 "Photo: Courtesy Wayne Wang")
On the evening of Aug. 27, five years after Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the city of New Orleans, jazz music could be heard near the Reflection Pond.
The jazz band, made up of students from Bethune-Cookman University, began to play "Amazing Grace," and a crowd of people with lit candles formed a circle for a moment of silence.
The ceremony, put together by the non-profit organization Hope for Stanley, was held not only to celebrate the hope of the city and honor those who lost their lives, but to also remind everyone that it's been five years since the tragedy and there is still much work to be done.
"We believe that this city will be great once again," said Devan Dignan, a second year graduate student and co-coordinator for Hope for Stanley Alliance, which comprises 58 students from the DeVos Sports Business Management program that perform volunteer work in New Orleans.
On Aug. 15, the group went to the city for five days and rebuilt homes, fixed recreational parks and delivered goods to those in need.
"We all have a calling from God to help and serve one another," said Austin Moss, who has attended four Hope for Stanley trips and is also pursuing a master's in sports business management. "It's rewarding to know you can help others."
The most recent trip in August marks Hope for Stanley's 25th journey to New Orleans since Richard Lapchick, chair and director of the DeVos Sports Business Management program, first took 10 DeVos students, his family and a couple family friends to New Orleans to offer community service in December 2006.
"The Lower Ninth Ward hasn't improved much since the storm," Lapchick said. "We think it's important to help residents believe that they can get into a home that they can't even see."
During the trip in 2006, the group met Stanley Stewart, a parishioner who was considering leaving his damaged home permanently and starting a new life for himself and his family. Since his home was just a few blocks away from a levee, the house had been severely damaged by 14 feet of flooding and needed a great deal of work.
In response to Stewart's dire situation, the 10 students took it upon themselves to rebuild his home.
During a period of 10 months, more UCF students came on different trips during spring break and summer break to gut out the water, rebuild the interior, fix the roof and move Stewart and his family into their new home.
Even in the face of hardship and great difficulty, Stewart offered the students encouraging thoughts and told them to keep strong. It was these traits that he possessed that inspired the group to take on the name Hope for Stanley, and in February 2007, the Hope for Stanley Alliance was officially launched.
"Stanley is personally one of the most amazing people I've ever met," Dignan said. "His attitude is a representation of the spirit of New Orleans."
Over a span of 25 trips, the nonprofit, inspired by the parishioner, has had more than 700 volunteers and has spent more than 23,000 hours in repairs, making it their mission to show how sports can promote social change.
The DeVos Sports Business Management program places community service high on its list of priorities, requiring students to perform at least 40 hours of service a semester.
"I believe that these trips firmly reinforce how the program can help people," Lapchick said. "They give students examples of how a team that they might work for someday can help communities."
Dignan said he believes that sports and helping the community go hand-in-hand and that sports organizations should feel obligated to give back because of their huge influence.
Rita Grayson, a DeVos student who has been on three trips and is a New Orleans native, felt a great drive to come back to her city and help out.
"These trips have opened my eyes to the uniqueness of my city," Grayson said. "You can see how much these people love New Orleans."
Hope for Stanley Alliance goes to New Orleans once every winter and spring break, as well as twice during the summer.
There is a trip scheduled for Dec. 12. Students interested should e-mail hopeforstanley@gmail.com.
