Piedmont students aid in disaster relief
Six Piedmont students traveled to Lakeshore, Miss. to give aid to victims of Hurricane Katrina
by Beth Yeary
Issue date: 1/12/09 Section: Features
Over the break, six Piedmont students attended Overflow, a mission trip that traveled to Lakeshore, Mississippi. Erin Ashcraft, Nathan Dean, Kim Faulkner, Aimee Garner, Whitney Matthews, and Maghan Holmes left Dec. 21, 2008 to Lakeshore, where they made repairs to two houses that belonged to victims of Hurricane Katrina. The students also painted decks and did anything needed to help residents.
The Baptist Collegiate Ministry, BCM, sponsored the trip, which was organized by Piedmont BCM leader Aaron Land and David Kirkland, the overseers of the BCM at Truett College and Toccoa Falls College, as well as Piedmont. Piedmont was not the only college in attendance. 250 students went to Lakeshore from colleges from all over Georgia, including Georgia Tech and Valdosta State Universities.
"I heard them talking about it in BCM. After I heard Whitney and others call it "Katrina," I wanted to go. My brother had gone to Lakeshore, Mississippi before and he told me about his experience. So, I wanted to go and be able to help the less fortunate, "says Faulkner.
The students stayed in either cabins with bunk beds, a single-wide trailer or tents. Some of the lodges were named after the Gospels, like Matthew or Luke.
"The bathroom was named after St. John. It was funny," says Ashcraft.
Each night of the trip, a worship service was held, including on New Year's Eve.
According to Ashcraft, there was a discussion at that service of what students could do to serve others on campus in 2009. The services were led by Xaq Matthews, the BCM leader from Augusta State University. Holmes was asked to read a piece of Scripture at the New Year's Eve service.
"Just being with the people and what they had gone through, maintaining such high spirits really inspired me and I learned so much from them and their character" says Holmes.
After the service, Holmes, Ashcraft and Garner walked two miles down the road to a beach where they watched the fireworks. The group returned home on Jan. 1.
The Baptist Collegiate Ministry, BCM, sponsored the trip, which was organized by Piedmont BCM leader Aaron Land and David Kirkland, the overseers of the BCM at Truett College and Toccoa Falls College, as well as Piedmont. Piedmont was not the only college in attendance. 250 students went to Lakeshore from colleges from all over Georgia, including Georgia Tech and Valdosta State Universities.
"I heard them talking about it in BCM. After I heard Whitney and others call it "Katrina," I wanted to go. My brother had gone to Lakeshore, Mississippi before and he told me about his experience. So, I wanted to go and be able to help the less fortunate, "says Faulkner.
The students stayed in either cabins with bunk beds, a single-wide trailer or tents. Some of the lodges were named after the Gospels, like Matthew or Luke.
"The bathroom was named after St. John. It was funny," says Ashcraft.
Each night of the trip, a worship service was held, including on New Year's Eve.
According to Ashcraft, there was a discussion at that service of what students could do to serve others on campus in 2009. The services were led by Xaq Matthews, the BCM leader from Augusta State University. Holmes was asked to read a piece of Scripture at the New Year's Eve service.
"Just being with the people and what they had gone through, maintaining such high spirits really inspired me and I learned so much from them and their character" says Holmes.
After the service, Holmes, Ashcraft and Garner walked two miles down the road to a beach where they watched the fireworks. The group returned home on Jan. 1.
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