MONDAY

            Day 2 started bright and early with breakfast at 6:30…  It was a little too early for some of us, but we were all on the road headed to Back Bay at 7:30.  Bob and Craig, the project coordinators gave a short orientation into the jobs we will be doing.  They told us about the financial state of the Back Bay Mission, which is pretty dire right now.  Federal aid has stopped and they are currently waiting for their next round of funding.  Unfortunately, they have been waiting for over a year and have had to be very careful in the aid they provide until monies arrive, and even then it will be tough.  Currently they can only work on properties in Biloxi because the state aid they are receiving is only coming from that city.  They are beginning to think they will not be able to afford a Blitz Build in 2011.  The jobs we are completing this week are odds and ends that fit into the budget. They could not stress enough the need for funding, explaining how different this mission trip will be compared to ones in the past- with less flexibility buying supplies etc. they are mainly tackling cosmetic tasks, painting etc. The few homes that they really gut or renovate are for those in such unlivable conditions it’s almost unsafe not to.

            Bob and Craig, volunteer and Consturction Manager from the BBM, assigned us to two houses for the day.  The first house was in need of painting and molding around a window which needs replacement, (but we will not have the funds to replace).  The second house had laminate tiles that needed to be installed and old tile that needed to come up. 

Our group corralled and some of MCC’s finest went to work on Dewey Circle…Bob and Denis Hause, Kate and Tyler Caputo, and Jack Besemer worked their magic ripping up old flooring and installing new laminate flooring. Did we mention they had to move lots of heavy furniture in order to get to/see the floor!

Meanwhile, the rest of us drove off to Hollywood Boulevard to work on Sam Taylor’s house. There, we were given our assignment: scraping and painting the exterior of the house, replacing a piece of wooden trim and power washing the house. Not in that exact order, but you get the picture!  The crew found themselves hard at work, scraping paint, pulling off molding, and caulking around the windows. Sam Taylor who owns that property was thrilled to have us working on his house and sat outside admiring our efforts all afternoon   Kevin Ravesi was a pro with the power washer, Dave, Mary, Jen and the rest of the crew worked tirelessly. During a lull in our scraping, Lynn shared her strong desire to ‘landscape’ the front yard. We suggested beginning, and ending, with raking leaves. Seeking approval from Tim, one of the volunteer coordinators, we got permission to rake. When Olivia, Abbie, and Lynn had accumulated quite a pile of leaves we decided we need to figure out where we should dispose of such a massive pile. Abbie asked the homeowner who in turn requested that we put all the leaves BACK to their original location!! Lesson learned.

Hard Hat Hal needed a razor blade from the house on Dewey St. with the rest of our crew, so Abbie volunteered to ‘run’ over and get it and convinced Lynn to join, as it is really a two-person job! Abbie convincingly told Lynn that the house was “Just 0.2 of a mile, ohhh it will take 4 minutes or less.” Lynn should have known better that 0.2 really would equate to more like 0.60 ;) Since they were still wearing their Back Bay nametags, safety goggles, and masks it was really no surprise when people looked at them as if they were crazy.  Between Abbie’s idea to run and Lynn’s brilliant handheld GPS we made it there in around 10 minutes??  Give or take 15. 

While our crews were constructing away on Dewey and Boulevard, Bestey and Ryan were cooking away for the clients at Loaves and Fishes, the soup kitchen associated with Back Bay Mission. Betsy was well recognized at the kitchen, several members of the staff and clients recognized her from previous trips as did our chef here at SUMA, who was the previous chef of Loaves and Fishes! Ryan and Betsy served both breakfast and lunch for those in need. From what we heard breakfast consisted of leftover pizza and oatmeal. Not my ideal breakfast, but for the people being fed, a hearty meal that would sustain their stomachs and their pocket.

            Back at SUMA (our home base) it was a mad dash to the showers before dinner.  Bestey did a load of laundry for those who wanted to get some items cleaned.  After dinner many sat around doing homework, blogging, and enjoying the sunset.  In celebration of Lynn’s birthday a few of those over 21 went to Beau Rivage, a casino down the street for a quick drink.  We all shared some birthday cupcakes and relaxed for the evening.

             Peace out from the 39530,

            The Biloxi 2010 Crew

            And God be with you till we meet again,

            Your Biloxi Bloggers, Abbie and Lynn