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A team of 10 Oracle Direct Business Development Consultant (BDC) managers chose to hold their annual planning session in New Orleans this year because they wanted a team-building activity that also would give back to the community. On April 28, 2006, the BDC Management team, as well as Brent Kelley (local Solutions Consultant), spent the day volunteering with the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity in the city's Upper Ninth Ward, which was one of the areas hardest hit following the devastation from Hurricane Katrina.
JEight months after Katrina hit, the signs of destruction were everywhere, leaving the BDC managers in shock as they drove to the Habitat for Humanity work site.
"The devastation is beyond anything I imagined," said Rodney Salazar. "We all heard about the hurricane on the news when it happened, but to see it in person was very surreal. I wish we could have done more to help. I earnestly hope that our effort inspires others to investigate how they can help the people of New Orleans."
Once on location, the team spent the day mixing cement for new sidewalks, hauling sand around the foundations of new homes, and pounding nails.
Coincidently, the volunteer day also marked the start of the annual New Orleans Heritage and Jazz Festival. As a result, the management team was able to meet the Dave Matthews Band—a big supporter of Habitat for Humanity—who came by to tour the work site and meet with volunteers. When you're busy building houses, it's always nice to have the stars come to you!
"Working with Habitat for Humanity was a fantastic way for our Oracle team to give back to the community," Mark Holte said. "We all worked as a team and had a lot of fun doing it. This was the best team-building event I have ever been a part of."
Since Katrina hit in August of 2005, the city very slowly has been recovering from the devastating effects of the hurricane and the floods that followed. Many are surprised to learn that only half the population has returned, only 100 of 265 hotels are back in operation, eight of 20 hospitals remain closed, and large parts of the city are still without water, power, or sewage.
If your team is interested in helping out or organizing a volunteer activity for your next group team-building project, contact Carole Lam-Chin of Oracle's Global Corporate Citizenship Department. For additional information on the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, visit www.habitat-nola.org.
Oracle is committed to using our technology and resources to advance education in innovative ways, promote diversity, enrich the life of communities, and protect the environment. We are proud that the same innovative spirit behind Oracle's technological success also drives the creation of innovative global corporate citizenship initiatives that benefit our communities. The New Orleans Habitat for Humanity project is an example of one of our initiatives.
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