Today was a day we divided up and went to a variety of places. One group went to ARNO, one group went to the St Bernard Parish Community Center and our group went to Turner's Blair Grocery School where we worked in the garden for a good chunk of the day. We built raised beds, weeded, watered, hauled vast quantities of dirt and compost and had a great time getting sweaty and dirty.
tired gardeners
A famous view we drove past most days - it was very striking to see where so many people sheltered under terrible conditions during Katrina. On a couple of occasions we drove past it when events were getting out and traffic wasn't noticably heavy. A clear sign of a terrible economy.
house in poorer neighborhood - lots of houses here are painted in wonderful colors. The older ones with lots of picked out details remind me of San Francisco.
Yet another roof in terrible shape
Beautiful big tree in the Garden District. Most of the trees in the lower 9th ward were lost during or post Katrina. Areas hit less hard are lined with wonderful huge old trees.
We visited Yougurt more days than not - delicious stuff!
More lovely tree-lined streets in the Garden District near Tulane.
This Wal-Mart is near where we stayed in Chalmette. It hasn't re-opened post-Katrina nor has it been replaced. The water level during Katrina covered all but the air conditioners on the roof - pointed to by red arrows.Later in the evening all our groups got together in the lower 9th ward area to see the houses built by Brad Pitt and Make it Right. Don Paul from Rebuild Green met us there and gave us a tour and took us to meet Robert Green. Mr Green is a local resident who lost many family members during Katrina when the levee near his home was breeched when a barge hit it. His mother, grandmother and a very young grandson all died. He met us at his home - a pair of FEMA trailors and a new house under construction by Make it Right. He has been the key local contact person working with the Make it Right foundation and the local community and spent a generous amount of time speaking with us about his experiences and the rebuilding program.
side of Robert Brown's FEMA trailor
Memorial to Robert Brown's family
snapshot of Robert Green and Brad Pitt
View from next to Robert Green's home
scaffolding and partially built Make it Right house
view of a couple more of the Brad Pitt houses
our group in front of a completed houseAfter taking leave of Mr Green we drove a short way to the levee
lift bridge and levee
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