THREE'S COMPANY.
(From left to right) Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary school students Brandon Wilson, Joanne Hoffman and Spencer Nicholson will be heading down to New Orleans over the March break to help rebuilding the city.
Photo by Louis Tam
BRACEBRIDGE - Three Bracebridge students are joining up with a 24-person
crew from the Muskoka Woods sports resort camp to help New Orleans
rebuild over March break.
Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary
School students Brandon Wilson, Spencer Nicholson and Joanne Hoffman
will be taking part in a Habitat for Humanity project, working with
homeless residents, and running a church service at a youth detention
centre, all in an effort to help with the city’s ongoing recovery from
Hurricane Katrina.
The trip will be the first of its kind for all
three students. Nicholson said he expects the experience to be both
eye-opening and humbling.
“We’re really fortunate to live in Canada
here,” he said. “We’re going to New Orleans to help the people there.
I’m pretty excited to gain an appreciation for other (areas) that don’t
have a lot.”
Hoffman said the trip is a privilege for Muskoka Woods
members who attend its Challenge, Experience and Opportunity program,
which also serves as a leadership and peer support school credit.
“Whoever does the leadership program at Muskoka Woods, we get the opportunity to apply for this,” she said.
The selection process, however, was competitive.
“I think about 48 applied and 24 got selected,” said Nicholson. “It helps you with leadership in life.”
Wilson
said he’s looking forward to the possibility of helping put new roofs
over the heads of residents there. Many of the houses destroyed in
Hurricane Katrina, he said, have yet to be cleared or rebuilt.
“It’s
a great opportunity to help other people,” he said. “That’s the main
reason I’m excited to go down … just to be with my friends, and we can
all help other kids that aren’t as blessed as we are.”
The group is
currently accepting donations from the community to bring to New
Orleans, which can include toiletries, toys, clothing, chalk, crayons or
baby clothes. Donations can be dropped off at the front desk at
Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School.
“We can find ways to
collect any donations they may have, or if they have any questions
about it, we’ll answer them,” said Hoffman.
For more information, contact Hoffman at joanne.heart@sympatico.ca.