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Printer-Friendly ModeStudents, staff return from assisting hurricane victims
November 14, 2005 —
Eleven SVSU nursing students and six University employees experienced one-on-one health issues within the Mobile, Alabama community during a trip two weeks ago to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The students and staff left the morning of Sunday, Oct. 30 and stayed until Friday, Nov. 4. They traveled by bus and also visited Biloxi, Mississippi and Long Beach, Florida.
Supporting the students was Dr. Averetta Lewis, professor of nursing, and Dr. Mamie Thorns, special assistant to the president for diversity programs, and four other SVSU employees.
Lewis and her students focused primarily on assisting victims that were physically affected by the disaster. They took items that they collected before the trip down to the area such as food, supplies and nursing equipment.
With the items, the students went to the community and distributed the goods to the victims as well as other volunteers. They wanted to help the Southern nursing students by giving them items that were lost in the hurricane.
Thorns went to the schools of these cities to show her concern and support in an emotional way.
"They need people there to talk and just roll up their sleeves and help," she said. "They are living in trailers or with friends or other family members."
Her goal was to study the classrooms and how they were affected as a whole. She wanted to examine who was supporting the teachers and administration, and how they kept things together.
Thorns added that life has to go on for these schools in order to continue their goal of educating their children. One of her concerns was whether or not these students would be able to pass state testing after being set back due to lost textbooks, computers, records and paper.
She added that she was in awe of the disaster that was in front of her eyes when she went out into the communities.
"I am from Mississippi and have been involved in tornadoes and hurricanes before, but this was most devastating and I am amazed at their determination," she said. "They are not sitting around moaning and groaning. They are going on with daily lives."
The eleven nursing students were Allison Jennings from Frankenmuth, Laura Johnson from Chesaning, Jessica McDonald from Birch Run, Katie McPherson from Flushing, Jennifer Muzzy from Freeland, Amy Ockerman from Davison, Charlene Pickelhaupt from Port Huron, Katie Terry from Sterling Heights, and Katie Kreh, Linde McCubbin, and Scott Schlaud from Saginaw.
According to Thorns, the trip was a success.
"I would welcome the opportunity (to go back)," she said. "If I could go back next week, I would do it."