Hooked on Helping Out

NJASBO members renovate destroyed homes in New Orleans

through Operation Helping Hands

In the more than five years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, most of the city is thriving once again; beautiful and inviting with much to celebrate including a Super Bowl Championship.

Unfortunately, amidst the city’s revitalization, there is still grim evidence of the damage in areas that bore the brunt of the storm and flooding. Thankfully, volunteers continue to help restore homes and communities including many NJASBO members who, for the past three years, have volunteered for Operation Helping Hands (OHH), a rebuilding program operated by the Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Hillside School District BA Ken Weinheimer coordinates the annual NJASBO Katrina Relief Trip. In early November last year, Ken was joined by his NJASBO colleagues, Springfield Public Schools BA Matthew Clarke, who has participated in every trip since 2008, and Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional District BA Anthony Del Sordi, who has volunteered for two relief trips.

Weinheimer, Clarke and Del Sordi were among a team of ten volunteers, including NJASBO Associate Business members Pete Campisano and Robert Santo Colgiandro, both of USA Architects, and Greg Thompson of Bollinger Insurance Co., who renovated houses through OHH’s program. The team divided into two crews. One crew worked on a house in the beginning stages of repair, eliminating mold, hanging doors and repairing sub-flooring. At the second house, the crew sanded, spackled, painted and laid ceramic as well as laminate flooring.

“Volunteers are very gracious with their time, money and skills to come down to help out. Ken’s group had skills that were especially useful to the organization in rebuilding and repainting homes,” said Bethany Billman, volunteer coordinator of OHH.

“The programs and volunteers help fulfill needs that continue to be very real in New Orleans,” said Billman. “The money allotted to help Katrina victims didn’t cover exterior paint, so our program is a visible way to allow people to see the progress we’re making.

OHH’s programs also helps victims of contractor fraud and those who are unable to complete repairs themselves, such as the disabled and elderly Katrina victims still waiting to return to their homes.

Weinheimer, Clarke and Del Sordi saw the impact they made firsthand when they met the owners of the homes they renovated. “They were older folks who just didn't have the resources or youth to do the work themselves. This was a very meaningful aspect of the trip!” said Weinheimer.

Weinheimer first traveled to New Orleans for relief work with Centenary College, his son’s alma mater, in December 2005. “I got hooked,” he said.

After two more trips—one in June 2006 with his church and another in December 2006, again with Centenary College—he decided to share his passion for and the rewards of relief work by coordinating a program with his NJASBO colleagues.

“I knew there would be interest and certainly talent among folks from NJASBO. It was only a matter of providing people with a coordinated program that they could simply sign up for, hop on a plane and do some worthwhile work,” said Weinheimer.

“I personally thank our members for contributing their time and talents to such a worthwhile cause.Their contributions have made a difference in the lives of so many people that lost so much as a result of this unfortunate natural catastrophe. My hat is off to them all,” said John Donahue, NJASBO’s executive director.

“Inherently, we all want to help each other by giving whatever we can give, whether it's money or time, to help where people need help. Sometimes we just don't know where to go to help,” said Weinheimer.

Thanks to Weinheimer’s dedication to Hurricane Katrina relief projects, knowing “where to go” was easy for the NJASBO volunteers. The volunteers were able to join a structured group in rebuilding and renovating homes, with guidance from OHH.

“Anything we do puts those we help just a little bit closer to moving back into their homes. It’s all one step at a time; it’s important to take that first step sometimes,” said Weinheimer.

See the trip captured in photos on next page.