| DISASTER RESPONSE SERVE - POPLARVILLE, MISSISSIPPI Dates: July 24 - 31, 2010 (Saturday - Saturday) Group Size Restrictions: For individuals or groups of 15 or less only – Please note: the total group size cannot exceed 15 people including both leaders and students. This is a NON-SMOKING site. Information for Group Leaders and Participants General Description: Christian Reformed World Relief Committee – Disaster Response Services, Fellowship Christian Reformed Church in St. Thomas, ON and Youth Unlimited are partnering together to host a Disaster Response SERVE in 2010. The major natural disasters of recent years have resulted in overwhelming needs—as well as incredible opportunities to serve and witness to survivors and communities impacted by these storms. The Disaster Response SERVE will be in Poplarville, Mississippi. The organization that we’re partnering with in Poplarville, MS is referred to as Katrina Relief, and affiliated with the Waveland Citizen's Fund, which provides disaster related construction assistance, as well as non-disaster and non-construction assistance, to citizens of Hancock county in the far southwest corner of Mississippi (a very poor area). Facilities: Most if not all of you will be in sleeping rooms with 4-5 sets of bunk beds in each. Pillows and sheets will be provided provided. You should bring a sleeping bag or blankets. The temperature in Poplarville, MS in late July it is VERY hot and humid. The buildings where you’re sleeping are air conditioned, but on work sites it is important for everyone to be aware of the importance of staying hydrated, taking breaks, recognizing signs of heatstroke, etc. Work Sites: The service work that you’ll be engaged in will be mostly construction but also some non-construction type jobs based on the priorities of our partner ministry. There likely will be opportunities to do some things with youth in the area, and perhaps to work on some public parks or other properties. If your church has skilled carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc. who’d be willing to be small group leaders for the week, please bring them. The greater the skill set of the small group leaders, the more opportunities there are for the group as a whole. Example of work that disaster response groups may do include drywall work, cleanup/demolition, painting, tree removal, plumbing, windows/doors, framing and more. Groups often would like to know far in advance specifically what type of work they will be doing. Unfortunately, because of all the variables involved with disaster response, it is usually not possible to know the specifics until you arrive at SERVE. Please come with a servant heart and a flexible attitude. Please do NOT bring your own tools. Tools brought with groups tend to get mixed up and lost and we'd rather not spend energy on that when we can be serving. Day Away: To be determined Transportation: Registration fees do NOT include transportation to and from the sites. Each group of five or more must provide vehicle(s) and adult driver(s), typically small group leader(s), to transport an equal number of participants during the duration of the mission experience regardless of whether you fly or drive to the site. The vehicles you bring will be used to transport small groups to the work site each day so 12-passenger vans, 7 passenger SUVs, or mini-vans are preferred. Cars do not facilitate the transportation of an entire small group in one vehicle, so please do not bring them. If you wish to bring a bus, please check with the Host Team to see if this is acceptable before you make arrangements. If your group is unable to provide van transportation, please have a youth leader call YU to discuss options and additional charges. For your decision making purposes, the closest airport is Gulfport, Mississippi. However, the Gulfport Airport is relatively small and may be hard to get reasonable flights into it. Otherwise New Orleans is the next closest, but it may be worth checking into Jackson, MS or Baton Rouge, LA (about 2 hours away). Please DO NOT book airfare until you have received written confirmation from Youth Unlimited that you have been placed at this site. NOTE: If you plan to fly to the Disaster Response SERVE, you will still need to rent vans for your group to use during the week of SERVE. What are people saying about this site? If you have stories, comments or feedback you’d like us to share about this site, please contact missions@youthunlimited.org
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