The following feature story is one of a series commemorating the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a disaster that tragically ended many lives, devastated dozens of cities and communities, and forever changed the fabric of disaster response. Three alumni of the Hesston College Disaster Management Program took time to share their recollections of serving as young people during the aftermath of Katrina—and how that experience still touches their hearts today. Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. The storm was one of the costliest and deadliest hurricanes in history, resulting in an estimated 1,833 deaths, hundreds of thousands of people displaced, and billions of dollars in damages. “I cried and gripped homeowners in long hugs, I wept in my bunk after long days of work where I wasn’t sure if I was leading the work correctly. I was not—I then cried in gratitude for crew leaders and project directors who took time to teach me how to correct my mistakes and gave me space to try it on my own,” reflects Alicia Hertzler, MDS Coordinator for Weekly Volunteer Retention. “My summers spent with MDS also showed me how incredibly moving it can be when people show up together to help others.” -- Click the link below to read the full story! #MDSResponds #RespondRebuildRestore #MennoniteDisasterService (fb)

After their first assignment in 1991, Jerry and Doreen Klassen accumulated more than 1,500 days of voluntary service with Mennonite Disaster Service over 14 years — simply by responding to a call when asked. After Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, MDS responded to widespread need with the unprecedented financial support of its donor community. Jerry accepted a newly created staff position as Disaster Response Coordinator in 2006, and Doreen offered administrative support as his assistant. The two were heavily involved in MDS’ Hurricane Katrina response. As Jerry gained experience in his new role and observed projects that worked and didn’t, he started to explore what made or broke an MDS project. He identified four factors — meaningful work, funding, volunteers and volunteer accommodation — and shared his observations with Kevin King, MDS Executive Director. While they both claim the other coined the term, those factors came to be known as the four pillars in MDS and continue to inform the responses that MDS pursues today. -- Read the full story via the link! #MDSResponds #RespondRebuildRestore #MennoniteDisasterService (fb)