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Operation Katrina 2011 Wikispace
http://operationkatrina2011.wikispaces.com/
Operation Katrina 2010 Wikispace
http://operationkatrina2010.wikispaces.com/
When Classroom Skills Make a Real-World Difference
All vocational schools offer their students real-world skills and employment opportunities. But as the only four-year co-ed Catholic vocational high school in the U.S., Mercy Vocational High School encourages its students to apply those skills in the name of service, too.
So it comes as no surprise that when Hurricane Katrina devastated entire Gulf Coast communities, the students of MVHS were eager to help. In 2006, the MVHS Operation Katrina Team, made up of faculty and students with much-needed carpentry, electrical, and business skills, arrived in the storm-ravaged city of Pass Christian, Mississippi. They gladly devoted their time, energy, and effort to help rebuild homes in a community largely forgotten by many.
On Easter Sunday 2007, the Operation Katrina Team returned to Pass Christian to continue their mission of service. MVHS carpenters and electricians worked on four different houses, doing drywall work, painting, and even installing a hardwood floor. The business students helped organize a website to help the local community register for housing funding.
The Operation Katrina Team resumed their charitable restoration efforts in D'Ibervile in 2008 and in Biloxi during 2009 and 2010 with equal success and appreciation from the families whose lives they helped rebuild. Plans for yet another trip to the still-recovering Gulf Coast community in 2011 are already underway.
Working with different groups of people, including the Amish and Mennonites from Lancaster, PA, and cadets from the Citadel has made a lasting impression on the entire Operation Katrina Team. The students learn about commitment, teamwork, and stepping out of their “comfort zone.” And, most importantly, they learn the value of using the skills acquired in the classroom to serve and fulfill a greater purpose.
How to Contribute
If you wish to contribute to this worthy endeavor and help us help those along the Gulf Coast rebuild their lives, please click HERE to donate online (and please select the "Operation Katrina Fund" on the following page).
OR
Send a check/money order payable to, "Mercy Vocational High School" with Memo line, "Operation Katrina Fund" to:
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Ms. Catherine Glatts
Operation Katrina Fund
Mercy Vocational High School
2900 West Hunting Park Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19129-1803 |
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