Tartans Traveling to Houston to Assist With Hurricane Cleanup

Twenty members of the St. Margaret’s community left today for a service trip to Houston to assist in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

The group includes 16 Upper School students, who are accompanied by Lora Allison, Upper School director of community life, Johnny Marmelstein, Dean of freshman and sophomore boys, and Upper School teachers Kate Cunningham and Karen Poffenberger.

The Tartans will work with Operation Blessing to assist with cleanup stemming from Hurricane Harvey, which caused catastrophic flooding throughout the region. The Tartans will help with trash and debris removal efforts that are ongoing at residences throughout the area. They will also take letters of well wishes and hope written by St. Margaret’s Lower School students to pass out to those affected by the hurricane.

The St. Margaret’s group includes freshmen, sophomores and juniors, with freshmen making up half of the students participating. Grade 9 students already are taking part in a revamped service learning approach in the Upper School, which includes a more consistent partnership with organizations and dedicated school time toward service. 

Operation Blessing is a faith-based international relief organization that works to alleviate human need and suffering through core programs that include disaster relief. St. Margaret’s previously worked with Operation Blessing during a 2013 service trip to New York and New Jersey to assist in Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.  

The group will fly back to California on Tuesday, and will share with the St. Margaret’s community what they did, who they met and offer insight on how communities rebuild after a disaster.

St. Margaret’s has also set up a fundraiser at www.smes.org/erd for those interested in offering financial assistance to the relief efforts through the Episcopal Relief and Development hurricane relief fund.