Florida State University - Renegade / Tally Ho Yearbook (Tallahassee, FL)

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A A c omes outside of the Home- stead area suffered severe damages from the strong vinds and heavy rains. Rehef efforts began immediately with dona- tions coming from around the state and country. Photo by Lejlee Ruthig. Tk he eye of the storm hit the city of Homestead levehng most of the homes, leaving others unsalvagable. Furniture and other valuables were lost, but the majority of the residents were thankful that their families survived. Photo by Lum Andemon. 20 Student Life

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HOMEWARD BounD STUDENTS HEAD HOME The appetizing steak and potatoes were a welcome reprieve from the normal nuked burritos. The smell of your mom ' s pies filled your nostrils andyour dog almost knockedyou down in his all too lovable greeting. If it was your first time, your mother gave a knowing sigh at your overflowing pile of laundry. If your were fortunate enough to have younger siblings, you marveled at how much they had changed. Your brother was not actually talking to girls w henyou left for school was he? Was that makeup you saw on your sister ' s lace? Home was everything you remembered, yet somehow it was different. The feeling students got when they went home for the weekend could be described as almost eerie. ' On my four-hour drive home, I ponder what will be different this trip, Orlando resident Wendy Exely said. The first time I went home. Mom had planted flowers. The second time she had wallpapered the bathroom and the third time she ' d done the kitchen as well. It ' s always an adventure to see what has changed about home this time. The first time I vent home it lelt like I was coming back from camp, but on the way back, it finally hit me that Tallahassee is where I live now, freshman Kristi Conklin said. It ' s such a different feeling to go home again. When I get to the door, I knock and open it at the same time. Even though it ' s my home and it ' s where I grew up, I don ' t live there anymore, junior Jason Longman said. I miss my little brother and sisters the most. They grow up so much while I ' m away, Jacksonville resident Nia Elliot said. Many freshmen felt overwhelmed with the desire to return to the security of their own bed and their old niche in society. Although many w ent through what seemed like four years of high school hell, anticipating the day when they would finally be able to pack their bags and head otf to the big university, they often found themselves longing to be back home. A lot of times, I ' m more homesick when I come back than before I go, Conklin said. It brings it all back to mind and makes me miss everything even more. My first semester in college, I went home every other weekend, even though it was six hours away, Immokalee resident Neida Schooler said. Many students were not lucky enough to visit home as much as they vished. Out-of- state students often had to wait until Christmas and summer breaks before seeing their family. However, when it was possible to return home, students raked in the advantages. Students grabbed the open opportunity to pump up the Tallahassee bank account, stock the fridge with pity-hlled home cooked meals and fill their closets with new clothes. My car is always more full coming back to Tallahassee than going home, English major Kara Raines said. I go shopping every time I go home without fail. Home was always a welcome sight for students. With the daily stress of college life, nothing seemed to relieve the tension of the overworked student better than a visit with the family. Although home could be described as only a building made of walls, these walls encompassed all of the memories that made home so special. These same walls w elcomed students back and seemed to remind them not only of who they were and how they got there, but also of where they had once been and what they had endured to get there. As the weekend ended, Monday came all too soon and students found themselves sitting in class holding a bit more of the walls than they had on Friday. BY ASHLEY WILLIAMS Going Home 19

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■kl». JP : Andrew THE HURRICANE THAT BROUGHT SO MUCH DESTRUCTION Hurricane Andrew drove through southern Florida devastating the property of local residents. Families were left homeless, without food and water. Although relief efforts immediately formed around the state nothing seemed to fill the needs of those affected by the destructive storm. Residents became refugees in their own land and they were forced to rely on the kindness of total strangers for their survival. Approximately 20,000 families received vouchers to get resettled and Red Cross officials estimated that 40,000 more families needed similar help. Ironically enough, the Red Cross had its hands full with typhoon victims in Guam and Hawaii and flood victims in the Midwest, as well as the families of Homestead. The Salvation Army also brought vans into the city with hot meals and cold drinks. Their carpenters immediately began work on repairing houses and joined the efforts of several local church organizations in their quest. The Federal Government moved families into portable metal homes and several relief agencies began builing new houses. Four days after the hurricane, 20,000 soliders arrived in Homestead and the greater Miami area to help with the efforts. Strict curfews were enforced by the military men to deter vandals from taking A ' hat little was left from local businesses and other personal belongings. Road blockades were set up which made entrance into the city difficult. Those who fled the area had to show definite proof of residence in order to be admitted into the city to return to what was left of their homes. In addition to the federal aid, thousands of men and women came from all over the United States. Many were from South Carolina and had survived Hurricane Hugo two years ago. The enormous number oi volunteers treated the victims with kindness and generosity. I couldn ' t believe the amount of support that we received. People were so kind. The last thing that I expected was the work of the Army, though, Rose Acosta, a Homestead resident, said. The Red Cross generated $59 million and the Salvation Army $10 million for the reconstruction of the disintegrated city. Tractor trailers brought tons of food, building supplies, mountains of used clothing and the equivalent of lakes in drinking water. Most of the donated goods went to the survivors. However, during the initial confusion, some of the shipments were accidentally dumped outdoors. Cartons of food broke open in the rain and great piles of clothes were soaked and had to be thrown away. Insurance companies worked feverishly on homeowner, life and auto claims for their clients. Despite positive volunteer efforts, some added more problems to an already desperate situation. Landlords forced residents to continue payment on their property and rented apartments. If they refused, eviction was eminent. Even with all the government and local help, universities around the state felt it was time to step in and help out. The relief effort was started as a result of a conversation Student Body President, Jeanne Belin had with University of Miami Student Body President David Diamond. T v as interested in this project because I was aware of the devastation the students would face. Plus I have family down there and I was concerned about their welfare, Belin said. Once Belin finished speaking with Diamond, she contacted the Vice President ' s Project Council to see if they wanted to help. The VPPC responded immediately by forming groups and calling the papers to get community support. Carrie Pollock, a member of student government, was chosen to head the relief project by the VPPC. I always wanted to be a part of Student Government. I contacted Jeanne Campbell and soon after was involved with the VPPC. I took on the relief effort because I am from Miami and I knew they could use anything we could give them, Pollock said. Another key player in organizing the relief effort vas food services director Joe Pianese. BY TRICIA TIMMONS Hurricane 21