Tour groups to give medical care

The tour business owner says New Orleans folks are always welcoming.
By AMANDA GARRETT
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
WAMPUM, PA. -- A local tour company is leading a volunteer medical and dental project to New Orleans to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Breakaway Tours, based in Wampum Pa., will be leading groups to New Orleans in June, August and October to help provide care to residents, said Charlene Troggio, a partner at Breakaway.
Breakaway is joining with Operation Blessing, a faith-based relief organization, and Global Humanitarian Expeditions, a nonprofit organization that sends volunteers to provide humanitarian assistance around the world.
The first group will be leaving Sunday to work at Operation Blessing's medical and dental clinic in hard-hit east New Orleans, Troggio said.
The June tour is booked, but the company is looking for dentists, hygienists, doctors and nurses to go for seven days each in July, August and October, Troggio said. Breakaway also is looking for nonmedical volunteers to work as administrators in the offices.
The volunteers will be working 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Troggio said.
The rest of the time will be spent sight-seeing at famous New Orleans locales such as the French Quarter and Bourbon Street.
Cost and other details
The cost of the seven-day trip is $1,190 and includes hotel accommodation, transportation in New Orleans and most meals. The cost does not include airfare and transportation to and from the home airport.
Troggio, who has led many tours to New Orleans, said this will be her first trip back to the area since Katrina hit.
She said she is looking forward to helping New Orleans residents receive much-needed care and money.
"I love the people of New Orleans," she said. "Unlike other places with a lot of tourists, they're always welcoming. We'll be giving a boost to the economy by pumping tourist dollars into the region."
Charlene has another, more personal reason for wanting to help New Orleans residents.
Her son Ross lives in the French Quarter, where he rode out Katrina in his apartment.
Ross, who works as a caricature artist in Jackson Square, was evacuated to Utah in the aftermath of the storm.
Ross's business has picked up after the storm, but many tourist destinations aren't so lucky, Troggio said.
Oak Alley Plantation, just outside New Orleans, lost much of its business after Katrina, she said.
"Oak Alley had 736 visitors per day before Katrina; now they have about 27," she said. "They're losing about $65,000 per month."
Troggio is planning on taking the volunteers on tours to Oak Alley and other New Orleans sites in need of tourist dollars.
For more information, contact Charlene Troggio at (724) 535-8687 or Kimberly Troggio at (303) 858-8857.
agarrett@vindy.com