A fall break basement party | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame






	
	





  	Skip To Content
	Skip To Navigation
	Skip To Search






  
  
    University of Notre Dame

    
      
      Notre Dame News

      
      
    


    
    
      
        
        
        	
	Experts
	ND in the News
	Subscribe
	About Us
	


      
        
          
          
          
          
          
        

      


      
    


    
    
      	 Home
	 Contact
	 Search
	
          
          
            
            
          
          Menu
        
        


      
        
          
          
          
          
          
        

      

    

  

  
  

  

  
    	Home › 
	News › 
	A fall break basement party


    
      
        
          A fall break basement party

          
            
              
                
                Published: October 22, 2008
              

              
                Author: Michael O. Garvey
              

              







          

          
          
          

          
        
        
        
          

Modulating the more conventional escapades of fall break, 20 Notre Dame students went on a five-hour road trip this week to frolic with jackhammers, sledges, buckets and shovels in a moldy basement.

In the aftermath of the June floods, St. Wenceslaus Catholic Parish in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, included some of the most hopelessly waterlogged buildings in that Mississppi riverside city.The heroic efforts of hundreds of parishioners and other volunteers enabled the reopening of the 134-year old church by Sept. 28, in time for the celebration of Mass on its patronal feast day.

But the rectory was taking a longer time to dry, and its basement was still dangerously larded with contaminated dirt from the floodwater which had filled it months earlier.David Martin, the parish manager, was concerned about the potentially harmful effects of the mold and resulting vapors.

Two Notre Dame sophomores, Hugh McDermott of Springfield, Ill., and Noelle Hilmer of Elm Grove, Wis., organized the basements cleanup with help of University alumni in the Cedar Rapids area.They spent most of Monday pulverizing the basement floor and removing several inches of rocks and soil.They plan to continue in flood recovery projects for the rest of the week.

Seth Miller, a 1997 alumnus and board member of the Notre Dame Club ofCedar Rapids/Iowa City, spoke proudly of the 20 students the club has hosted.

These kids are first class and great representatives of Notre Dame,Miller said.

When a reporter from the Cedar Rapids Gazette newspaper asked Hilmer about the culture of community service in Notre Dames student life, she ingenuously amplified Millers point.

It’s just built into everything,she told him.You hear about it in all your classes.

TopicID: 30086

        

        
        
          
            

          

        
      
      
    
  
  
    	Home
	Experts
	ND in the News
	Subscribe
	About Us


  

  
  
    
     
  
  

  
  
    
      	For the Media
	Contact


    
            
    
      
	Office of Public Affairs and Communications


      Notre Dame News

      
        
          
            500 Grace Hall
 
            Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA
          
          
          
          
        

        
          	 Facebook
	 Twitter
	 Instagram
	 YouTube
	 Pinterest


        
      

      
© 2022 University of Notre Dame

    
    
      

        
      
      
        
          	Search
	Mobile App
	News
	Events
	Visit
	Accessibility


        
        
          	 Facebook
	 Twitter
	 Instagram
	 YouTube
	 LinkedIn