‘Mission Mississippi’ offers hurricane relief to Sister City

November 29, 2005

Members of 'Mission Mississippi'

Instead of making their usual trip to Jamaica, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Student Optimists will lend a helping hand to hurricane victims in Bay St. Louis, Miss. Jan. 2-11, 2006. The city of Whitewater officially declared Bay St. Louis its Sister City Tuesday, Nov. 15 and the Optimists will be the first organized group from Whitewater to send relief assistance.

“The Optimists have led service trips to Jamaica for the last three years and while there is still a need for service in Jamaica, there seemed to be a more immediate need here in the United States,” UW-Whitewater University Center Program Manager and Optimist Advisor Kim Adams said.

The city proclamation signifies a long-term commitment to Bay St. Louis. Whitewater City Manager Kevin Brunner said the purpose is to provide sustained effort over time. “What typically happens when there is a disaster like this is that cities receive a lot of help during the first few weeks of recovery and then all of a sudden it dies out and they are expected to sustain on their own,” he said.

As part of the proclamation, a citizen’s committee lead by city of Whitewater Police Officer Mike Ciardo, who made initial contacts in Bay St. Louis when he was deployed there after the disaster, is being formed to determine future service. Brunner said a phone conference and needs assessment with contacts in Bay St. Louis have shown that libraries and the public works department require the most assistance right now.

“We want to make sure we are not just doing things we think they need, but that we are reacting to their actual needs,” Brunner said.

Therefore, additional formal action from Whitewater will not be taken until the Optimist group returns from “Mission Mississippi” with an idea of what resources and assistance is still needed in January.

“We’re going there to build relationships, both with the city and the people,” Adams said. “In order to not become overwhelmed by all the work that needs to be done there, we’ve decided to focus on helping schools and libraries.”

Because the Optimists’ mission is to help children, they will be dedicating their efforts in Mississippi to cleaning, tutoring and babysitting along with delivering books, supplies and financial donations to the Hancock County school district and library.

“I’m going with people who I know can accomplish so much,” UW-Whitewater junior and president-elect Jessica Helms said. “As soon as I came back from the Jamaica service trip last year, I knew I wanted to help more people.”
             

Junior Kara Zbichorski has only been a member of the Optimists since September, but will be one of about 28 Whitewater representatives traveling to Mississippi. “So many things were ruined there. We want to rebuild the community,” she said.

In addition to about 18 UW-Whitewater Student Optimist chapter members, there are about 8-10 community members and university faculty, including Brunner, who plan to travel with the group.

“I’m sure the students who go will develop a lot of relationships with Bay St. Louis students, teachers and administrators. It will be some real people to people work,” Brunner said.

Sophomore Korryn Fenne, Student Optimist treasurer, is also serving as treasurer for the Mission Mississippi project and said that although many of them do not individually have the financial means to help hurricane victims, they can do physical work and give their time. “We are so lucky. We have so much and are so fortunate that we are able to go and help those who are less fortunate,” she said.

Helms added that in past years the students fundraised individually, but decided it would be more effective to combine their efforts. A number of charity events over the next month-and-a-half will help the group reach its $30,000 goal. The money will fund travel expenses and buy school supplies and gift cards.

“We’re hoping to get support from the community and that people will feel a pride and want to help their fellow Americans,” Adams said.

Other Optimist chapters throughout southeastern Wisconsin and several initial fundraising events, including a benefit concert at Jitters, the university coffee house, and a bowl-a-thon, have raised about $3,500 for the Whitewater group in the last couple of weeks. The Student Optimists have dedicated every weekend until the trip to fundraising and planning. Upcoming events include an aluminum can drive Sunday, Dec. 4 in the Wal Mart parking lot beginning at 10 a.m. and a benefit concert by the “Mad Hatters” of Madison Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. in Roseman Auditorium.

While the Optimists are directing a large amount of effort to helping children in Mississippi, they also continue to work with Whitewater youth through regular popcorn fundraisers, a Christmas parade, a breakfast with Santa and the Coats for Kids fundraiser.

“These students have dedicated so much time and effort to helping others,” Adams said. “And I’m impressed with their ability to take on so much responsibility and manage so many activities at once.”

Adams added that any help or donations are welcome through Jan. 2 when the group departs for Mississippi. “We are accepting donations with open arms,” she said.

The Student Optimist organization is a volunteer-based, student-run organization that conducts service trips around the world to help children. In the past, the group has traveled to Jamaica to assist orphanages and to provide hurricane relief.

For more information, to make a tax-deductible donation or support the Student Optimists, contact Kim Adams at adamsk@uww.edu or (262) 472-1477.