As many of you know, EchoDitto recently returned from New Orleans, LA, the site of this year's company retreat. We spent an amazing four days enjoying the grandeur of the Buckner Mansion, gorging ourselves on gumbo, jambalaya, po' boys and bread pudding, and of course, laying the groundwork for an exceptional year ahead. We come back to our offices in New York, Washington and Boston feeling smarter, stronger and excited to share our learnings with our incredible clients.
This year's retreat was a bit different from previous years in that it included a day of community service. At seven am Wednesday morning, we piled in our minivans and headed for New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward, a neighborhood that was largely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2004. We were met by Britney and Melody, two amazing staffers from ACORN, which is the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families. ACORN has been at the forefront of Katrina relief in the Lower Ninth Ward since the beginning, and, with the help of 15,000 volunteers across the country, has preserved more than 2,500 homes in New Orleans.
Our project for the day was to gut a church that had been destroyed by Katrina, and the ensuing floods. The entire neighborhood was a disaster, from the school across the street to the empty lots that once housed residents of the Lower Ninth Ward. Many of us were stunned to see how desolate the area remained, more than three years after the Hurricane struck New Orleans. In many spots, it looked like the levees could have broken the day before, the destruction was still so apparent.
After donning our goggles, gloves, respirators and tyvek suits, we set to work. All we knew was that we had to take apart the church, from the pews on the first floor to the baptismal bath upstairs, everything had to go. As most of our clients know, we're a pretty nerdy bunch, and spend most of our time attached to our MacBook Pros, not crowbars and sledgehammers. Still, we walked into the church and somehow, we just knew what to do. Together, we ripped apart benches, knocked down sheet rock walls, unhinged doors, broke apart wall fixtures, swept up countless piles of dirt and debris, and even tore apart the bathrooms. We were pretty much suited up from head to toe, and the respirators prevented us from being able to talk most of the time, so we were fairly indistinguishable from each other for most of the day. Tina described it as "a waltz," moving in tandem with each other, trusting one another to lead and follow when necessary.
Once we finished up at the church, Britney and Melody took us on a tour of the Lower Ninth Ward. Our first stop was the Lower Ninth Ward Village, a community center in the making that hopes to serve the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward as they attempt to rebuild their lives. We had the opportunity to speak with Mack McClendon, the center's owner, who described feeling "chosen" to lead this project. His faith, and that of the numerous volunteers and staff of the fledgling center, was one of the most inspiring parts of the day.
Residents are starting to return to New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward, but in order to sustain vibrant community, they need schools, places of worship, community centers, businesses and social services to follow. With the help of countless staff and volunteers, the church we gutted last week will be rebuilt alongside a school and new homes. EchoDitto was honored to be a part of the effort, if only for a day. We return to our daily lives with a renewed sense of pride and focus on the mission of our company--to create vibrant communities and empower people through the use of emerging technologies.
Speaking of emerging technologies, check out our flickr feed.
