Restoring Hope One Pixel At A Time in Galveston

May 5, 2009 at 3:16 PM | by cmb | 1 Comment

Jaunted contributing editor Christine Bord has written frequently about Volunteer Travel and today, she tells us about her recent trip with Operation Photo Rescue.

Last weekend, in the dining room of Galveston�s historic Michel Menard House, seven volunteers from Operation Photo Rescue collected photos damaged during Hurricane Ike. After the on-site volunteers meticulously photograph each image, the photos are then uploaded to a worldwide network of image restoration artists (also volunteers) who will do their best to restore them. Once restored, the photos are returned to their owners at no charge.

I was one of those volunteers poring over moldy, torn and blurred pictures that were stuck to glass frames or worse, disintegrating in our hands. As heart-wrenching as it was to hear the survivor stories of those who lost their churches, cars, businesses, even pets in the hurricane, it was worse to watch the remainders of that life disappear as well.

Some residents were still living without electricity while others were missing their neighbors and friends who had since moved away. Though their stories varied, each person who brought us their family photos couldn�t have been more grateful that we were willing to take time to help their community.

My fellow volunteers, all with the best intentions, came from various points across the country, including New York City and San Diego. Granted, there was no television or even microwave, but we did sleep in a room that was once the slave quarters in the oldest house in Galveston.

Like most volunteer vacationers, we were given a chance to have some fun after hours. We walked on the beach and tried local cuisine. But the best part was the reward of knowing we helped restore hope to hurricane victims who thought their memories were lost forever.

Interested in volunteering for Operation Photo Rescue? Visit their website, www.operationphotorescue.org.

Related Stories:
· Operation Photo Rescue [Official Site]
· 1838 Michel B. Menard House Visitor Information [GHF]
· Volunteer Travel [Jaunted]

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Tags: Volunteer Travel / Galveston Field Trip / Operation Photo Rescue / → All Tags