Spring break service trip to return to Cedar Rapids, IA

Spring break service trip to return to Cedar Rapids, IA

Submitted by nhilmer on Tue, 02/03/2009 - 21:17.
Last updated on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 14:56.

Vital Stats

Project Type: ongoing project

Start Date: 03/08/2009

End Date: 03/13/2009

People Impacted: 20
People Involved: 20
Money Raised: $1,800

Project Video

The Problem

Last June the area of Cedar Rapids, IA underwent massive flooding when the Cedar River surmounted its 500 year flood plain, damaging around 9 square miles which encompassed 6000 homes, multiple parishes and 600 businesses. When we first came to Iowa for a Fall Break service trip we saw something the media could never convey. It may have looked normal on the outside, homes and businesses still standing with faint flood lines marked halfway up their first or even second story. However, on the inside, these structures, which once housed families and provided workspace, were deserted. Mold stricken remnants of children’s toys and personal possessions were abandoned on street corners to be picked up at the nearest convenience. When we left toward the end of October 2008, it was clear that the community of Cedar Rapids had a long road ahead of them before life was going to return to normal. We wish to return because we are hopeful that we will be able to help the community just as much as we were able to last fall.

Why It's Important

We wish to return to Cedar Rapids, IA so we may continue helping with the rebuilding efforts. We are a group of students with no specific trades from the University of Notre Dame, who heard that there is still a need for recovery efforts in Eastern Iowa, even though once the floodwaters receded FEMA and other public organizations cut back on their relief efforts. However, unlike New Orleans, which is still recognized on a national scale as a location for flood recovery, Cedar Rapids seems to have fallen out of conversation. In addition, when we were in Cedar Rapids last fall we discovered that one of the areas that was hit the worst was the impoverished side of the city on the south east end. The devastated end had no one living in their homes, six months removed from the flood, and winter was approaching. The homes needed to be winterized, but before this process could begin the houses needed to be gutted. Given our skill level and qualifications, demolition was one of the tasks that we were able to perform. The man we helped, whom I will name Dave, was unable to communicate with us because of his physical capabilities. But Dave was overwhelmed with thanks and emotions, as our crew completed the dismantling of his house in one day, which would have normally taken a week. Dave is just one of many people whom lost everything, he had been living in that house with his family for the past sixty-five years, and he had to watch us gut it all out. He lost a lot of memories there, but he knew that what we were doing needed to be done in order for him to inhabit his house in the future. Our crew grew extremely close to the community at Iowa, who were so receptive and kind toward us, and we promised that we would come back to further improve the area in the future. By the time we left we felt like Iowa was our second home. No one touched us more than Dave did, and to know that there are hundreds of other people, and homes, and stories in that area just like his drives the group of students here to return to Eastern Iowa.

The Plan Of Action

We plan to return to Cedar Rapids, IA during our Spring Break (from March 8th to March 13th, 2009). Many steps are being taken to accomplish our return to Eastern Iowa. First, we have enough interest and manpower to return in order to make the trip a success. A lot gets accomplished and much quicker the more people you have going. We have school sponsorship, which simply means that our dorm is putting its name behind the trip and will allow us to use its financial account for any funding that we get for the trip. We also have a chaperone, a work site manager, and a place to stay and work sites once we get to Iowa. Last fall, we were able to help the parish of St. Wencesclaus with manual labor by removing contaminated dirt from their parish office. They said that the work the twenty of us did in three days would have taken them weeks to finish, and continually told us that we did not know how much our help meant to them, that people still cared about their non-flashy city and people. In addition, after gutting and cleaning out a Dave’s home, we were able return right before we left and move all of the trash out of his neighbors yard. The most memorable thing about these places though was not the buildings that we tended to, but the people to whom they belonged and meant so much. We had the pleasure of talking and forming relationships with the manager and members of the parish and the owner of the house as well as the Notre Dame Alumni Club that went above and beyond to accommodate us. If we were to receive the Do Something Disaster Grant, we would ultimately be closer to returning to Cedar Rapids, Iowa at the beginning of March to help with the continuous restoring of the community.

How Can Others Get Involved?

Link: http://ndtoday.alumni.nd.edu/site/c.gsJJKXPJJtH/b.4828165/k.163F/Students_Alumni_Join_to_Rebuild_Church.htm , http://gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20081021&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=710219942&Template=printart, http://newsinfo.nd.edu/printerFriendly.cfm?topicid=30086

They can donate directly to FUMC in Cedar Rapids to help with the costs of rebuilding. Otherwise they are strongly encouraged to get together a service group similar to ours and volunteer for whatever amount of time they have!

Project Updates

05/16/09

Update: This Spring, the Rapid Recover Team, with 21 students from the University of Notre Dame, returned to Cedar Rapids, IA to help with flood recovery and rebuilding. While there, we were able to help out 5 different home owners, with repairs such as cleaning, mold removal, dry walling etc. In addition to the close relationships we formed with the homeowners and member of the Cedar Rapids community, we became very close as a group. We have all grown to love Cedar Rapids, Iowa and often consider it our second home. We hope to see continuous improvement of the area throughout the year until everyone in the community has a home and a life to return to.

Additional hours volunteered: 672
Additional people impacted: 5
Additional people involved: 21

Final Grant Update

05/16/09

Spring break service trip to return to Cedar Rapids, IA

Number of people in the organization: 21 students from Notre Dame as well as countless members of the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Cedar Rapids/ Iowa City
Number of people impacted: 5 different homeowners
Describe the impact the grant had: Winning the Do Something grant really helped this trip happen. Before we received the grant, we were extremely worried about paying for gas, food and supplies. Because of the Do Something grant, we were able to pay for all of these things and have a very successful trip.
Project highlights: 1) Our group bonded so much during the trip it was pretty remarkable. We would come back from doing work for 8 straight hours and decide that we wanted to play volleyball or some game until 1 in the morning. Even though we had to split up into 3 groups for the week to go to various worksites, everyone in the group seemed to be friends by the end of the trip. 2) We were also able to listen to the stories of the homeowners that we were working with. One group in particular, formed a very close relationship with their homeowner and they are still in contact with him to this day. It was very important for us to take the time to listen to the people in the community, let them share their stories and their problems with the pace of the flood recovery. While helping to fix their homes was very important, we found that talking and laughing with those we were working with and helping was the most enjoyable thing. Furthermore, our group also went to a city council meeting to learn more about the flood and the feelings of the community members. It was a very valuable experience and the students felt extremely connected to the people of Cedar Rapids, IA. 3) In addition to the homeowners we worked with, we also met many other members of the community. We were invited to many different events throughout the week, such as various dinners, a mass with elementary school children at a local church, bowling with a company from Iowa, and a dinner at the President of the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. It was such an entertaining and exciting week!
How did the project unfold and develop? The project came together easier the second time around. This is because we already knew who we needed to contact for transportation, food, housing, work etc. When we arrived in Cedar Rapids for the first time since our Fall Break Service Trip in October, we noticed that the progress since then had been very slow due to the cold winter months. There was and still is a lot of work that needs to be done in Cedar Rapids. While we were there, our group of 21 split up and we were able to help out 5 different homeowners with dry walling, cleaning, mold removal, demolition, etc. Most importantly, we were able to form a strong connection with the members of the community, meeting the homeowners friends and family as well as attending a city council meeting that solely discussed problems that faced Cedar Rapids due to the flood.