This week has been a change of pace for the LL&W’s crew. We started out gutting homes in the New Orleans’ area, just as we’ve done for the past month. After helping two families get back into their homes, we packed up our trucks and headed south on Wednesday, November 2, to help clean up the Gulf of Mexico shoreline in the small town of Grand Isle, Louisiana. From the moment we got there we were warmly received by the locals, the authorities, FEMA and The Red Cross. We are proud to say that in only four short days we were able to clean over 2 miles of dense debris along the coastline.

Our past newsletters have given you a glimpse of what we’ve been doing here in New Orleans, along with some of the personal stories from the people we’ve met. This week we asked everyone on the crew what the highlight of their trip has been, what the most difficult and challenging part of the trip has been and what the funniest moment has been.

We thank each one of you for helping us get here, and hope you enjoy hearing from the crew!

Mike Havlis
Highlight – “Being called angels sent from heaven – that was amazing.”
Most Difficult – “There really hasn’t been a low point for me – everything has been just the way I expected it to be.”
Funniest Moment – “When Brent yanked out a handful of Chad’s chest hair.”

Brent Pregracke
Highlight – “Helping people and making a positive difference in people’s lives. First, you sometimes see them cry when you throw their lives on the street in a pile of moldy memories. Then after we clean everything out, their hopelessness goes away – they see that it can all be fixed. And when we leave they cry again – but this time it’s because they are so thankful and hopeful. It almost makes me want to cry, but there’s no time for that because there is so much to be done and so many more people to help.”
Most Difficult – “I described both when I described my highlight.”
Funniest Moment – “Yanking a clump of hair from my brother’s chest.”

Jeff Barrow
Highlight – “Working on a crew of ‘Tasmanian devils’ that empties and guts houses in a half day. And getting to swim in the Gulf of Mexico.”
Most Difficult – “Losing electricity in the middle of watching a movie on the barge; extremely bad smells; getting mistaken for FEMA when costumed as Steve Zissou from Life Aquatic.”
Funniest Moment – “Every one of Mike’s stories, quips and cracks; Geoff Manis dressing in a Santa suit, Mexican hat and a rusty shotgun; human bowling pins, the first night at the beach, synchronized skid steers and Brent’s bunny costume.”

Tammy Becker
Highlight – “Definitely helping people that don’t have the resources to help themselves. Gutting out homes is so much more than removing moldy belongings, rotting refrigerators and drywall. We are able to transform an overwhelming job into a glimpse of hope for the families we’ve worked with.”
Most Difficult – “The thing that has bummed me out the most on this trip is not being able to do more. There are so many people that need our help and we are the only group doing it…at no charge – it’s crazy!”
Funniest Moment – “Man, with this group it’s impossible to pick just one! I’m busting up laughing every few minutes. But I will say thinking of Dave in his little girl Halloween costume will be making me laugh for a long, long time.”

Geoff Manis
Highlight – “It’s so hard to pinpoint just one when there are so many. Every day, every hour is filled with highlights.”
Most Difficult – “Seeing and dealing with the frustrations of the people of New Orleans – emotionally, it’s difficult to deal with.”
Funniest Moment – “Having my photo appear in The New York Times wearing a top hat and boa on Bourbon Street.”

Jeanie Schuburth
Highlight – “Sharing an amazing ten days with a kickin’ new family of friends and garbage pickers.”
Most Difficult – “I can’t say I’ve had one.”
Funniest Moment – “There are a few that stand out – the comic relief while shoveling through 4 inches of mud at the worst house we had been, in and the human bowling game when Chris won the best pin award for teetering and wobbling but not falling down.”

Chris Fenderson
Highlight – “Being able to meet the people that we directly affect. When we do river cleanups I know we’re helping people, but down here it’s a pretty cool feeling to work alongside the people who need help and see their reactions.”
Most Difficult – “When we were at a house where the family was fighting with each other. It’s upsetting to be so involved in these people’s personal lives in a time of disaster.”
Funniest Moment – “Watching Chad try on a tight red leotard at the thrift store.”

Kristen Ellis
Highlight – “Giving people hope to rebuild and stay in New Orleans.”
Most Difficult – “Shoveling maggots and rotten food.”
Funniest Moment – “Watching Dave try on his little girl Halloween costume at the thrift store.”

Jen Branstetter
Highlight – “All the people we’ve gotten to meet - the people we’ve helped and the people who we’ve met just being down here. Also, the way this trip has impacted me and changed my life forever.
Most Difficult – “I haven’t had one yet.”
Funniest Moment – “Playing human bowling in the middle of the street in our Tyvek suits after gutting out a house.”

Dave Maasberg
Highlight – “Working with a great crew to help families who have lost everything.”
Most Difficult – “When I had to leave the crew to go home for a few days. I’m so glad to be back.”
Funniest Moment – “Shopping for Halloween costumes at the thrift store and seeing Chad in his tight red leotard with little horns on his head – I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.”

Ben Grafton
Highlight – “Gratitude from the families that we’ve been helping, and restoring hope in their lives.”
Most Difficult – “Seeing the destruction everywhere we go – it’s just devastating to think how much work needs to still be done months after the hurricane.”
Funniest Moment – “Everything that comes out of Mike’s and Brent’s mouths.”

Jason Roberts
Highlight – “Meeting all of the amazing people on the LL&W crew.”
Most Difficult – “The day I had to leave everyone.”
Funniest Moment – “Seeing Brent in his bunny Halloween costume with his lil’ carrot.”

Shelly Rudin
Highlight – “Doing something meaningful on a variety of levels.”
Most Difficult – “Throwing away people’s irreplaceable items – like pictures and wedding dresses.”
Funniest Moment – “Watching Chad and Chris perform their synchronized skid steer show on the beach.”

Traci Antonovich
Hightlight – “Every facet of this whole experience has been incredibly rewarding. It has been a true pleasure to work with a solid crew of strong, intelligent, witty, devoted and whole-hearted individuals. Another great moment for me was handing Wanda (a New Orleans police officer we helped) a family photo recovered from her hall closet.”
Most Difficult – “The eerie feeling I get every time we drive past the Superdome; also the foul smells upon entering the abandoned neighborhoods which made me lose my breakfast on the first day.”
Funniest Moment – “In addition to the everyday antics, what brought me to my knees was the human bowling alley composed of sludge-covered, Tyvek suit-wearing, steel-toed humans posing as bowling pins in the middle of an abandoned road.”

Beth Irving
Highlight – “The look on people’s faces at the end of the day once we’ve gutted their homes, and they realize there is hope to rebuild their lives – it doesn’t get much better than that.”
Most Difficult – “The most difficult time for me has yet to come – it will be when we leave Louisiana to go back home. I know I’ll be wishing I could stay longer and help more people.”
Funniest Moment – “Definitely shopping for, and watching everyone try on Halloween costumes at the thrift store in Westwego.”

Chad Pregracke
Highlight – “Doing the hardest, dirtiest and most miserable work, but having the most positive outcome there could possibly be. And, of course, wearing Tyvek suits and respirators in 90 degree weather – we love it!”
Most Difficult – “Always wishing and feeling like I could be doing more and helping more people.”
Funniest Moment – “When I surfed down a pile of garbage on an ironing board – that was awesome!”

As you can see, this trip has truly been a life changing experience for all of us at LL&W. We are working hard and having fun – but most importantly, we are helping to rebuild, repair and restore the towns and neighborhoods of Louisiana and Mississippi, one day at a time.

FROM ALL OF US AT LL&W, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE!

Photos by Don Keller (LA)