The Servant Leadership House | Ashland University

"The essence of leadership is not giving things or even providing visions.
It is offering oneself and one's spirit."
Lee Bolman & Terence Deal

Hurricane Katrina Relief Trip

Juliet Thomas
"The house my group worked on had not been touched since Katrina struck in August. The development we were in was full of beautiful brick homes and it became obvious right then about what they meant during our orientation when we first arrived that there was no longer a difference between the rich and the poor; Katrina destroyed everything. On the siding of the house someone had spray painted “Katrina Killed Me.” We never heard the story behind those words or found out who wrote them, but every person stopped and stared at it as we walked inside the house. I'll never forget the incredible work ethic of the AU students. They gave and gave of themselves all day long and never complained; they only wanted to do more. During our reflection time at the church we stayed at in Alabama on the drive home, several people mentioned how inspired they were by the selflessness and kindess of all the volunteers we encountered and the homeowners we spoke with. For me, it was such a blessing to be a part of something that displayed the true meaning of CHRISTmas."

Carly Eger

"Overall, the trip made my Christmas season very different from past years. I was coming home on Christmas Eve from an environment where homes were completely destroyed and people had nothing. As I opened my presents, I couldn't help but think of how many belongings we all have and what we could do without. I think that the trip really brought out my passion for service and made me realize how easy it is to find a place to volunteer where there are people in need. Everyone in Ocean Springs ended up inspiring me and filling me with hope, which is what I was planning on doingfor them.

Emily Garrison
"On our trip to Ocean Spring, I was given the opportunity to help in the soup kitchen, gutted out a house, and work in a toy distribution center for the holidays. For me, the trip was a wonderful experience. Living in the Servant Leadership House, I got to see the project develop from start to finish. Not only was it amazing to see but also very educational and informative on what all went into it. I am overjoyed to see how many people where so generous and helpful to us along our journey. It was wonderful to experience volunteers from all over the world coming together to make the continuous effort down there possible. In Oceans Springs, it amazes me on how one dedicated congregation has made such an impact on their community. Above all, I will remember the devastation I saw. It is remarkable on how powerful our Lord can be when he chooses todemonstrate his strength. He is such a wonderful creator and destroyer. Since I have been back, I have shared my pictures to so many people to show them the state that these areas are left in and how they are still in need of help. I often think about our trip and the people down there that still need help and contemplate my own return."

Don and JanRinehart
"To the Exeutive board of AU:

Thank you for sponsoring the trip to Mississippi . It was definitely a privilege to work with the incrediblile AU student volunteers. They were committed to making a positive difference by their presence and they did so in countless ways! They worked tirelessly. Never once in the entire experience did I see anyone of the AU team slack-off. We did hard physical labor all day, returned to the soup kitchen at the Church, gratefully ate whatever was being served, and then without being prompted, many of our students went to the kitchen and offered to serve food, wash dishes, scrub pans, and/or sweep floors. Other volunteers, the Church leaders, and community residents were amazed at the graciousness and positive energy of our students. Although they slept in Tent City , used porta-pots and porta -showers, we never heard whining or a complaint! Our A sweatshirts made us identifiable and our positive presence was noted.

It was a life altering experience to witness the devastation wrought by Katrina. The resilient spirit of the people whose lives have been irrevocably altered was humbling. They were so appreciative! To be with them certainly gave each of us an opportunity to re-establish priorities and re-evaluate what we previously thought important.

Finally, participating in this experience restored my faith in the American people! Not only are the vicitms working to resore order to their lives, but volunteers from all over the country (and even a Japaneese international student ) are joining them to help with the rebuilding. Unbelievable amounts of donated items are arriving daily - food, new toys, tools, etc. Americans are amazingly generous people who really care about the pain of others. Although the media does not adequately reflect this, the majority of the people of our country are kind, caring and generous - even corporate America whose donations were unbelivable.