Better Late than Never!

This past Thursday, Shell brought a team of workers to help out on Professor Longhair's house. For those of you who might not be familiar with Professor Longhair, he was a blues singer and pianist who was active in the 60's and 70's. He is very well known in the New Orleans area and most commonly called "Fess" as a nickname for Professor. If you want to read more about Professor Longhair, click here.

Professor Longhair singing and rocking out on the piano!

Professor Longhair's house has been the biggest project that Project Homecoming has taken on. It is a large house that needed to be completely stripped down and reframed while simultaneously preserving as much as possible since it is considered a historical site. When it is completed, Professor Longhair's daughter and her son will live in part of the house, rent out a room to tenants and run a museum in the front of the house that will be a tribute to Fess.

Anna Leigh, Valentina and I posing on the second floor of Professor Longhair's house!

It's a beautiful house and I cannot wait to see it when it's done. The Shell volunteers were so excited to be working on such a unique site and made such a difference in just one day! Having volunteers on site truly does bring an energy that is contagious and inspiring. They were doing everything from installing ceiling tiles, painting the outside of the house, working on the roof, and clearing the back fence area. The best part of the day though? I even got to contribute!

Valentina and I priming ceiling boards in style!

Being on site was a nice change from being at the Village. I had been to Professor Longhair's house at the beginning of September and to come back just a month later and see all the progress was amazing. I know that my job is important - recruiting volunteers and contributing to their experience to make them want to come back - but often times I don't see the tangible difference. Coming onto site truly makes me see the difference that I am to make in this city and that rocked.

The Shell group and the Project Homecoming team!

Professor Longhair's daughter sharing her story and thanking the volunteers

Lesson from the Journey:  Don't wear black pants to a work site if you're not prepared to get primer on them!