Habitat

In N’awlins for the 62nd Reubens a day early. About 120 of us had signed up for a day as “Voluntourists” as the Habitat folks called us, to lend a hand with some of their projects in the post-Katrina St. Bernard neighborhood. Two buses were waiting for us at 7am at our hotel on Canal street for the 35 minute drive past endless abandoned single family homes and gutted strip malls. Camp Hope (Habitat HQ) is where organizations from all over the world (except FEMA) come and are briefed and assigned to their 50 or so projects. NCSers: Jeff Bacon, Ron and Max Evry, Ed Black, Jeff and Melinda Keane, Mike Peters, Hillary Price, Tom and Anna Richmond, Brian Walker and many many more joined in this day to shingle and put up siding. Hammers, nails, and one-liners – being a part of something larger – cartoonists working cooperatively. An unforgettable day. The Reuben weekend post will follow above…

Five of us worked as a “siding unit” and did so well we were dubbed the “Alpha” Team. Later, at the hotel, after showers we reunited at the opening reception. Below are (left to right) Don Peoples, Elaine Bernside, Bill Schorr, Aileen Heimlich and moi. Also a view of our house. We completed the roof and finished about 3/4ths of the siding.

The story here is the quiet stream of volunteers that are coming to help rebuild this unique city. This is a truly American response. We all were depressed by the devastated neighborhoods, the quickly painted “X”s with grim #s and the likelihood that it will happen again. Still, many residents are returning and rebuilding.

What was a major surprise, returning to the hotel we filed off our bus through a gauntlet of applause and thanks from hotel staff and NCSers. It wasn’t needed. We all felt very thankful already. This experience, and the Habitat organization will not be forgotten.

For more great coverage of this event see Tom Richmond‘s posting (link here.) BTW, Tom won the Advertising and Illustration category award this year. Steve Silver, another NCNer, won for TV Animation.  Bill Schorr (one of the Alpha team) won for editorial cartoons!