From Devastation: How Student Service Took Root after Hurricane Camille

In 1969, Hurricane Camille was a disaster that tore entire families apart as well as the beautiful landscape of Nelson County. However, that type of devastation often spreads seeds of new life in the landscape and in the human family. This is true of Camille.

Madison House celebrates our 40th Anniversary year throughout 2009/10 - and recognizes Camille as the tragic inspiration that rooted UVA student-led volunteer service. Only months before Hurricane Camille devastated Nelson County the student service initiative at the University had for all intents and purposes died. However, as a result of the overwhelming community need caused by that terrible storm, students felt the profound compulsion to help their fellow Virginians during their most desperate hours. UVA student volunteers worked beside Dr. Rainer and others in the weeks and months that followed Camille. CHIP and SCRUB volunteers helped rebuild houses and provided other human services to help Nelson County residents find their lives again in the post-Camille world.

In doing this, students found their voice and took an active role in taking over the defunct YMCA service office and helped form The Masters and Fellows of Madison Hall. The Fellows organized with four weekly service initiatives that still exist today, Community Housing Improvement Program, CHIP; Students Concerned with Rural and Urban Betterment, SCRUB (known today as AHIP), Companion Therapy (today known as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Adopt-a-Grandparent) and Tutoring. Today, we've moved from Madison Hall to Madison House and those four inaugural programs have expanded to a total of 19 programs at over 95 sites serving approximately 20,000 local area residents annually. Even more powerful, though is the lasting impact that Madison House has on our alumni. Throughout our 40 years Madison House has taught generations of students the virtue and responsibility of taking care of our citizenry or as Jefferson once put it, servant-leadership.

Celebrate the contributions you made during your volunteer service at Madison House. This year we remember our accomplishments and plan the accomplishments of the next 40 years. Send us your pictures and stories from your time at Madison House as we build a timeline of our first 40 years of Leadership, Service and Community. Send your stories and pictures to allison@madisonhouse.org.