MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica -- Here in Jamaica's most popular resort town, it's difficult to tell that just a few months ago, Hurricane Melissa tore through the island, leaving behind billions in damage.
There are signs, of course: blue tarps serve as a reminder of the destruction brought by the Category 5 hurricane. But just three months after the storm made landfall, 70% of hotels and resorts have reopened, and 95% are expected to be operating by November.
I'm here for a few days with ALG Vacations for one of the vacation packager's voluntourism fams -- its largest to date.
We're staying in Montego Bay, which had extensive damage from Melissa. Our purpose isn't to soak up the sun or sip cocktails by the pool. We're here to lend a hand in the ongoing hurricane recovery.
Though tourism has returned to the island, the locals still need help, tourism minister Edmund Bartlett told us during dinner our first night. About 150,000 homes and buildings were damaged, and tourism fell 30% after the storm, he said.
"Tourism is not going to be defeated by Melissa," Bartlett vowed. Already, 500,000 visitors have come to the island since its official reopening on Dec. 15.
Senior tours editor Brinley Hineman paints at Catherine Hall School in Montego Bay. Source: Brinley Hineman
During the five-day trip, two days are earmarked for volunteering. On our first volunteer day, I joined advisors at Catherine Hall Primary School, which serves over 1,000 students. The school was severely damaged by the storm and was one of the hardest-hit schools on the island.
The school was shuttered until early January, buried in mud and flooded with water.
My group of volunteers were assigned painting duty. Armed with gallons of bright-orange paint and paint brushes, we spent our morning repainting the outdoor balconies and gates, removing the signs of muck left behind by the storm.
While we painted, other teams lugged boxes and boxes of donations to the school. Travel advisors rallied their own communities to donate, bringing school supplies and needed items to the island.
Catherine Hall principal Kay-Esther Malcolm joined us as we cleaned, painted and moved mounds of donations. The efforts were welcome and appreciated, she said, adding that the storm took an emotional toll on students, many who lost their homes and possessions.
ALG Vacations' Suzanne Schreiber paints a balcony fence at Catherine Hall School. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman
Being able to return to school provides a sense of normalcy and needed structure as their families grapple with the aftermath of the storm.
"It means a lot," she told me. "The children are the ones who we want to be comfortable and to go back to how they used to be. This storm has affected them really badly. … To know that people are reaching out to us and in such a way, to take their time and to give of themselves, was absolutely marvelous, and we are so grateful."