OSHKOSH, Wis. – Seven students from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Inter-Tribal Student Organization are spending their spring break from March 20 – 28 in Dulac, La., home of the Native American Houma Nation. The students have chosen to use their vacation to give back to tribal people whose communities have been devastated by natural disasters over the past several years.

Hurricanes have ravaged the region’s people, homes and resources, and students’ empathy with the Native American people of the Gulf Coast has moved the Inter-Tribal Student Association to create a Houma Relief Service Trip.

The students, who are from the Menominee, Stockbridge-Munsee and Oneida nations, hope this service trip will have a positive impact, not only on the Houma Nation, but also on the student participants and their communities. Students will present on their experiences at Native Pride at UWO on May 8, and will do similar presentations for other groups and in university courses.

The Houma Nation was devastated not just by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but also Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008, which hit the bayous with enormous force.

The students participating in the service trip are Kala Kimberly Cornelius, Oneida; Gerald Mose Kaquatosh, Menominee; Jessica Miller, Stockbridge-Munsee; Elyshia Otradovec, Stockbridge-Munsee; Renee Waukechon Ross, Menominee; Roger Wescott, Menominee; and Sammi Jo Wescott, Menominee. The students will be accompanied by their advisors, Barb Miller, Stockbridge-Munsee and Miriam Schacht.

In addition to helping with recovery and rebuilding efforts, ITSO hopes to have the opportunity for cultural exchange, and to get to know tribal people in the community. As Native American college students, they also have a unique opportunity to serve as role models.

“I think it is an awesome opportunity for us Native students to help other Natives in need,” Cornelius said. “Their situation helps us realize that we should not take what we have for granted, and if an opportunity comes along to help out. … we should do it. And I am so glad we are.”

Kaquatosh, who also serves as ITSO president, is hoping to continue this service trip in the coming years. “Students turning down the beach to do relief work is something powerful, and I cannot wait to share my experience and hopefully get more people involved in what will be our second annual service trip next year.”

In order to make this trip financially accessible to all participants, ITSO and the UW-Oshkosh American Indian Student Services office are covering most of the participants’ expenses, and are also hoping to provide cleaning/work supplies as well as books for children and youths. To help raise funds, ITSO auctioned off a North Star Casino gift package on eBay.

The trip is sponsored by the Inter-Tribal Student Group and American Indian Student Services, and is supported by donations from the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans, the North Star Casino and Oneida Bingo and Casino.

Donations can be sent to Miriam Schacht, Department of English, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wis. 54901. In the week prior to the trip, ITSO hopes to set up locations at UW-Oshkosh and in tribal communities for donations of work supplies like work gloves, masks, etc. and books for children.