Two big vans and a pickup truck stocked with supplies departed from the School Sisters of Notre Dame Good Counsel convent for a mission trip to New Orleans on Sunday.

That’s not the most interesting part about the trip.

This is:

The group is a mix of people between ages 18 and 74.

About 10 of them are nuns, and each will aim to contribute to the hot, dirty work the group is slated to accomplish.

That means gutting houses, landscaping and painting in areas Hurricane Katrina ravaged the most.

Seeing the sisters in action ought to be quite a sight, said Bill Ward, facility administrator at Good Counsel.

“They’re in very good shape and hard working and motivated,” he said.

Ward has been planning the itinerary for the trip since early winter. It will last two weeks, with two groups coming and going to New Orleans in one-week waves.

Everyone’s work, regardless of their age, will be very important, he said.

“In some areas there has been very little progress,” Ward said. “There is a huge need down there, and a lot of it has been ignored.”

The rest of the Good Counsel volunteer group consists of lay workers from the convent including everyone from maintenance and grounds workers to health-care employees.

Provincial Leader Sister Catherine Bertrand said she thought it would be beneficial to ask the Good Counsel employees to travel because she knew they’d work hard in a city where much physical labor needs to be done.

“Although we can provide some financial help, it seemed critical we do some hands-on work as well,” she said. “We have some wonderful employees that are skilled workers.”

As an added incentive to encourage employees, they’ll be paid their regular wages while on the trip.