NY girl scouts help out in PC

Girl Scout volunteers Abby Matteson and Mili Carrozzo from upstate New York work on digging a hole at a residence on Kent Street in Phil Campbell where their group is constructing a porch and stairs. The new mobile home where they are working replaced the residence that was destroyed by the April 27 tornado.

PHIL CAMPBELL – Even though it has been almost a year since the EF-5 tornado ripped through the town of Phil Campbell on April 27, 2011, there are still people from near and far who are dedicated to helping those who are still trying to recover.
This week, a group of Girl Scouts with the disaster relief team from the Girl Scout Council of Nypenn Pathways in upstate New York have been in the area helping to build porches and stairs for those in trailers and repair roofs that are still damaged.
Karen Lubecki, who works for the Girls Scout Council, said it was actually the girls themselves who chose to help in Phil Campbell out of all the places between upper New York and Northwest Alabama where they could have offered their services.
“The girls knew there was a great need here and that this was one of the hardest places hit by the tornadoes last April,” Lubecki said. “These girls come from all over our council area and not just one specific group. They’re part of the council’s disaster relief team and they’re glad to be here to help.”
Among the group of girls, who are all between the ages of 16 and 18, is Mili Carrozzo, an exchange student from Argentina who is studying in New York.
“Some of my friends came here before and invited me to come,” she said. “I wanted to have this experience helping people because I thought it would be a good memory to take back from my time as an exchange student.”
Danielle Cobb, who has be a part of the council’s disaster relief team for the past three years, said this has already been a rewarding experience for her.
“When I first heard about the team, I knew I wanted to be a part of it because I love to help people get a fresh start,” Cobb said. “We’ve actually met the people that we’re helping this week and it’s nice to know who you are helping.”
Carrozzo agreed it was good to have a face to go along with the project.
“Instead of working for something, you see that you’re really working for someone.”
Carrozzo and Cobb both said the hospitality they’ve received since arriving in Alabama has also made the trip a great experience.
“Everyone is so nice,” Cobb said. “They are constantly making sure we have everything we need.”
Gene Hamby, who is the president of Habitat for Humanity of the Shoals, coordinated the trip for the girls and their leaders but he didn’t actually coordinate the group of Girl Scouts through Habitat for Humanity.
“We coordinated this trip through the Presbyterians of North Alabama who help with disaster recovery,” Hamby said. “My church, First Presbyterian in Sheffield, has been housing this group of girls and we are very glad to have them here.”
Hamby said the girls regularly use their fall and spring breaks to help others with building projects like the ones they are working on in Phil Campbell.
“Several of these girls have been doing this for a few years now and are semi-skilled at building,” Hamby said. “They know how to work and how to get things done efficiently, so they are really a great asset.”
Hamby, who said he isn’t actually qualified to oversee the construction that is taking place this week, enlisted the help of John Raimer, who works with the Baptist Association as a volunteer coordinator and construction manager.
“We were lucky that John was available this week to oversee the girls because he definitely knows what he’s doing,” Hamby said. “We call him ‘John the Baptist’ because of all the good work he has done here and in other disaster-effected areas.
“Even though he works with the Baptist Association, we know we all have to work together to get things done here in Phil Campbell and that it takes people working as a team to make that happen.”
Raimer, who spent two years in Southern Louisiana following Hurricanes Ike and Rita, came with a group of people to Phil Campbell when funds ran out for their projects in the bayou. He has been in Phil Campbell since June working on various recovery projects in the area.
“God brought me here to Phil Campbell – He’s the one that takes me everywhere I go,” Raimer said. “I knew there was a need and it’s all about helping. It isn’t about me or what I’m doing. It’s about the volunteers and getting people the help they need to move forward.”
After they finish building the porch and steps for a trailer on Kent Street, the Girl Scouts will move on to repairing a roof in another part of town before taking the 1,000-mile trek back to upstate New York on Friday.