SLIDE SHOW: Evacuated residents hang out at the LSU Fieldhouse
The winds were picking up as Hurricane Ivan bore down on theGulf Coast, but that didn’t stop former LSU quarterback Melvin Hillfrom organizing a game of flag football behind the Carl MaddoxFieldhouse Wednesday afternoon.
But Hill, who now works for LSU’s Department of RecreationalSports, wasn’t the only one looking to show the displaced victimsof Hurricane Ivan’s impending landfall a good time.
As Gov. Kathleen Blanco walked around the Fieldhouse greetingsome of the more than 600 people sheltered there, around 10non-essential Rec Sports employees slipped quietly through the backdoor.
Armed with board games such as Clue, multi-colored cones forobstacle courses and other sporting equipment, they invitedchildren to play.
Associate Director of Recreational Sports Mike Giles said thestaff decided to come and help out the evacuees around noonThursday after securing the Rec Center.
“Our first priority of course is to the students, but once wesecured the Rec we focused on the community,” Giles said. “It’simportant to us that we can provide a service to those that arestuck here.”
A cones course was set up inside the fieldhouse for children toride bicycle-like toys around in a race to see who could completethe course first.
Fitness graduate assistant Emily Schlumbrecht, who set up thecones course, said the children were enjoying the courses and itwas taking their minds off the hurricane.
“This really shows that we’re not just for LSU,” Schlumbrechtsaid. “We care about the community and we’re willing to come outand help.”
Later, a truck pulled up behind the fieldhouse and raised theRec’s new rock climbing wall as a line to try out the wall built upquickly.
Seven-year-old Torie Harris of New Orleans was the first evacueeto climb the rock wall.
He said he wasn’t scared of the hurricane, but his mother,Reonda Mott, said three hours ago he wasn’t doing anything butthinking about the hurricane.
“He gets a little worried. When they see it on TV, they getworried about it,” Mott said. “It’s really important to keep theirminds off what’s going on.”
Giles said many of the children playing might have been worryingabout Hurricane Ivan too much.
“If we can make someone forget about a big storm coming in oneor two hours then that’s great,” Giles said.
Michelle Bankston of Belle Chasse, La. said her daughter was”dying for something to do” after being in the car for 20 hoursbefore arriving at the shelter.
“It’s really nice of them. It just keeps [the kids] fromcomplaining,” Bankston said.
Director of Intramural Sports Brad Wilson said these types ofactivities are important in the effort to cope with HurricaneIvan’s impact.
“People sit around away from their houses that they had toabandon and just think ‘What if?'” Wilson said. “If this can takesome of the pressure off their minds, then that’s what they arehere for.”
Wilson said the employees of the Rec Center are not consideredessential personnel and therefore were not required to worktoday.
“We feel that what we do is essential,” Wilson said. “If we canhelp these guys play and have fun then that’s our reason for beinghere.”