The power of television helped a New Orleans high school receive a $130,000 gift of flooring from a national supplier, and labor from a Birmingham flooring company.

It was 6:45 a.m. last Friday, and MSNBC’s ”Morning Joe” was on the air, featuring John McDonogh High School, which was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.

”Since that time, we’ve been opening schools as population returns, and there is so much more work to be done,” said Siona LaFrance, a Birmingham native and communications director for the Recovery School District in New Orleans.

Spalding, Starbucks and Houghton Mifflin made hefty on-air donations to the school. Meanwhile, Digger Phelps, the retired University of Notre Dame basketball coach, issued an onair challenge to Robbins Sports Surfaces of Cincinnati to help replace the school’s gym floor.

It just so happened that Joe Covington, president of Birmingham’s Covington Flooring Co. Inc., was in New Orleans on business and was just two miles from the school. The next thing Covington knew, he was driving to the school and measuring the gym.

”I need to make a few calls,” he told people gathered in the gym. ”I am not promising anything yet.”

After a slew of phone calls, Covington received the go-ahead. By then the morning show had ended, but MSNBC returned live to the school at 9:20 a.m. so that Covington could announce Robbins had agreed to donate the flooring and Covington Flooring would donate the labor.

”I was floored,” said Troy Peloquin, volunteer and donations coordinator for the

Recovery School District. ”I’ve never seen anything like that.”

In March, the school will receive 8,000 square feet of Robbins’ MVP, a flooring system designed to provide uniformity and minimize vibrations.

”We are delighted and indeed fortunate to be able to pitch in and give back to the community at this time,” said Jay Stoehr, president and chief executive officer of Robbins.

Covington also was happy to oblige.

”I was close by,” he said. ”We could react quickly, and our supplier could act quickly as well. From the time Digger Phelps made the challenge and when I was at the school was 30 minutes.”

City Year, MSNBC, and Starbucks “Brewing Together” at John McDonogh Senior High, November 20 2009

 What started as a simple idea to paint one mural in a hallway at John McDonogh Senior High culminated November 20th in an amazing day of service that partnered MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” with Joe Scarborough and Starbucks and HandsOn’s and City Year and many more all “Brewing Together”.

Broadcasting live from John Mac, with hundreds of animated volunteers eagerly painting murals in the background, the crew of “Morning Joe” encouraged community involvement and stressed the importance of giving back and inspiring others to do the same.  Putting their money where there mouth was, MSNBC’s sponsor and partner, Starbucks, announced their massive monetary gift to the school for renovations, which sparked additional donations throughout the 3-hour broadcast.  Show guest Digger Phelps amazed us with his talk to the students, inspiring them with real life, applicable ideals and goals.  This Notre Dame Head coach actually called out flooring companies on air.  And guess what? Covington Flooring Company, based out of Birmingham, just happened to have a representative in town on business who arranged to donate a new gym floor. And if that wasn’t enough generosity for one day, the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co. also donated 700 books for classroom sets (35 copies of 20 classics) along with parachuting in leaders for five full days of professional development, a software upgrade, and even the possible development of a Parent Academy.  The NBA and Spalding donated new hoops and backboards for the gym, while NBC News donated a one-year subscription of News Archives and a college tour trip for freshman. There were even enough Red Sox hats for every student at John Mc… (to the dismay of Troy Peloquin, a lifelong Yankees fan… Hey Girardi #27… Where Y’at?)

 It was truly amazing to see how giving could be so contagious!  But it was not only the generous donations that made the day so special.  City Year Louisiana, part of an organization composed of young leaders dedicated to making a difference in schools and communities, really made the project possible as they meticulously sketched out murals and worked above an beyond their full-time commitments to prepare for and organize for the event.  The City Year corps members truly showed heart and dedication to their students and community.

 So, whether you were painting a mural, pouring paint for someone else to paint a mural, or donating to a school and its students who desperately need and deserve love and attention–thank you thank you thank you.

 Let’s keep this ball bouncing on into the New Year. Let it be contagious. To see the individuals that make up Networks and huge Corporations reaching out to the individuals that make up schools and communities is what this season and this Country are all about.  At this time and beyond this time, let us remember that if you want to see a miracle,,, Be the miracle.

… and thanks Dana