The Diocese of Olympia is organizing another one week mission volunteer work trip to New Orleans, staying in the dormitory at St. Paul’s Homecoming Center. The date of arrival is Sunday, October 5, 2008, departing on Sunday afternoon, October 12, 2008.

Our group will be assigned work by the Office of Disaster Response for the Diocese of Louisiana and we won’t know exactly what our work will be until we are there.

The cost of the trip is $200 per person, which will cover meals shared at the Homecoming Center and the rental of vans to get us to and from the airport as well as the work sites. Volunteer drivers for the vehicles and a volunteer cook will be needed. Each individual is responsible for making and paying for their own flights or travel to New Orleans.

It is recommend you book a flight that will arrive on Sunday, October 5, between 3 and 7 p.m. and you plan your departure for Sunday, October 12, after 2:30 p.m., which will allow time to attend worship at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Sunday morning before departing.

If you wish to arrive in New Orleans before or stay after these dates, you are responsible for your own arrangements. The dormitory has cots with comfortable foam mattresses, you need to bring sheets and a light blanket (it is air conditioned and heated) and there are showers in a trailer behind the dorm and toilets in the Homecoming Center. A drug store is across the street and restaurants are nearby as well, even a Starbucks a block away from the church.

Some field trips for the group will be planned to Episcopal ministries/congregations involved in restoring New Orleans in the evening.

To reserve your spot please send either $100 deposit or the full $200 registration fee made out to “Diocese of Olympia” to: NOLA Mission Trip, PO Box 12126, Seattle, WA 98102. We will hold your spot, first come first served. There is room for 25 mission volunteers. Please also send your email contact information, name/address, and home and cell phone information.

You will find an introduction and complete information for volunteers here.

It is recommended you look at this before you decide whether to join the trip.

Two forms (medical release and volunteer agreement) that the Diocese of Louisiana requires must be completed and returned to the diocese before departure for New Orleans. You can print them out at these links and send them in to the same address as above, Diocese of Olympia.

Volunteer Medical Information

Volunteer Agreement and Release

 Please address any further questions to Kathy Hamilton (khamilton@ecww.org) or Carl Knirk (cknirk@ecww.org) at Diocesan House in Seattle.

We are looking forward to the opportunity to help our brothers and sisters at St. Paul’s in a very hands on way and hope you take this opportunity to join us.

Thank You!