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 Harbor of Hope:
Frequently Asked Questions
Preparing to Volunteer at St. Clare's
If you are considering a volunteer trip to St. Clare, the following are answers to some of the most asked questions.
1. How do I get there?
By plane:
Northwest, Southwest, United, and US Airways offer flights some with connections) to New Orleans. Air Tran, American, Continental, and Delta offer flights (with connections) to Biloxi/Gulfport. Waveland is a 60-minute drive east of New Orleans or 30-minutes from Biloxi/Gulfport.
By car:
Waveland is 950 miles from Chicago, which takes approximately 15 hours using I-55 south to I-57 south.
2. Where can I stay?
Some St. Clare parishioners have offered rooms in their homes. Sue and Denise can assist you in connecting with these parishioners.
Additional lodging includes:
- Imperial Palace Hotel: 228.436.3000 (casino hotel)
- Isle of Capri Hotel: 228.435.5400 (casino hotel)
- Comfort Inn, Biloxi: 228.818.0300
- Comfort Lodge: 228.396.2110
- Hampton Inn, Gulfport: 228.868.3300
- Crystal Inn, Gulfport: 228.822.9600
3. What types of meal are available?
The number of meals will vary if staying at a parishioner's home, some can provide meals and others cannot. It is a good idea to bring some of your own food especially for breakfast and lunch. There are restaurants within a 20-minute drive of St. Clare's.
4. What type of work could I be asked to do?
The primary focus is cleanup although there is also other work to be done. Examples of what Old St. Patrick's volunteers have been involved in include:
Cleanup activities:
- Removing salvageable and non-salvageable items from homes and trailers;
- Gutting homes including the removal of appliances, tearing out drywall, floors, bathrooms, and removal of insulation and HVAC;
- Removing nails and screws in preparation for new sheetrock;
- Bleaching interior walls (mold remediation);
- Installing fencing to protect treasured ancient oak trees from Bulldozers;
- Removing yard debris and clearing mud;
- Cleaning the terrazzo floor at St. Clare after the arrival of a new, larger church structure;
- Painting interiors in parishioners' homes;
- Cleaning up restaurant equipment owned by St. Clare parishioners trying to re-open their businesses;
- Installing PVC piping to bring water to a parishioner's home.
Non-cleanup activities:
- Teaching fourth-grade St. Clare students
- Purchasing plants from a nursery to conceal or eliminate a tripping hazard around the church perimeter and to beautify church grounds;
- Organizing supplies hut and unloading donated supplies;
- Disassembling the old small church structure, assisting in the set-up of the new church structure;
- Organizing after-school arts programs and co-hosting a creative arts program at a parishioner's home;
- Developing a system to manage incoming donations, handling year-end accounting tasks, and organizing future volunteers;
- Hosting two hospitality gatherings after Mass to meet parishioners and learn about their needs;
- Visiting elderly parishioners in need of a compassionate ear;
- Organizing children's projects;
5. What other organizations may be working at St. Clare while I am there?
Three parishes from Winona, Minn. also have adopted St. Clare. Depending on timing, volunteers from these parishes may be there or working at parishioners' homes. Old St. Pat's shares a common list of those in need and continually updates it through various contacts at St. Clare's. Sue and Denise will connect you with home sites in which to work.
6. What kind of interactions can I expect with the parishioners?
St. Clare parishioners are welcoming and grateful for our help. They are open about their personal stories and patient with visitors who are trying to get acclimated to the situation and community. Parishioners freely spell out what kind of help they need. If a task is outside the range of what a particular volunteer or crew can do (insufficient skills or safety gear, for example), homeowners are very understanding. There are times that emotions kick in, as would be expected from anyone enduring prolonged stress.
7. How should I prepare myself for the experience?
Be prepared to work hard, have a listening ear, and above all, be flexible.
8. Is there anyone who's been there that I can talk with
before I go?
Sue Evon and Denise Power have been there several times and most recently in January and February.
9. Will I come in contact with anything that could cause
a health issue?
There is a lot of mold in the debris and in the homes that were flooded, also lots of glass, nails, sharp ends, etc. If you have bad allergies or asthma, you may want to reconsider working in a home that has been flooded and needs debris removal and gutting.
If you have any other health issues or concerns, please consult with your physician before planning anything. If you haven't had a tetanus shot for 10 years, you'll want a booster. A diphtheria shot is also a good idea. A combination of the two shots is available at a cost of $35 at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation Travel Medicine and Immunization Center, 675 N. St. Clair in Chicago 312.695.1888. If you have not had a flu shot, this is another one to consider. If you have other questions call your personal physician or the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood that has a travel clinic.
10. What personal “essentials” should I bring if I will be working on cleanup tasks?
For anyone going it is a good idea to bring snacks to get you through the day (crackers, prepackaged cheeses, nuts, energy bars). Consider Slimfast or Carnation Instant Breakfast in a can as these items don't need refrigeration and provide the nutrition of a full meal. Here are a few more tips:
- Particulate respirators (one for each day you are there). These are relatively inexpensive and you can get them in twin/multi-paks at hardware and drug stores;
- Safety goggles. Avoid the ones with the holes on the sides. This is good if you do “bleach outs”
(mold remediation);
- Latex gloves;
- Heavy canvas gloves for hauling yard debris, etc.;
- Heavy soled shoes to prevent nails, glass or other debris from puncturing your foot;
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (i.e., Purell);
- Grungy clothes;
- Tools such as a hammer, screwdriver, pliers, and a box cutter. If traveling by plane, make sure these items are in your checked luggage.
- Bug spray with DEET (Deep Woods OFF is good).
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