The 2010 Hunter Has Heart service learning project was both an enlightening experience and great success. 10 Students were selected for the trip based in New Orleans, a city with rich history, in January. Upon the students’ arrival, they were graciously welcomed into the Church of the Annunciation where they were provided with daily meals, shelter, and encouragement towards their projected task. This task was to help rebuild the home of Ms. Rose McCaskill. While the students were extremely motivated from the start, nothing could match the motivation that Ms. Rose herself provided. Making periodic stops to her home, she told the students the story of her travels and tribulations post-Katrina. She showed her gratitude right away as she greeted each of the students with a warm hug. She shared the grim details of what she had gone through just to salvage a portion of her former life. While she knew that things would never be quite the same, she carried on as she knew that there was no other choice. With tears in her eyes, she showed the students pictures of her home before and after the storm. Through these experiences, the students were not only provided with motivation, but a lasting bond. As the students and Ms.Rose spent more time together, this bond became increasingly stronger. What the students got out of this trip was not only a taste of New Orleans and a opportunity to help the community, but a lifelong friend and source of inspiration in Ms. Rose McCaskill. This Blog is dedicated to Ms. Rose McCaskill and to the people of the Annunciation Mission and New Orleans.
