Y’ALL plans relief trip to Biloxi, Miss.

After the recent flooding in Mississippi from Hurricane Gustav and the ongoing relief brought forth from Hurricane Katrina, IU students are once again looking to take part in efforts to rebuild and clean up the town of Biloxi, Miss., located on the Gulf Coast.

A short volunteer trip is set to take place today though Monday with a group of 11 students through the Youth Advocating Leadership and Learning program.

Audrey Clayton, co-founder of the Y’ALL program, said students will arrive in Mississippi on Friday morning and work Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They plan to leave Sunday and drive all night in time to be back for class Monday morning.

Clayton said their main goal is to help rebuild the Urban Life Missions camp site, where they have stayed in the past.

“Once this happens, ULM will be able to bring large volunteer groups back in to continue the rebuilding effort,” she said. “If we finish this in the three work days we can offer, we plan to branch out into the Biloxi community and help wherever and however we can.”

For Y’ALL and for most students volunteering this weekend, this is not the first time they have helped on the Gulf Coast.

“Y’ALL has taken nine trips since December 2005,” said graduate student Michael Nosofsky. “We have all been paying attention to Hurricane Gustav and are going to Biloxi to get it up and running again.”

On another level, many volunteers have had a personal connection to the towns they have worked on as well as with the people they have met.

“I have met so many people whose life stories humble me, whose faith inspires me and whose strength and persistence awe me,” Clayton said. “I go back for the people who were left with nothing and have been mostly forgotten by the rest of the world.”

With two trips down to the Gulf Coast under his belt, junior Deepak Hadpawat heard about the trip through his brothers at Phi Kappa Sigma.

“Some of my fraternity brothers have been involved since Hurricane Katrina,” Hadpawat said. “About 30 to 35 guys have gone to help in the past. I keep going to see how I can help. In Biloxi you can really see the differences you are making.”

While missing classes might be an issue for some, those volunteering have no problem sparing a couple days to help those in need.

Hadpawat said volunteering in Biloxi has been a real eye-opener for him.

“The sacrifices you make for a couple days can really make an impact,” Hadpawat said. “I jumped at the chance of this trip as it is a good opportunity to further progress with what has been done.”

For students looking to remain up-to-date about upcoming Y’ALL trips or the weeklong trip to the gulf over winter break, visit Y’ALL’s Web site at www.yallrelief.org.