When visitors to the Katrina memorial observance began arrving at MGM Park for the 9 a.m. program Saturday morning, they will be greeted by 22 ushers volunteering from Americorps, and another 50 Americorps workers will be among those in the audience.
Says Vicksburg-based Rachel J. Turner, unit Leader, acting assistant program director, of the group’s activities this weekend on the Coast:
“AmeriCorps NCCC is proud to support several community events along the Mississippi Gulf Coast as part of the Hurricane Katrina Remembrance and Rebuild Celebration.
“On Friday, members will serve meals to an anticipated 3,000 first-responders and their families as part of a luncheon hosted by Governor Phil Bryant at Jones Park in Gulfport. In addition, teams will serve with Habitat for Humanity of the Bay Waveland Area to complete work on their Hurricane Katrina 10th Anniversary Reunion House in Bay St. Louis.
“On Saturday, members will serve as ushers at the 10th Annual Katrina Remembrance Ceremony to be hosted by the City of Biloxi at MGM Park.
“Members will also serve at the Ohr O’Keefe and Ground Zero Hurricane Museums, in Biloxi and Waveland respectively, to assist with Katrina Remembrance and Rebuild Celebration programming.
“For the past 10 years, AmeriCorps NCCC members have been actively involved in Hurricane Katrina recovery along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Over the last decade, AmeriCorps NCCC members have restored 13.4 miles of coastal shoreline stream banks, supported 168 emergency response and disaster facilities, assisted 650 homeless individuals and have refurbished 1,116 homes for disaster survivors. AmeriCorps NCCC is always hiring new members to join our teams, and we hope 18- to 24-year-olds in the Mississippi Gulf Coast area will be inspired to join us after seeing our teams in action this weekend.”
