekend
BonaResponds' Local Service weekend September 13th and 14th.
Come volunteer on sites that include helping to build two houses (one in West Clarksville, one in Friendship), work at the SPCA, work in parks, gut a house with local church group, and much more. Two days of work and fun!
Saturday Sept 13, 10-5. Sunday Sept 14th 11:00 to 5:00. Come for as long, or little as you want.
Open to all. Free BBQ after each day.
(in the spring we had over 125 volunteers. Lets top that this semester!)
Wear work clothes, boots, and gloves if possible. Open to all!
Come volunteer on sites that include helping to build two houses (one in West Clarksville, one in Friendship), work at the SPCA, work in parks, gut a house with local church group, and much more. Two days of work and fun!
Saturday Sept 13, 10-5. Sunday Sept 14th 11:00 to 5:00. Come for as long, or little as you want.
Open to all. Free BBQ after each day.
(in the spring we had over 125 volunteers. Lets top that this semester!)
Wear work clothes, boots, and gloves if possible. Open to all!
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Biloxi's Sun Herald Photo Album
Gustav pushes ashore:
"A house on Howard Avenue on Point Cadet in Biloxi bears a sign showing the high water mark during Hurricane Katrina, well above the flooding caused by Hurricane Gustav."About 100 pictures (93 but they will likely add more) from along the Gulf Coast.
Dodged the worst of it...
While there was significant damage in certain areas and flooding and storm damage is never minor if it happens to you, overall things could have been so much worse.
Some reports:
Time writes on Hancock County where there was significant flooding:
CNN has snippets from up and down the coast.
The Dallas News Reports that about 100 homes were flooded in Pearlington.
Larry Orsini called to report that he saw a house on TV that he and Bonnie had worked on directly across from his levy breach in Plaquemines Parish. In fact he had called the people before the storm.
For those of you have been in Biloxi, here are some pictures that were posted of the storm:
Gustav, Monday morning
This Sun Herald report has stories of up and down the coast and a picture that will be familiar to anyone who worked in Pass Christian. I hope the home we worked on this January across RT 90 are ok!
So while the storm definitely pushed back an already long recovery, it could have been MUCH worse.
Some reports:
Time writes on Hancock County where there was significant flooding:
But in the same article they did stress that some things worked much better:
"Hancock County took a heavy hit from Hurricane Katrina, with cities like Pass Christian, Bay Saint Louis, and Waveland almost erased from the map. Today, three years later, the county is still struggling to recover, and Gustav has dealt yet another devastating blow. County public information officer Jim Keller said this storm's impact took them by surprise. "Wind damage is at a minimum, but we've got areas with 12 to 14 feet of flooding," Keller says. "We were thinking eight or nine feet." "
"a new Katrina-inspired pet initiative also drew praise. Misty Velasquez, director of development for the Humane Society, said a pet-friendly shelter opened this year, sparing many animals the fate of those left behind following Katrina."Other reports:
CNN has snippets from up and down the coast.
The Dallas News Reports that about 100 homes were flooded in Pearlington.
Larry Orsini called to report that he saw a house on TV that he and Bonnie had worked on directly across from his levy breach in Plaquemines Parish. In fact he had called the people before the storm.
For those of you have been in Biloxi, here are some pictures that were posted of the storm:
Gustav, Monday morning
This Sun Herald report has stories of up and down the coast and a picture that will be familiar to anyone who worked in Pass Christian. I hope the home we worked on this January across RT 90 are ok!
So while the storm definitely pushed back an already long recovery, it could have been MUCH worse.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Keeping an eye on our Gulf Coast friends.
Three years ago Katrina...now Gustav. Like millions of others we are watching closely and hoping the dire predictions do not come true.
I spoke last night with Randy May from Randy's Rangers in Pass Christian MS (we have worked there at least 4 or 5 times). He is in the process of evacuating. He is taking as much as he can North and staying in Jackson. He supposedly has secured a spot that was safe from Katrina to begin feeding operations following the storm if the need arises.
Stay tuned for more information. We will be helping in anyway we can (Fall Break trip? or even a long weekend--I do not teach on Fridays).
Until then, by far the best information again (they were brilliant during and immediately after Katrina come from NOLA.com. Biloxi's Sun Herald is also good.
Good luck to you all! Our thoughts and prayers are with you!
I spoke last night with Randy May from Randy's Rangers in Pass Christian MS (we have worked there at least 4 or 5 times). He is in the process of evacuating. He is taking as much as he can North and staying in Jackson. He supposedly has secured a spot that was safe from Katrina to begin feeding operations following the storm if the need arises.
Stay tuned for more information. We will be helping in anyway we can (Fall Break trip? or even a long weekend--I do not teach on Fridays).
Until then, by far the best information again (they were brilliant during and immediately after Katrina come from NOLA.com. Biloxi's Sun Herald is also good.
Good luck to you all! Our thoughts and prayers are with you!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
BonaResponds Leader Meeting
This Friday! August 29th. 12:30-1:00 in Murphy Aud C. (yes it will be short!)
Sunday, August 24, 2008
BonaResponds Local Service day #1
While we did not get as many pictures as normal due to some camera problems and the fact that the freshmen did not know to bring cameras, here are about 60 plus three short videos.
Overall in spite of not having enough volunteers, the day was a success adn much more work got done than would of had we not hosted it. (and listen to Mark and Ed's thank yous. Those are the things that make it worthwhile!
Overall in spite of not having enough volunteers, the day was a success adn much more work got done than would of had we not hosted it. (and listen to Mark and Ed's thank yous. Those are the things that make it worthwhile!
Videos from local service day (8-23-2008)
A few videos (unedited) from yesterday's Local Service day
1. Mark from West Clarksville thanking us.
2. A look at some of the work at West Clarksville (Video shot by Shannon)
3. Ed from Friendship thanking us and reminding us that the skills learned in volunteering may be useful later in life too.
1. Mark from West Clarksville thanking us.
2. A look at some of the work at West Clarksville (Video shot by Shannon)
3. Ed from Friendship thanking us and reminding us that the skills learned in volunteering may be useful later in life too.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Students find progress in return to Gulf Coast
Students find progress in return to Gulf Coast:
The article also serves to remind people there still is much work along the Gulf Coast to do. Sure there is progress, but many are still not in real homes. That should not be.
And thirdly it sows how much can be done. BonaResponds has never raised even close to $70,000. Sure we are somewhat handcuffed in fund raising by our relationship with the University, but that said, we should be able to find a way to help more. Let's step up this year and get more done!
"'It was interesting this year because [the victims] are trying to move on from remembering the hurricane constantly,' Powell said.A few things about this article. True it has zero to do with BonaResponds, but it is important for everyone to see. Why? First to congratulate and thank Catonsville High for their efforts. All the volunteers deserve a GIANT "well done!" High school students are putting us all to shame.
After her first trip to Mississippi, Powell said church members and 2007 Catonsville High School graduate Justin Holmes wanted to create the same opportunity for volunteers who didn't belong to the church.
'There's definitely still people not in their homes yet and still struggling to get back,' Powell said.
Once back in Maryland, the students agreed to plan another trip for this summer.
The effort attracted 20 more students than last year's trip.
The community response helped the teens raise $70,000 for expenses, such as transportation, and donations to aid the Mississippi residents' rebuilding efforts."
The article also serves to remind people there still is much work along the Gulf Coast to do. Sure there is progress, but many are still not in real homes. That should not be.
And thirdly it sows how much can be done. BonaResponds has never raised even close to $70,000. Sure we are somewhat handcuffed in fund raising by our relationship with the University, but that said, we should be able to find a way to help more. Let's step up this year and get more done!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Come out and help this Saturday!
BonaResponds is running a local service day in conjunction with SBU Welcome Days.
We will have about 100 first year students (Freshmen primarily) so we need some experienced volunteers to act as leaders.
We'd love to have you come out. We have jobs that include rebuilding two homes in Allegany County (West Clarksville and Friendship), working at the Olean YMCA, at Mount Irenaeus, Olean Theater Workshop, Food Pantry, the Bradford Elm Street Project, and more.
Please come wearing boots and gloves if at all possible.
Leader meeting in Murphy Room 103 at 10:00, all others at 10:30 in Murphy Aud.
Email Jim if you are willing to be a leader.
We will have about 100 first year students (Freshmen primarily) so we need some experienced volunteers to act as leaders.
We'd love to have you come out. We have jobs that include rebuilding two homes in Allegany County (West Clarksville and Friendship), working at the Olean YMCA, at Mount Irenaeus, Olean Theater Workshop, Food Pantry, the Bradford Elm Street Project, and more.
Please come wearing boots and gloves if at all possible.
Leader meeting in Murphy Room 103 at 10:00, all others at 10:30 in Murphy Aud.
Email Jim if you are willing to be a leader.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
ABC News: Student Devotes Summer to Flood Victims
ABC News: Student Devotes Summer to Flood Victims: "
'We're not here to fix these houses,' Greene said. 'It's really to fix [people's] spirits.'"Great coverage of a great volunteer!
Friday, August 01, 2008
Hands On Disaster Response » USA: Project Cedar Rapids 30-day Report
Hands On Disaster Response » USA: Project Cedar Rapids 30-day Report:
Also and this is HUGE: look for a story on HODR and the person of the Week on tonight's ABC news!!
"Project Cedar Rapids was initially slated as a 30-day flood relief project but after a short time working in Palo and Cedar Rapids, Iowa we realized there was much to be done and extended the project until October 25, 2008"
Also and this is HUGE: look for a story on HODR and the person of the Week on tonight's ABC news!!
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