The BonaResponds banner on display in the entrance of the Swan Building
Steven Stutz/The Bona Venture
stutza20@bonaventure.edu
BY: TUCKER REILLY, ADVISORY EDITOR
BonaResponds is going to Florida for the first time this winter break. The campus service organization will be taking a trip to Pine Island to work in relief and construction after the devastation of Hurricane Ian.
Jim Mahar, an associate professor of finance and coordinator of BonaResponds, described the kind of work volunteers on the trip would participate in.
“I am pretty confident we will be ‘gutting’,” said Mahar. “That means when you go into a house, you take everything; all these people’s life possessions, to see what is salvageable. We then take the drywall out — everything down to the studs — and do mold abatement to prevent mold from coming back.”
“Gutting” is one of the first steps in disaster relief, as it prepares residential areas for the rebuilding process. The next step would involve putting new drywall up, but Mahar explained that volunteers were unlikely to participate in this stage.
“Unfortunately, when recovering from a disaster, time moves differently. Some things seem to happen instantly, some take forever, some things never arrive at all,” said Mahar. “I’m pretty confident we could still be doing drywall down there during Spring Break next year.”
While in Florida, BonaResponds is partnering with a local organization known as the Cajun Navy. The Cajun Navy, which initially formed after Hurricane Katrina, specializes in search-and-rescue using private boats. In the years since their founding, the group has established chapters across the country and expanded their programs into food and shelter relief. BonaResponds previously collaborated with the Cajun Navy in Dickinson, Texas; the two organizations worked together in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
Another key activity for BonaResponds is the installation of wheelchair ramps. Mahar explained that many residents — especially those on fixed income — rely on ramps in order to stay out of assisted living centers.
“The storm washed away most of the ramps that people had,” said Mahar. “Consequently, they’re in a bad place. They [the Cajun Navy] were super excited to hear that BonaResponds has put in over 300 wheelchair ramps. We know what we’re doing in that department.”
Students participating in the 10-day trip will have their food and shelter covered — although Mahar has warned students to bring sleeping bags. The only large expense for volunteers is the plane ticket to Florida.
Above all, the BonaResponds trip offers an affordable opportunity to give aid and build relationships. Mahar described the unique sensation of working alongside other volunteers on past trips.
“I remember once, I watched a junior at Bonaventure tell a CEO what to do because the CEO was working on the job as well,” said Mahar. “When you’re in blue jeans, you don’t know who anyone is and all the labels get dropped. You’re just people helping people. And it’s a really cool community.”
reillyt19@bonaventure.edu
