MARCELLUS, N.Y. -- Van number one followed by vans numbers two and three return after a week in New Orleans.
"It's just more of an experience that's life changing and I'm not the same person I was last Saturday," said Marcellus H.S. Senior Kate Gossom.
As they unload their bags and reunite with their families the girls can't help but reflect on what they've seen.
"I was completely shocked. I didn't think there would be that much devastation. Only about a quarter of the house and buildings down there, were repaired and up and running. And, it's kind of hard to see that people still live in that kind of destruction and its hard to fathom," said Gossom.
The team spent the week building a house for a woman, who's been living in a FEMA trailer for the last few years. The house isn't finished, but they made a lot of progress.
Earlier in the week News 10 Now reporter Giselle Phelps told you about a home the Marcellus Girls Soccer Team is building for a Hurricane Katrina victim in suburban New Orleans. The team was down in the Gulf Coast with a group of volunteers from Operation Southern Comfort. The girls are back in Central New York and Giselle was there as they arrived. She tells us what they're saying about the experience.
"We had walls, a roof, the floor was all done, the interior walls were done, so we were excited to watch it go up," said Marcellus H.S. Senior Lyssa Filtch.
When it comes to, Maria Hernandez, the woman they built the house for, the team says she somebody they'll remember for the rest of their lives."
"Maria will be in my heart and in my mind forever. I was already thinking about sending her letters. She's a soulful person," said Marcellus Girls H.S. Soccer Coach Laurie Updike.
"Maria was great, we loved her. She cooked the best food around. I don't think I'll ever have better spaghetti than that," said Filtch.
The coach and the girls all say it was an experience that exceed their expectations.
"It was a very meaningful experience that came full circle for us," said Updike.
To watch Giselle's entire New Orleans series just tune to News 10 Now on Demand digital cable channel 1010.