ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 25, 2009  

ELCA Youth Volunteer at Community Health Fair
09-167-CD*/JB

     NEW ORLEANS (ELCA) -- Shalamay Dolliole looked through the books she
picked up for her six children.   She found two treasures in the
stack: "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and "The Chronicles of
Narnia."  Dolliole let out a yelp of excitement when she saw them.
     "I'm taking these home and reading them right now," she said, a huge
grin on her face.
     Dolliole and her husband Steven brought four of their six children
to a health fair July 25 at Popps Fountain in City Park, hosted by the
New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD), the Recovery School District,
and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
     The event, with light attendance, was staffed by Lutheran teenagers
from across the United States and Caribbean who are here attending the
2009 ELCA Youth Gathering.
     Some 37,000 Lutheran teenagers, adult leaders and other volunteers
are here July 22-26. "Jesus Justice Jazz" is the theme of activities at
the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Louisiana Superdome.
They're also fanning out across the area to work beside the people of New
Orleans in nearly 200 community service projects.
     "This is beautiful," said Djuana B. Johnson, a New Orleans resident
who volunteers to coach girls' sports at the New Orleans' Cut-Off Center,
as she visited stations at the health fair.  She collected shoes and
other items to give to the girls.
     "The (Youth Gathering) volunteers donated all of their time,"
Johnson said. "They've come in the heat and made a tremendous effort in
the city.  They're not complaining.  They're glad to be here and giving
of their time. . So many young kids volunteer their time to come here in
the summer! That's why I continue to smile."
     Youth Gathering volunteers worked the booths where the free items
were being given away. Volunteers from St. Paul Lutheran Church,
Davenport, Iowa, and Bethany Lutheran Church, Howard, S.D., gave away
donated shoes from Target.
     Johnny Burks, NORD Cut-Off Center, collected books, shoes, candy and
other items to give to teens that attend a weekly "movie night" he hosts
at the center.  "Twenty kids usually come to movie nights," he said,
adding that the center is in an area where many people live in poverty.
Many of the families that live in that area were displaced for months
following Hurricane Katrina.
     Isaac Troice, a construction worker from New Orleans, stopped by the
fair on his way home from work to pick up things for his seven-year-old
and 10-year-old.
     "I told them I would bring them something back," he said.
     Troice has lived in New Orleans all his life. He spent 20 days on
the top of his roof with his children, waiting to be rescued from the
flooding after Katrina.
     He is glad that the ELCA is here and hopes that the spirit of
service continues to come to New Orleans.
     "If they had this every year, I think this city would be a better
city," he said.
     Danielle Bloom and her son, Kolby, also stumbled on the health fair
while walking in City Park.  Kolby gushed about the hand painting he had
done at the fair and his two new books, both from the Captain Underpants
series.
     "These people are so nice," the 10-year-old said.  "I like nice
people."
     The Bloom family spent 10 months in Vermont after Hurricane Katrina,
but returned afterwards.
     "My family is all here," Danielle said.  "My mom, my grandparents."
     Kolby will start school in a new location this year.  He had
previously attended a Catholic school that was funded by a donor, but the
tuition has gotten too high for the family to pay.
     "It's so hard to get him in school," Danielle said.
     If his new school doesn't work out, the family will have to move
again.  For now, the pair is enjoying spending time at the health fair.
     "Ya'll make me want to join your church," Danielle said of the
volunteers.
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     Information on the ELCA Youth Gathering can be found at
http://www.ELCA.org/gathering on the ELCA Web Site.  The New Orleans
Recreation Department is at http://www.cityofno.com/pg-32-1-nord.aspx
online.

* Carrie L. Draeger is a senior communication major with a concentration
in journalism at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash. This summer
she is an intern with the ELCA News Service.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news