The Daily Aztec

Issue date: 5/6/08 Section: Travel & Adventure

Media Credit: MCT Campus

While some students use summer to take a mental break, others will immerse themselves in the culture, homes and very humid weather of New Orleans.

Ecotourism and Voluntourism have never been so popular.

And now there are "Nawleanteers," a term used by San Diego State student Adam Kronenberg that comes from the phrase: "New Orleans volunteer," spoken with a Louisiana accent.

Kronenberg is one of the founders of College Students for New Orleans. A few weeks ago, he stood in front of a classroom with fellow founder Mark Kellner as they made their case for volunteering.

Erica Arthur was one of three people who attended the meeting. The English major said she wanted to help after Hurricane Katrina hit the coast, but the Red Cross didn't have any open positions.

"As an American, I feel like I have a responsibility to help the people over there. I've been wanting to do this for a while, and now I finally have an opportunity to do that," Arthur said.

Together, Kronenberg and Kellner have become a well-balanced volunteer machine in a military-like fashion.

"He was the good guy and I was the bad guy when it came to this," Kellner said. "It is important that we do go out and enjoy the city and see why people love this city, why it's such a dynamic place … just because of the history, the culture, the people, you have to experience that.

"It's the balance of understanding that culture and why it's such an amazing place, and helping those people out."

They are organizing their fourth volunteer trip to the city this summer, June 13 to 22. They registered their organization on campus after their first trip and were eligible to receive school money. Last Spring Break, the school paid the air fare for more than 20 student volunteers. They weren't able to secure the funds this time, so they'll be driving out in 12 passenger vans.

Once there, the group will stay at Camp Hope, an abandoned middle school converted into housing for volunteers. Kronenberg explained that because so many families left the area, there were not enough students to fill the schools.

Volunteers primarily focus on rebuilding homes. They can be used in any part of the rebuilding process from gutting to painting and no experience is necessary.

In past trips, there were also opportunities to go on ghost tours and disaster tours. Kellner and Kronenberg said that sometimes meeting the locals adds to the excitement.

"They say you meet someone from the South, you talk to them once, it's like you've known them your whole life and it really does feel like that," Kronenberg said.

Kellner and Kronenberg are appreciative of the money the school has given them and the students who have volunteered, but they say there is more work to be done. They'd like to see more money and volunteers come from SDSU.

"So many people think it's over and done with," Kellner said.

Right now only eight people are signed up, but they're hoping for more than 20. The deadline to sign up for the trip is May 15. The trip costs $300, which covers food at the camp, water, lodging and transportation to and from Louisiana.

For more information, visit http://studentsvolunteer.googlepages.com, Myspace.com/nawleanteer or e-mail Adam Kronenberg at: AdamKronenberg@aol.com.

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