A group of University of Southern Maine students spent their spring break helping Habitat for Humanity replace destroyed housing in Bay St. Louis, Miss., which is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005.

Gail Minichiello of Gorham, Barbara Petit of Saco and Katherine Cyr of Sanford left on March 24 and returned on March 31. Residence Director Gail Minichiello, who accompanied the group, explained that the students chose Bay St. Louis from among Habitat for Humanity Gulf Coast destinations because it received much less attention in the media. Hurricane Katrina destroyed about 80 percent of Bay St. Louis homes and businesses.

The group flew into New Orleans to spend a day sightseeing, after which they moved into bunkhouses at the Lagniappe Presbyterian Church where they slept and ate.

Students raised money throughout the academic year to cover their traveling expenses. They held bake sales and online silent auctions. The university’s Student Senate also donated money to finance the trip, and some students privately raised funds.