Destination: Hawaii

This summer, I will be traveling to Hawaii where I will be documenting a summer camp for homeless children organized by the Christmas Wish Program. For ten days, I will be traveling with teen mentors and their "keiki" as they explore the islands.

I am a little more than halfway to my plane ticket, but still have $1,100 to go to finance the program costs. I am asking for help from anyone who is able to give, but I understand now is not the easiest time for donating. If you are able to donate, however, you can visit www.firstgiving.com/chelseyengel.

Most people don't think of Hawaii as a place of poverty, but the fact is it has the 5th highest poverty rate in the country. To help those affected, the Christmas Wish program provides year-round services to children allowing them to have as normal of a life as possible.

To learn more about this program and its founder, Magin Patrick, visit the link below to an article written in a Hawaiian newspaper.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Dec/24/ln/ln05p.html

Ekoostik Hookah

Thanks to my wicked internship with the City Paper, I scored free tickets to see Ekoostik Hookah at the Rex last weekend. I'm so accustomed to seeing them at Nelson Ledges, so this was a completely different environment. Though, there were some familiar elements that brought me back to that sweet, sweet place- hippies dancing out of beat, fans yelling "Hoooooooookaaaaaaaaaaaah" in between every song, and, of course, great music.

Yes, a fantastic, high-energy show...and I got to capture some moments.

Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans

I just got back from my spring break trip in New Orleans doing Habitat for Humanity. I had no idea at the beginning of the week how much the trip would affect me. I know now that when I graduate, I definitely want to join AmeriCorps and hopefully work full-time with Habitat.

Getting to build a home for someone who lost everything and getting to meet them is absolutely incredible. The experience was well worth the lack of sleep and the 8 hours of intense labor throughout the day because I now have such a new, revitalized view of life and I am ready to do more work with Habitat this summer!

Here are some photos I took during the week.



Season Swanson, a single mother, is currently in the process of obtaining her Habitat home. She was on site working with Point Park students in St. Tammany West last week.



Steve, aka Speedy, works on siding for a shed.


Spray-paint on homes in New Orleans reveals the number of victims from that household.

Ronald Lewis, the founder of the House of Dance and Feathers, is striving to preserve the culture of New Orleans.