Along the two miles of fence reining in the horses at Farr Park Horse Activity Center, University students Sunday morning helped refresh an area battered by storms.Members of Volunteer LSU gathered on River Road to repair the fences of Farr Park damaged during Hurricane Gustav. After almost a month and a half of planning, the University and the East Baton Rouge Recreation and Park Commission, BREC, were able to coordinate the trip.About 80 students took a bus from the Student Union to the park where they divided into teams and began picking up garbage and downed tree limbs. After they cleared the debris, the volunteers started scraping old paint from the fences.”It’s important for them to realize what we’re here for,” said Millena Williams, special events coordinator for Volunteer LSU. “The University has given us a lot, and we need to give something back.”Two months after the hurricane passed through Baton Rouge, BREC’s resources are still being stretched to repair the damages.”Our maintenance crews are focused on safety issues and making sure our trees are healthy,” said Kristin Menson, BREC volunteer coordinator. “A lot of things at the top of the list, like repairing these fences, have been pushed down to the bottom.”Once the old paint had been chipped away, the volunteers took a short lunch. Soon after, they picked up their brushes and started back on the fences with fresh paint. Picking up where Honors College volunteers left off in October, the students painted almost a mile and a half of the wooden fence.”We’re very pleased with the turnout, especially during a very difficult semester and under extreme circumstances,” said Mallory Trochesset, assistant director of Campus Life. Some students were concerned with helping to rebuild their local community and improving the image of the University.”If we can come out and help them clean up for free, it reflects well on our school and our community,” said Danice Paul, kinesiology junior.Others volunteered for more personal reasons.”I just remember how hard it was for me to go home to Houma after the storm,” said Rose Espiritu, kinesiology freshman. “I thought it would be good to come and help out.”The Honors College and the Society for Human Resource Management also helped with the repairs. —-Contact Adam Duvernay at [email protected]