Raven 4If you were to graph the amount of things I need to write about to the frequency of blog posts, you would assume they would correlate in a semi linear fashion. More events = more posts. Unfortunately this is not the case at all. I have found that with so much to say I have opted to say nothing at all. It was recently brought to my attention that this is bu hao (not good). Apparently there are people all over the world waiting at the edges of their seats just wonder what I’ll say next. That’s what I’ll tell myself at least. So here’s my personal contribution to world peace and happiness. You might want a hotdog and mustard to go with this catch up.....
We are now nearing the end of our second round which has proven to be a whirlwind of sorts. The team began working with Delaware State Parks where we waged war against an invasive species by the name of multi-flora rose. This formidable foe grows thorny and thick and we were charged to remove it with nothing more than muscles and shovels. After a few days we looked like we’d been fighting cats. Scratches everywhere. About a week into this grueling work I got a call from Jason, one of the Unit Leaders, telling me to walk away from the team. This always means big news and I’d been anticipating the call. “We’re going to send your team to Mississippi. You’ll fly out tomorrow with Moose 4.”
Now, I have to go backwards and tell you about our team’s hooting system. Last round, when Logan returned from firefighting training, he introduced the hoot. It’s pretty self explanatory... you just hoot really loud but it’s easily heard and recognized by people far away. Our team gobbled it up like thanksgiving dinner. We (and by we, I mean they) expanded the hoot into a series of hoots that mean different things. One hoot is a check in. Two hoots means come quick, I need help. Three hoots our version of a dinner bell. The double hoot has been taken very seriously. The only time it had been used before was when all of the chickens escaped from the coop and needed to be corralled... most of the team went running across the farm as soon as they heard it. I digress....
Hoot Hoot. The team ran over, obviously confused about why I would use the double hoot when I wasn’t in mortal peril. So I told them that we would sadly have to leave the thorny plants behind to work with Red Cross in Mississippi where flooding of the river was threatening to take over thousands of homes. After saying our goodbyes to Iron Hill Park, we went back to Perry Point to prepare for our departure in the morning.
We are now nearing the end of our second round which has proven to be a whirlwind of sorts. The team began working with Delaware State Parks where we waged war against an invasive species by the name of multi-flora rose. This formidable foe grows thorny and thick and we were charged to remove it with nothing more than muscles and shovels. After a few days we looked like we’d been fighting cats. Scratches everywhere. About a week into this grueling work I got a call from Jason, one of the Unit Leaders, telling me to walk away from the team. This always means big news and I’d been anticipating the call. “We’re going to send your team to Mississippi. You’ll fly out tomorrow with Moose 4.”
Now, I have to go backwards and tell you about our team’s hooting system. Last round, when Logan returned from firefighting training, he introduced the hoot. It’s pretty self explanatory... you just hoot really loud but it’s easily heard and recognized by people far away. Our team gobbled it up like thanksgiving dinner. We (and by we, I mean they) expanded the hoot into a series of hoots that mean different things. One hoot is a check in. Two hoots means come quick, I need help. Three hoots our version of a dinner bell. The double hoot has been taken very seriously. The only time it had been used before was when all of the chickens escaped from the coop and needed to be corralled... most of the team went running across the farm as soon as they heard it. I digress....
Hoot Hoot. The team ran over, obviously confused about why I would use the double hoot when I wasn’t in mortal peril. So I told them that we would sadly have to leave the thorny plants behind to work with Red Cross in Mississippi where flooding of the river was threatening to take over thousands of homes. After saying our goodbyes to Iron Hill Park, we went back to Perry Point to prepare for our departure in the morning.
The next day we met bright and early in the office, bags packed and spirits high. We were joined by our sister team, Moose 4, and a two other corps members who were chosen to be added onto our teams for the project. After a project overview and a long day of travel we found ourselves in Jackson Mississippi, enjoying the perks of the Red Cross staff card with a budget that over tripled our daily AmeriCorps budget. First stop: Waffle House. Second stop: bed.
At orientation, it was obvious that the staffing at headquarters were overwhelmed by the number of volunteers that had arrived. The two hundred volunteer that were supposed to arrive in waves over two weeks, all arrived in a tsunami on the same day. “Hurry up and wait” became the million dollar slogan. We were meant to work in sheltering but were leant out to different departments as needs arose. The volunteer demographic is largely consistent of retirees so they were more than happy to let us “kids” be the muscle behind the operation.
Our first major task was to move headquarters from the back of a church to a huge empty warehouse down the road. The transformation was mind-boggling. We set up offices, computer networks, and a snack station before heading to the back of the warehouse to help unload and organize pallets of donations. Over the next two weeks we shuffled from hotel to hotel while working on short-term tasks at headquarters. Due to the dynamic of the disaster, a slow rising flood, it was hard to predict how many people would seek shelter. The Red Cross was prepared to shelter over 2000 individuals but fewer than 150 ever stayed in one.
Our first major task was to move headquarters from the back of a church to a huge empty warehouse down the road. The transformation was mind-boggling. We set up offices, computer networks, and a snack station before heading to the back of the warehouse to help unload and organize pallets of donations. Over the next two weeks we shuffled from hotel to hotel while working on short-term tasks at headquarters. Due to the dynamic of the disaster, a slow rising flood, it was hard to predict how many people would seek shelter. The Red Cross was prepared to shelter over 2000 individuals but fewer than 150 ever stayed in one.
Sister teams in Mississippi
We returned from Mississippi in the middle of May and stayed at the campus for a week before heading up to Somerville. I was able to make a trip down to JMU to visit Kelly and Ashley before their trip to Africa. Driving down through the Shenandoah Valley made me quite nostalgic. I hadn’t been there in two years but Harrisonburg still had a stronghold on my heart. Kelly and I reunited over ukulele songs, journal reading, and beer. I was reminded of my new years resolution which I’d been failing miserable at: to rock the side pony. How could I forget such a noble pursuit?
The next day we met up with Ashley and continued our reunion. We supported many local establishments. Dave’s Taverna for dinner on the rooftop, the Artful Dodger for a quick dance party (which included a skype dance party with Becky in Ohio) and lastly a walk through the police parking lot (always tempting fate) to the Blue Nile where we were thrown into the middle of an 80s dance party. The only way the evening would have been better would be if our dream team could have been completed.
Me, Brittney, Kelly and Ashley (pre-80's dance party)
The next morning we met up with Jeremy, one of my nearest and dearest friends, for Skinny Pinks (amazing martinis) at Clementines. A nap on the quad completed my college throw back. The next day as I left for Maryland, Ashley and Kelly left for South Africa. I was green with envy but excited to make my way up to Somerville in a few days.
Fast forward two weeks to the present time. There is no way I could ask for a more perfect project than the one we have now. We are working with Groundwork Somerville in an attempt to rid the Mystic River an invasive plant species. The plant is a form of water chestnut that someone threw into their pond thinking it would look nice. From there it somehow wound up in the river system where it completely covers the surface blocking out sunlight outcompeting the local flora and fauna for space.
We remove the chestnuts by rowing around in canoes, pulling out the plants and piling them into laundry baskets which we empty into a dumpster on the shore. After finishing up on the river, there is the whole of Boston available for exploration. If that’s not enough I have the luxury of being surrounded by the mighty O’Connell family who I have not seen enough of in my adult life.
Enjoying a tour of the Mystic
So here I sit in our kitchen at Tufts University. Michael Jackson’s Black or White just made it’s way into the playlist. I’ve got three weeks before a beach vacation with some of the team leaders. Life is good. I am content.... for now.
you are too cool cuz!...xo Denise
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