PASS CHRISTIAN, MISS. — Today around 3 p.m. students and other volunteers from the Kent State community left The Village, the tent camp they’ve been staying in all week for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

“The things we set out to do on this project from a student standpoint have been achieved,” said Ron Perkins, one of the organizers of the Kent State United for Biloxi project and associate director of

University Dining Services. “Students have learned skill sets like roofing and drywall that are contrary to the way we normally live.”

Throughout the week, Kent State volunteers worked around the Pass Christian and Biloxi communities. Crews were dispersed to build

drywall and roofs, tutor children, volunteer at food pantries and distribution centers and clean up debris around both cities.

“I’ve learned so much on this trip,” sophomore biology major Lauren Crebs said. “It’s taught me not to complain about little things. I can’t even spit my gum out anymore on the ground.”

The buses transporting the Kent State United for Biloxi volunteers is scheduled to arrive back in Kent sometime Saturday afternoon.

When classes resume, the Daily Kent Stater will devote two days to recap the Biloxi trip in its print edition.

Contact student affairs reporter Aman Ali at [email protected].