Biloxi Cemetery Restoration

City of Biloxi:

"The City of Biloxi is aiming to kick off the New Year with a project that will
restore the oldest and most storm-ravaged section of one the oldest landmarks in
the city, the Biloxi City Cemetery. The $300,000 project will see repairs made to more than 200 headstones and 10 tombs in the beachfront cemetery. Dozens of gravesites, some dating back to the early 1800s, were ravaged by Hurricane Katrina on Aug. 29. The city, which is awaiting final FEMA approval on the project, has been coordinated with FEMA, MEMA and with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. "

Video of MS volunteers

Not a BonaResponds video, but very good!

The Seattle Times: Local News: Hope fades on the Gulf Coast

All is ot bright however and there is much work to be done! Why not go back and volunteer again. They definitely still need the help!

The Seattle Times: Local News: Hope fades on the Gulf Coast:

"The first anniversary a few weeks later brought a surge of interest. But now?

'I'm here choking back the tears,' Wright said.

There is plenty to cry about.

Tens of millions of dollars in Katrina disaster aid was squandered, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported Thursday. And the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has recouped less than 1 percent of the $1 billion lost to fraud.

Meanwhile, the victims we met last summer still struggle.

I called Ernest Ratliff at his service station in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward. He said so little I thought the phone had gone dead.

But no. Just his hope."

and later:

"Last year, the area was "inundated" with toys. This year, when Ringdahl called Toys for Tots, looking for something for 150 kids the camp serves, the news was hard: There was only one toy.

"We have a long road ahead of us," Ringdahl said."

The Sun Herald | 12/17/2006 | AIR FORCE SOARS TO RESCUE

More good news! Way to go Air Force!

The Sun Herald | 12/17/2006 | AIR FORCE SOARS TO RESCUE:

"BILOXI - Alice Schuler, 72, took a step out of a limousine Saturday and gazed at her new home, the outside of it completely refinished, the landscaping done to perfection.

'Is this my house?' she asked, a wide smile on her face.

The Air Force widow's one-story baby-blue home on South Drive was, essentially, brand-new. Members of the 332nd Training Squadron from Keesler Air Force Base had gutted the home and rebuilt it in about four months."

Good story, read the entire thing...

(It should also be noted that the Air Force has been working (volunteering) since day one even though Keesler was badly damaged itself.

The Sun Herald | 12/17/2006 | Work still needs to be done in Moss Point

The Sun Herald | 12/17/2006 | Work still needs to be done in Moss Point:

"MOSS POINT - This city has clawed its way back from Katrina, thanks to volunteers, but there is much work left, and the city still needs many helping hands, officials said.

They gathered Saturday to recognize volunteers, community leaders and public officials who had helped, and all said that even though the city had 15 months of aid, good things are on the horizon and they need more volunteers."

Hurricane on the Bayou | Outside Online

Hurricane on the Bayou | Outside Online:

"After the Flood An Imax filmmaker flies into New Orleans, post-Katrina, and comes out with a film on culture, conservation, and rebuilding Louisiana's wetlands"

and later:

"The large format captures the scope of the devastation in a way TV news coverage can't. On a big screen, you see 25 boats lifted onto a freeway—or mile upon mile of flooded homes—and you're blown away. The power this storm had sinks in. It's earth-shattering.

What do you hope people take away from the film?
I hope they'll begin to care about the wetlands enough that they'll want to get involved in saving them. They'll go to a Web site or read a book to become more informed about the region. And they'll realize that this is a problem we can all help solve."

The Sun Herald | 12/10/2006 | Bay St. Louis-Waveland merger study shelved

The Sun Herald | 12/10/2006 | Bay St. Louis-Waveland merger study shelved:

"Researchers have stopped work on a study of the potential benefits of merging Bay St. Louis and Waveland into one city, according to the government think tank overseeing the survey.

The two cities began discussing a merger sometime last year, after Katrina annihilated most of their taxable incomes and infrastructure.

Although the merger review has been shelved, a report released last week shows just how dismal the financial outlooks really were, and still are, for Bay St. Louis and Waveland."

Katrina & Biloxi - A Story of Resolve & Resilience

Katrina & Biloxi - A Story of Resolve & Resilience

This collection of pictures and video from Biloxi really helps to remind us how bad things were! There are also some new pictures up that give you an idea of what it is like now (at least from the sky!)

A few sparks hope to ignite rebuilding of New Orleans homes - MarketWatch

A few sparks hope to ignite rebuilding of New Orleans homes - MarketWatch:

"In some New Orleans neighborhoods there's a surreal image of a stray chicken or two roaming free, displaced animals among the wreckage. Gutted homes and the occasional toppled-over structure are commonplace; some thoroughfares are lined with shells of businesses crippled by the water and wind.
From the look of the badly flooded areas, it seems the devastation might have occurred only days ago when in fact it has been more than 15 months since Hurricane Katrina combined with levee failures to deluge parts of this city and devastate some of its neighborhoods. Unlucky areas were inundated with more than 10 feet of water; others escaped with minor flooding."

The Sun Herald | 12/04/2006 | Gulfport church returns to Katrina damaged sanctuary

More good news!

The Sun Herald | 12/04/2006 | Gulfport church returns to Katrina damaged sanctuary

" More than a year after being hit hard by Katrina, the sanctuary at Bayou View Baptist Church in Gulfport was a place of worship again Sunday with more than 300 in attendance."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Two Elementary Schools Celebrate Reopening In East Biloxi

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Two Elementary Schools Celebrate Reopening In East Biloxi:

"Gorenflo students and teachers found it hard to hold back their excitement, as they returned to their newly-restored elementary school for the first time since Katrina flooded it."

and

"Over at Nichols Elementary, 146-students also celebrated their school's re-opening Monday....Nichols took in about eight-feet of water during Katrina. For the last 15 months, the students and staff had to share space at Jeff Davis Elementary while their school was being repaired. Their homecoming was an emotional one for just about everyone at Nichols."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Two Elementary Schools Celebrate Reopening In East Biloxi

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Two Elementary Schools Celebrate Reopening In East Biloxi:

"Gorenflo students and teachers found it hard to hold back their excitement, as they returned to their newly-restored elementary school for the first time since Katrina flooded it."

and

"Over at Nichols Elementary, 146-students also celebrated their school's re-opening Monday....Nichols took in about eight-feet of water during Katrina. For the last 15 months, the students and staff had to share space at Jeff Davis Elementary while their school was being repaired. Their homecoming was an emotional one for just about everyone at Nichols."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Two Elementary Schools Celebrate Reopening In East Biloxi

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Two Elementary Schools Celebrate Reopening In East Biloxi:

"Gorenflo students and teachers found it hard to hold back their excitement, as they returned to their newly-restored elementary school for the first time since Katrina flooded it."

and

"Over at Nichols Elementary, 146-students also celebrated their school's re-opening Monday....Nichols took in about eight-feet of water during Katrina. For the last 15 months, the students and staff had to share space at Jeff Davis Elementary while their school was being repaired. Their homecoming was an emotional one for just about everyone at Nichols."

Hands On Gulf Coast: A few hours in East Biloxi

Hands On Gulf Coast: A few hours in East Biloxi:

"The Biloxi Little Theater is right next to Mr. George's house on Lee St., I stopped in to see how the dry wall hanging was going. Luc was leading a crew of folks installing some dry wall on the ceiling, in the bathroom, and the utility room. Yeah, more drywall. It's great to see Mr. George's house moving along. He finally passed all his rough-in inspections ...

Moving from the serene symphony of measure, cut, sand down, try to place, bang on, remove, sand down, look discouraged, try to place again, and apply more banging until you have a good fit that is the process of hanging drywall, "

The Sun Herald | 12/02/2006 | Insurer backs out of New Orleans

The Sun Herald | 12/02/2006 | Insurer backs out of New Orleans:

"St. Paul Travelers said Friday that it will stop renewing many commercial insurance policies in the New Orleans area next year, stoking fears that other insurers are prepared to pull out of the market after Hurricane Katrina.

The state's largest commercial insurer will stop renewing property business policies for an undisclosed number of small- and mid-sized businesses, mostly in Orleans Parish, starting in March, a spokeswoman for the St. Paul, Minn., company said."

The Sun Herald | 12/01/2006 | 3DD benefit concert sold out

The Sun Herald | 12/01/2006 | 3DD benefit concert sold out:

"The Better Life Foundation, the charitable arm of South Mississippi rock group 3 Doors Down, is hosting a sold-out concert at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile (Ala.) Convention Center to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina."

and later:

" "There are still a lot of people in FEMA trailers, living under blue tarps, who want their life back to normal.""

BonaResponds Christmas Ornaments

BonaResponds Christmas Ornaments,
originally uploaded by FinanceProfessor.

It looks like we will be working between Biloxi and Bay St. Loius on our January trip. If you are going to be in the area, let us know! January 2-12.

If you want to buy these ornaments (they will be mailed to you for free), please email BonaResponds@sbu.edu.

AP Wire | 11/25/2006 | Runner contributes $110K for Katrina relief in Pass Christian

AP Wire | 11/25/2006 | Runner contributes $110K for Katrina relief in Pass Christian:

"The city of Pass Christian has received a $110,000 check from a man who raised donations for hurricane relief by running across the country.

Jonathan Price, 26, presented the check Friday as a small crowd Pass Christian residents cheered his arrival. ABC 'Good Morning America' co-host Robin Roberts, a native of Pass Christian, plans to air the segment during Monday's program."

Mississippi Home Again

I acidentally posted this on BonaResponds too, but I will leave it there too. The more who see it, maybe the more that will help.

Mississippi Home Again:

"The Mississippi Home Again Relief Fund is a non-profit organization established to help Mississippi Gulf Coast residents with limited financial resources to resettle in their homes after Katrina, a critical step on the long road back to normal life, independence and dignity. We assist these individuals and families by replacing their most fundamental, most costly household essentials destroyed in the hurricane: typically hot water heaters, stoves, refrigerators and beds. We also aim to replenish their spirits with personal attention, empathy, compassion and humor. "

The Sun Herald | 11/22/2006 | Elderly in FEMA trailers served

The Sun Herald | 11/22/2006 | Elderly in FEMA trailers served:

"...many South Mississippians still living in FEMA trailers. Many of those residents are over 65 and socially isolated because of disabilities and health conditions.

Because of one person's compassion, more than 80 senior citizens were treated to a Thanksgiving lunch at the Lighthouse Apostolic Church in Biloxi on Tuesday."

City of Biloxi to be featured onCNN

City of Biloxi:

"The issues of Biloxi’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Katrina will receive national attention on Thanksgiving when Nancy Grace of CNN Headline News devotes her program to the rebuilding effort in Biloxi
....

Grace was in Biloxi earlier this month, helping rebuild homes in east Biloxi. According to CNN’s preview of the program: “Nancy Grace helps rebuild Biloxi, Miss., homes devastated by Hurricane Katrina and talks to survivors of the deadly storm. More than a year later, federal and state aid is held up in red tape, while thousands remain homeless or living in FEMA trailers that may be taken away soon.”"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding:

"Habitat for Humanity's Hancock County project manager wants to set the record straight. She says Habitat's Union Street development in Bay St. Louis did not cause the street flooding that followed last week's heavy rain storm."

And later:

"City work crews pulled all kinds of debris out of the ditches from old wheelbarrows to old tires. Habitat is in the process of building ten homes on Union Street. When the organization heard the flooding complaints, it hired an engineer to look into the flooding problem.

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding:

"Habitat for Humanity's Hancock County project manager wants to set the record straight. She says Habitat's Union Street development in Bay St. Louis did not cause the street flooding that followed last week's heavy rain storm."

And later:

"City work crews pulled all kinds of debris out of the ditches from old wheelbarrows to old tires. Habitat is in the process of building ten homes on Union Street. When the organization heard the flooding complaints, it hired an engineer to look into the flooding problem.

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding:

"Habitat for Humanity's Hancock County project manager wants to set the record straight. She says Habitat's Union Street development in Bay St. Louis did not cause the street flooding that followed last week's heavy rain storm."

And later:

"City work crews pulled all kinds of debris out of the ditches from old wheelbarrows to old tires. Habitat is in the process of building ten homes on Union Street. When the organization heard the flooding complaints, it hired an engineer to look into the flooding problem.

Hands On Blog » Blog Archive » Fewer Volunteers, Greater Need as Pressure Grows to Gut New Orleans Homes

Cross listed on BonaResponds as well

From the Hands On Blog: Fewer Volunteers, Greater Need as Pressure Grows to Gut New Orleans Homes:

"A rush of volunteers came to New Orleans in the months after the storm hit, in August 2005, and countless more since. But many organizations have reported sharp declines in recent months. And that’s happened just as pressure from the city mounts for homeowners to gut their homes: If they don’t have them cleaned by now or put on a waiting list to be cleaned, they could face possible property seizures or demolition.

The waiting lists for free gutting service offered by a dozen nonprofit groups are months-long. “We try and give priority to the elderly and people with special medical needs, but we’re not turning anyone away,” said Mitchell, who works for Louisiana United Methodist Storm Recovery,"

1500 new homes to be built

1500 new homes are being built in Biloxi!

housing.pdf (application/pdf Object)

RedOrbit - Science - Dead Tree Response Poor: One-Fifth Expected to Be Removed

RedOrbit - Science - Dead Tree Response Poor: One-Fifth Expected to Be Removed:

"The federal government's offer to pay for removing dead trees from the Katrina surge zone has gotten a poor response in unincorporated areas of Jackson County.

This means that the number of trees to be removed will be close to one-fifth of what was originally expected.

The surge zone, as FEMA set it out, is anywhere the water reached. Trees are only eligible if they were touched by the surge.

Jackson County supervisors considered the issue Monday when they heard that the consulting firm they hired had only 500 right-of-entry forms turned in from private property owners allowing the government to come onto their property to get the trees. Those account for only about 1,200 trees.

"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Vietnamese Community Still Struggling After Katrina

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Vietnamese Community Still Struggling After Katrina:

"Bui is a Gulf Coast representative of NAVASA, an organization that has been on the ground since the storm, helping Vietnamese-Americans rebuild their lives. He hears from many frustrated business owners, who are wondering why many families aren't building back. Bui points to many challenges, including uncertainty about the city's development plans, lack of insurance and grant money, and then there's the language barrier.

'It's really difficult,' James Bui says. 'Not only are you Katrina victims, you have just a lack of access to resources like everyone else. But you're even farther behind the line because the language access, the cultural incompetency on both ends.'"

News from Handson

From Michelle Nunn:

"Fast Company magazine has just announced that Hands On Network is a winner of their 2007 Social Capitalist Award. The annual award is given out by Fast Company and The Monitor Group to recognize nonprofits that combine creativity and ingenuity with business solutions to address social challenges. We are honored to be in such prestigious company with winners that include City Year, Civic Ventures, Citizen Schools, Jumpstart, Heifer International, and Teach for America. The issue will be on newsstands next week.

Hands On is one of five “Prime Partners” featured, recognizing our tremendous corporate partnership with The Home Depot and Bob Nardelli’s leadership of our Corporate Service Council. We are also enormously grateful to our affiliates for the outstanding work they do every day in communities around the world. "

City of Biloxi - Gulf Coast Mississippi

City of Biloxi - Gulf Coast Mississippi:

"An early morning thunderstorm that dumped more than 4 inches of rain on parts of Biloxi has forced street flooding and caused roof and water damage at City Hall.

Motorists, faced with a flooded U.S. 90, navigated Pass Road and Irish Hill Drive enroute to work this morning.
......
At City Hall, where Mayor A.J. Holloway said it appeared a small tornado may have touched down around 6 this morning, Public Works crews were inspecting and repairing damage to the roof along the north side of the three story building.

Water seeped into all three floors of the north side of the building, areas that were also damaged by Hurricane Katrina."

Tree limbs were downed in front of the downtown library, across from CIty Hall on Lameuse Street. Public Works crews were clearing storm drains and catch basins in flood-prone areas."

City of Biloxi - Gulf Coast Mississippi

City of Biloxi - Gulf Coast Mississippi:

"An early morning thunderstorm that dumped more than 4 inches of rain on parts of Biloxi has forced street flooding and caused roof and water damage at City Hall.

Motorists, faced with a flooded U.S. 90, navigated Pass Road and Irish Hill Drive enroute to work this morning.
......
At City Hall, where Mayor A.J. Holloway said it appeared a small tornado may have touched down around 6 this morning, Public Works crews were inspecting and repairing damage to the roof along the north side of the three story building.

Water seeped into all three floors of the north side of the building, areas that were also damaged by Hurricane Katrina."

Tree limbs were downed in front of the downtown library, across from CIty Hall on Lameuse Street. Public Works crews were clearing storm drains and catch basins in flood-prone areas."

Mold, maggots in New Orleans homes left to rot - Yahoo! News

Mold, maggots in New Orleans homes left to rot - Yahoo! News:

"More than a year after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, thousands of homes damaged by flooding still stand empty, stained by black mold and some of them infested with maggots.

City authorities are now cranking up a $20 million drive to deal with a problem until now addressed mainly by charities, home-owners and contractors who have worked to gut the properties and eliminate the health hazard they pose"

Biloxi Housing Slowly Returning: Red Tape Still Creating Hurdles, but 0M Plan Approved

RedOrbit - Science - Biloxi Housing Slowly Returning: Red Tape Still Creating Hurdles, but 0M Plan Approved:

"The Biloxi Housing Authority, which lost 62 percent of its units to Hurricane Katrina, is rebuilding. But the process is slower than Delmar Robinson, the chairman of the agency's board, would like. The agency is awaiting federal recovery money it had hoped to receive months ago. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved a plan to use up to $100 million to repair and rebuild affordable housing on the Coast."

Robinson is upset because a third round of damage assessments is ongoing, and he still doesn't know how much Biloxi will receive.

'It's just taking too long,' he said. 'To me, it's totally ridiculous... I can't express the frustration with having to go through different assessments for damage for our units in Biloxi. "

This Sunday!!--Cross listed

NEW NEW NEW!! BonaResponds is happy to announce a new phase in our efforts to assist the Buffalo Region reciver from teh October Surprise snow storm. This new phase going be in conjunction with Erie county, the Olmsted Parks, the West Seneca Youth Bureau Americorps. This is a HUGE opportunity for volunteers to not only help Buffalo but also to develop ties with the Americorp program.

This weekend we will be working in areas of South and East Buffalo that have barely been touched since the storm. These jobs will include cleaning up properties of the poor, elderly, and handicapped in the area as well as cleaning up MLK park (.

Our base of operations will be the Charles E. BurchfieldNature & Art Center- 2001 Union Road - West Seneca, NY 14224 between Clinton and Race/Indian church road. MAP

We really need a good showing to start off the new relationships and to show what we can do. So if you can come, PLEASE do and bring some friends! Bring your roommates, team mates, friends, and enemies. The more the merrier! It will be fun and the impact will be immense! (and remember for every time you volunteer for a full day of service, we will take $10 off the cost of a trip to the Gulf).

We will be leaving the Murphy Lot on SUNDAY at 8:50 AM. We will return to campus at about 7:30. Dinner will be provided. We have 2 vans, but be prepared to car-pool (we will pay $10 for gas for any vehicle of 4 or more volunteers).

Dress for the conditions: you should wear boots, clothes you don't mind getting dirty, and a good pair of gloves. It is also recomended that you bring a change of clothes for the ride home.

Come on out, it is going to be a huge day and a great way to kick off several new service relations!


* This looks great on a resume, counts as service hours, and you get to network with some of the best in the area. You will be very glad you came out!!




For more info email BonaResponds@sbu.edu

Way to support BonaResponds for free and from home!

BonaResponds has started a GoodSearch account whereby the orgianzation gets money for you doing a search! (We get one cent for each search you do.)

The search uses the Yahoo search engine and you can set a button to your toolbar or download a special toolbar that will remember us.

Just remember to select BonaResponds as the charity.

Welcome : GoodSearch : Search the Internet with GoodSearch and support your favorite charity or school.:

"GoodSearch There's no reason not to.
You Search...We Give!"

The Sun Herald | 11/04/2006 | Volunteer devoted to recovery

The Sun Herald | 11/04/2006 | Volunteer devoted to recovery: "

Sarah Chasin, a junior at George Washington University, spent her 2006 spring break in Biloxi helping repair a house damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and she has been devoted to South Mississippi's recovery ever since.

'Katrina was a call to action. I lived in a tent that week,' Chasin said. The experience inspired her to leave her hometown of Sharon, Mass., and return to South Mississippi to work as an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to America. AmeriCorps is a network of local, state, and national service programs."......
'I saw that I could help,' she said. 'It fit perfectly for me. Our goal in Mississippi is sustainable volunteerism. You can't put a price on actual work.'

Chasin also said she hopes her one-year stint in South Mississippi will motivate students to pitch in and help the area continue to rebuild. "

Article on BonaResponds

The Bona Venture:

"'We heard the trees breaking and the transformers making noise the night before. One of my thoughts was, 'this would be a great job for BonaResponds.' (I) had no idea that (BonaResponds) was already well ahead of the game,' Hoffmann said. 'Buffalo and the surrounding suburbs are a huge part of the Bonaventure family. The fact that BonaResponds is so proactive in responding to disasters of this nature really makes FEMA and its equivalents look foolish,' she added.

Members of BonaResponds couldn't go to Buffalo last weekend as planned because of weather conditions. Instead, the group went to Archbishop Walsh High School in Olean to finish its improvement project at the school."

Gerde's (282 Porter St.) - a photoset on Flickr

Gerde's (282 Porter St.) - a photoset on Flickr--

Wow! There were still a few interiros to do in Biloxi! I would not have guessed that!

Pictures from Second Buffalo trip are online!

Group ohoto time,
originally uploaded by FinanceProfessor.

At least the first set of pictures from this past weekend's trip to Buffalo are up. It was quite a day! 40 homes were cleared of downed tress, branhces, and tje like

It's not Katrina, but it is still pretty bad

BonaResponds to Buffalo

Come help the Buffalo area recover from the worst natural disaster to strike the US mainland since Katrina. BonaResponds will again go to Buffalo this Sunday (10/22) and next Sunday (10/29).

We will be working in several sites. Most work is picking up downed branches, but there will be work at base headquarters (logistical and administrative etc.) Added brownie points to anyone with chain saws and chain saw experience.

Headquarters will be the Town Maintenance Garage in Lancaster (Broadway and Center streets). From there we will spread out across the region until regrouping at 5 p.m. for a short meeting and returning shortly after 7 p.m.

We expect to leave the Murphy and Plassmann parking lots at 9:15 a.m. Please car pool. We hope to have a few vans available as well, but no guarantees.

Dress to work: boots, work gloves, and old clothes. And you will want to bring dry clothes and a change of shoes for after (trust us on that ;))

Like all BonaRespond events, this is open to everyone! Help spread the word. Have your friends from other schools meet us.

Having seen it first hand, we can say it is really bad up there and many people have no way to move the downed trees that are on their properties. Additionally, community groups, parks, and schools are in desperate need of help.

As an additional incentive (if more is still needed), BonaResponds will knock $10 off the price of the spring break trips to anyone who works at least 5 hours in Buffalo (and if any donors want to match or add to that please e-mail us!)

While reservations are not required, they will make our planning much easier. Please e-mail BonaResponds@sbu.edu.
For more information check out BonaResponds.org

ALSO IF YOUR FAMILY WAS AFFECTED BY THE STORM, PLEASE E-MAIL US AND WE WILL TRY TO SEND A TEAM THERE AS WELL.

If you can't go but would like to help, we will accept both money or food donations. (Home-made cookies? Brownies? Or even just a loaf of bread for sandwiches would help!)

Comments on volunteering and BonaReponds specifically

Where to start? I was asked to write a short article for the BonaResponds Newsletter and immediately was at a loss. There is so much going on and so much planned that there is no way I could limit myself to two paragraphs. So I will do a blog article and allow the newsletter editors to pick from there.

First the facts. BonaResponds is going great! Almost everything is going as planned. We have expanded our goals from just the Gulf (which limited us due to distance and time) to helping out locally as well. While the Gulf trips will no doubt be what people most associate with BonaResponds, the local trips have proven very fun, helpful, and rewarding.

On our first two local service projects we put approximately $7000 of services into the local community on budget of less than $250! Talk about your return on investment! And that says nothing of the sense of community, good PR, and learning that went on during these days!

These local days have the additional benefit of helping train volunteers for the work they will be doing in the Gulf region. This training was not necessary on our first trip as much deconstruction and clean-up work (which anyone can do) was available. Now, over a year after Katrina, the work is changing towards construction and a more skilled mix of volunteers are needed. Hence the more people we train, the more we can take on our trips.

And then the BonaReponds to Buffalo. Great stuff. On almost zero notice. While the turnout from campus was not great, I think it showed how little things do matter a great deal. Whether you call it a ripple effect or butterfly effect or whatever, our little bit of help and guidance was quickly multiplied many times over by neighbor helping neighbor. By the end of the day, this small wave led to 11 lawns being cleared of debris and the entire neighborhood having a new sense of community and togetherness. (oh and they all said they want to come back and help next week! See I told you this was fun!!) It was truly a day to be proud of BonaResponds!

Yep, all in all things are just going very very well.

BUT that is not to say that things can not go even better. They can get better and they will get better. We aim to develop BonaResponds into a world-class organization to help people and to build better leaders and better communities (yes World Class!).

We have stepped up training. We have the majority of our new board of advisors in place (details to soon be announced). Even after the successful fast response to Buffalo’s snow storm we are reevaluating how we can respond faster and in a more orderly and efficient manner.

The biggest impediment is that we need to get more people involved. More leaders. Josh, Ryan, James, and Anthony have done phenomenal work, but we flat out need to have more help. Even if you live from a far (remember the world is flat!) you could help put the newsletter together or work on the website. Or make calls, or write up grants, or the list is endless. So please help. It will be the most rewarding thing you do every week.

Of course if you are local and want to help even better. We need someone to work with alumni, someone to work on fundraising, someone to lead new projects, to get more volunteers. We need someone to work with the media, someone to get more underclass students involved, someone to work with the local community groups. Gee aren’t we needy ;)

But our plans and needs should not detract from the work and the success that has occurred. You all know of the success of the Spring break trip: almost 300 people at 5 sites in Mississippi and Louisiana, thousands of school books collected and sorted for schools that had been largely destroyed, over $7500 of sporting goods donated to Little Leagues in the region. You may not know however that the trip led many students to go back down over the summer. You may not know that at least one former student took a year off to work with Americorp in Biloxi.

You probably do not know that at least 5 employers have called me to ask about the work that students have done on BonaResponds. Why? Employers love to see students who are involved in leadership and caring.

You probably do not know of the untold friendships, memories, and life-changing events that have happened.

Yep, BonaResponds is a success. This was driven home when I recently had the opportunity to go to three speakers in the Olean area who all more or less described BonaResponds.

The first speaker was Thomas Oreck, the CEO of Oreck Vaccuum. Their headquarters in New Orleans were destroyed as were their production facilities in Long Beach. He spoke on the importance of management caring for others, of flexible thinking, and of a can-do attitude. All three things have become trademarks of BonaResponds.

The second speaker was Brother Ed. He was speaking as part of Francis Week on Francis’ transformational moments; the moments that changed Francis’ life. The key point? Francis was transformed when he reached out, when he went out and met others. Again this is BonaResponds.

The final speaker was Sharon Parks. She was speaking on developing leaders and the changing business environment. Very eloquently she stressed the need to work with people of all walks of life, of adopting a flexibility in management that is adapts to conditions but is grounded in purpose. Later at dinner she emphasized how little things matter. She told the story of a group of volunteers that gutted the house. Upon finishing the owner said thanks and that he and his wife had planned to commit suicide that night because of the hopelessness but through their help, the volunteers had saved the lives of the couple. Oh yeah, it turned out that the volunteers had gutted the “wrong” house.

What lesson is common?? I see three things that are in all three lectures:

1. Helping others helps you.

2. Small things count (in the language of finance “Life is not linear”)

3. We are all in this together. Let’s work together.

Which really is a good way to sum up the work of BonaResponds. In fact, it may be the best way to live life: Treat others as you would like them to treat you. That is what we do. Won’t you join us? Won’t you help us?

Remember: October 22nd and October 29th. Email BonaResponds for more informatuion. Headquarters at the Lancaster Maintenance Garage near Broadway and Central in downtown Lancaster. Come and bring others. We'll find the work for you.

The longest journey begins with a small step

The longest journey begins with a small step,
originally uploaded by FinanceProfessor.

Much work still needs to be done in Buffalo. So if you want to relive the "tree days" of the Gulf come on out and help! Check out BonaResponds.org for more information or more specificalally our blog BonaResponds.blogspot.com.

From Dr. Bob

From Dr. Bob:

"Reading the editorial comment from the NY Times (see link below), brought to mind once again a question that has stayed with me -only partially answered- since I first went down to volunteer in Mississippi: Why on earth would I want to go back?

Biloxi and environs is not Iraq, but it very much resembled a 'war zone' after Katrina blew its way through last year; and the damage is still not all repaired. As volunteers in such a place, on American soil, we are soldiers, with less than totally adequate (or deserved) support from our government. When we went with the idea that we were going in order "to serve", we were doing our "duty", no less admirable than that of a military soldier, but with far less risk to our lives.

How can I dare to compare my 'service' with that of an army sergeant, ordered to carry his fighting buddies in body bags ? I don't measure up to that level of commitment . However, it does tell me something about why I have kept going back, month after month, for over a year. It tells me something about why I will be going back for another week, tomorrow..

Today, before reading the editorial referenced below, I talked on the phone with my local contacts and friends in Mississippi. Some are satisfied with the recovery they have made so far (With little help from me other than moral support). Others are still waiting, waiting, and waiting, for a variety of promised funds or helpers to arrive , maybe. There is still a lot of serving that could be done. I myself, am at another crossroads, and conflicted about whether or not I will make this next trip my last. The reminder that we all have a responsibility to serve our world community, our country, our neighbors, and, of course , our families, came to me out of my reading of this editorial. Once again, that crossroads, approached with mixed and conflicting allegiances several times in these past 13 months, where to put in my time?

Those phone conversations with friends in Mississippi all say - "come on down, we have a lot to talk about, and we always appreciate and look forward to your visits, and your support, and we love ya !" How does a "serving" man refuse an invitation like that. However, it is not, or should not be, about feeding my personal ego, having a 'great' experience, or an 'adventure'. Serving has those rewards, but they come to us as gifts, by the grace of the persons for whom we give our time and our compassion. It is no revelation to say, "I am no saint", and none of us can continue to 'serve' without serious burn-out, or battle fatigue, unless the things we do have value and meaning to both the served, and the servant.

The only way I can approach this same crossroads (To go back or not to go back, that is the question) is to be there, talk, work, look around, smell the air, feel the direction of the prevailing winds, tally up the cost, and understand whether I am up to the challenge or not.

I will keep y'all posted on this one, by telling the stories, after I am down on the Gulf Coast for a few days.

Until then, I'd be interested in hearing your view of exactly where in this world you had been fighting a 'war', and to what end you are "making the sacrifice of the few" .....and .....I welcome your critique of the 'battle for recovery' on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Bob

Subject: NYTimes.com: Sacrifice of the Few

Message from sender: What thoughts come to you as you read this 'point of view' coming- in my opinion-from a thoughtful person with a very intimate encounter with the war in Iraq ? Bob OPINION | October 12, 2006 Op-Ed Columnist: Sacrifice of the Few By BOB HERBERT While most Americans are free to go about their daily business, unaffected by the wars in any way, scores of thousands of troops have been sent off on repeat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan"

Washington Square News - Journalists, one an alum, speak on covering Katrina

Washington Square News - Journalists, one an alum, speak on covering Katrina:

"When Katrina swept over Mississippi and Louisiana last August, there was no electricity, clean water or common amenities, but the newspaper never stopped publishing its print edition throughout the aftermath.

Last April, the 121-year-old paper was awarded the Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal for Public Service for its “valorous and comprehensive coverage of Katrina.”

“The paper was a tangible representation that at some level, the center of civilization had held,” Tiner said.

Tiner and Norman were two of only five reporters who stayed in Biloxi to cover the storm, and Norman was the first on the ground reporting on the damage in the area."

The Clinton Herald, Clinton, Iowa - Back on dry land

An often-forgotten consequence of Katrina is the millions of people who were displaced. Of course some have moved back, but others have not. This article from Clinton Iowa tells the story of the Bustillos formerly of Biloxi.

The mother and father, like thousands of others in the region rode out the storm on their roof.

After spending time in Texas, the family is now back together in Iowa with no intention of moving back to Biloxi. The article talks of the slow response of government officials and the difficulty in getting by in the days after the storm.

The Clinton Herald, Clinton, Iowa - Back on dry land:

"To this day, Bustillos has friends in Biloxi who still live with tarps on their roofs or are living in tents.

Bustillos believes the response he and his neighbors got from the Red Cross and FEMA was horrible.

“They knew the storm was going to hit ahead of time — they should have been ready.”

Marcelo and Rachel were stranded 18 days in Mississippi.
"

Main Street Newspapers

Main Street Newspapers:

"Hefting drywall and hauling out debris left by Hurricane Katrina was hard labor, but seeing how little had been done a year after the storm was like nothing Salemite Mary Catherine O'Neill experienced before.

'It's so crazy that even a year later there has been practically no rebuilding of businesses,' said O'Neill in a telephone interview Wednesday morning from Baton Rouge, La., her latest assignment with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. 'The physical work we did in Bay St. Louis, Miss., was hard but emotionally, it was harder."

BonaResponds Blog: BonaResponds delivers locally - News

Two introductions here! First let me introduce to you the new BonaResponds blog! It will be used in conjunction with our new (not even online yet) BonaRespond.org website.

The second introduction is that the Bonaventure student paper the BV is now online!

Here is what they had to say about BonaResponds this week:

BonaResponds Blog: BonaResponds delivers locally - News

"We don't want to limit ourselves to hurricane relief. We want to focus on anything that can make the community better."

Read more of it either here or here.

MilfordDailyNews.com - Local / Regional News: Volunteers help hurricane victims and themselves

MilfordDailyNews.com - Local / Regional News: Volunteers help hurricane victims and themselves:

"When you see a person’s home literally destroyed, it somehow makes that fight with your neighbor over whether a soda can is on his property or yours seem silly.

That’s what a local resident told Bethany Assembly of God Pastor Phil McCutchen yesterday, as a group from the Mendon church helped rebuild homes in Bay St. Louis, Miss.

'I have got to tell you -- one of the most important reasons to come down here and work is because of how it changes those who come,' McCutchen said."

RedOrbit - Science - BILOXI-OCEAN SPRINGS BRIDGE UPDATE Setting the Stage

RedOrbit - Science - BILOXI-OCEAN SPRINGS BRIDGE UPDATE Setting the Stage:

"Sep. 26--BILOXI -- Construction of the new U.S. 90 bridge over Biloxi Bay is in its early stages"

and later:

"Once they get through dredging the channel, they'll come back and start demolishing the old bridge," said MDOT Project Engineer Kelly Castleberry.

The material already recovered has been taken south of Deer Island to the site of a new reef that will be created from the old bridge."

Pet protection bill sent to Bush - Yahoo! News

Pet protection bill sent to Bush - Yahoo! News:

"'It became evident during Hurricane Katrina, when asked to choose between abandoning their pets (and) their own personal safety, many pet owners chose to risk their lives and remain with their pets, and some of them perished,' said Rep. Christopher Shays R-Conn.
....

The bill calls for state and local emergency preparedness plans to make provisions for families with pets and individuals with service animals."

It is about time!

handsonusaalumni : Message: HOUSA's ripple effect

Here is an excerpt of a letter I wrote to HandsonUSA alumni:

handsonusaalumni : Message: HOUSA's ripple effect:

"One of my favorite parts of any day in Biloxi is the nightly meeting. Indeed I have written regularly about the meetings
(for instance: here , or here , or even here ...lol) That said, two HOUSA 'meeting themes' that I think back regularly are Darius' ripple effect (how our actions multiply and go on and effect others that then effect others) and how a volunteer in January (I can picture you, I think you are from TN but I do not remember your name, sorry!) commented on how he was a better person while at Handson and he challenged us all to take that attitude back home and reminded us that their were Humane Societies, soup kitchens, and poor people who needed help everywhere.

Well, you will be glad to know that we have put the two ideas together. The result? A local version of Handson! This semester we have already had two local service days where we recreate a HOUSA day. For instance, this past Saturday we had over 100 volunteers at a central location and then went out to nine sites (SPCA, Community Theater, hospital, State Park, trail building project, local HS, etc) and volunteered for the day"

More pictures from Biloxi

15Sep06_DSC_0027,
originally uploaded by handsongulfcoast.

Handson uploaded some more pictures. He is part of the mural squad. Looks great. :)

St. Bonaventure University: BonaResponds plans countywide service day

St. Bonaventure University: BonaResponds plans countywide service day:

"ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y., Sept. 11, 2006 — The BonaResponds team has scheduled an Allegany-Olean service day for Saturday, Sept. 16. This will be the group’s second local workday this month.

BonaResponds volunteers will be broken into small groups, along with other local service groups, and assigned throughout Cattaraugus County. Some sites include the village of Allegany, Allegheny River Valley Trail, the Cattaraugus County SPCA, St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, Olean Historical Society, Olean General Hospital, the St. Bonaventure University (SBU) campus and Mt. Irenaeus."

If you can come out to help or if you want to donate, just let me know! :)

Ferry Time!

The Ferry for BSL is coming soon!
From WLOX:

"Tuesday morning, the Mississippi Department of Transportation awarded a contract to Warren Paving of Gulfport for work to prepare access sites in Bay St Louis and Pass Christian. The company will dredge two locations - one at the Washington Street Pier in Bay St Louis, the other just south of Third Street in Pass Christian....

Work is set to get underway Wednesday morning, with a completion date around the 20th of October.

MDOT officials say they will begin reviewing proposals for a ferry service provider on September 18th. The free ferry service is expected to begin November first."

If you can volunteer!

poster_big,
originally uploaded by Spirits Mom.

Way too many people think things are back to normal, our help is deperately needed!

Awards_Winners - Boston College

Congratulations Bill!!!!!! You DEFINITELY earned it!

Awards_Winners - Boston College:

"The Boston College Alumni Association is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2006 Alumni Awards of Excellence"

"Young Alumni Award of Excellence
William J. Driscoll, Jr. '05
Bill Driscoll Jr. founded Persevere Disaster Relief in February 2006, only days after Hands On USA—the organization with which he had been volunteering since September—concluded its Katrina recovery effort.

Following graduation, he began work as a production assistant on several independent films. When Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005, the images of devastation in the media moved him to head south to help. Driscoll joined Hands On USA in mid-September and spent the next four and a half months with the organization in Biloxi, Mississippi. In addition to participating with the rebuilding efforts, Driscoll returned to his alma mater to educate students and organize service trips, an initiative that now continues on with Persevere Disaster Relief.

In November 2005, the Boston Celtics honored Driscoll with their "Heroes Among Us" award. In January, First Lady Laura Bush presented him with the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for his work with Hands On USA along the Mississippi Gulf Coast .
Driscoll also started "The Next Great Pass" a service initiative in conjunction with the Boston College Appalachia Volunteers to bring groups to the gulf coast to aid in Katrina relief."

BonaResponds Spring Break 2006 Video

Over spring break 2006, nearly 300 (286) BonaRespond members (from all walks of life and all areas of the campus, the community, and the country) went to Mississippi and Louisiana to help in hurricane recovery efforts.

Meghan Backus, one of the leaders who had also been there in early October, made the following video for the University.





(As before, do everyone a favor and buy the music from the video. This is from U2. They own the copyright and deserve increased sales for allowing us to use their music!!!!)

BonaResponds Videos

We've had several requests for the BonaResponds videos, so here you go From our fall trip last year. Meghan made this one. All copyrights belong to their owners, but I would highly encourgae you to buy the music. It is good!

AP Wire | 09/06/2006 | Lawmakers to study modular homes for hurricane recovery

AP Wire | 09/06/2006 | Lawmakers to study modular homes for hurricane recovery:

"Modular houses are made in factories then shipped to home sites and erected on slabs. Because modulars are made to meet local building codes, they're often allowed to be put in places where mobile homes are excluded from permanent placement.

Manufacturers said modulars can go up in a matter of days if local building crews are available.

Gov. Haley Barbour says boosting sales of modulars could help speed the coast's recovery from Katrina, which destroyed tens of thousands of homes when it struck on Aug. 29, 2005.

Barbour wants lawmakers to cut the sales tax rate on modulars from 7 percent to 3 percent. Barbour said the change would shave $4,000 to $6,000 off the purchase price"

RedOrbit - Science - A Hopeful Investment: A Year After Katrina, Volunteers Help Rebuild Lives

RedOrbit - Science - A Hopeful Investment: A Year After Katrina, Volunteers Help Rebuild Lives:

"Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway, sweating profusely under the afternoon sun, was walked back to his SUV by neighbors surrounding John Henry Beck Park.

Holloway was there to help dedicate a beautiful playground and other park improvements, work completed in less than a day, and sponsored by KaBoom!, The Home Depot, Playworld Systems and the Hands On Network."

St. Bernard Parish Plans To Demolish Homes Not Repaired Since Katrina - Yahoo! News

St. Bernard Parish Plans To Demolish Homes Not Repaired Since Katrina - Yahoo! News:

"In St. Bernard, the parish wants to demolish abandoned homes that have not been repaired since Hurricane Katrina."

"The list will include homes where nothing has been done since the storm. From there, the buildings will appear on a demolition list."

The changing work in the Gulf

th_armando_window,
originally uploaded by handsongulfcoast.

The work going on in the Gulf has been changing. For instance here Armando puts in new windows. This changing work is one big reason why more skilled workers are needed.

So if you have skills (any skills) it's time to volunteer!

Living on Earth: Rebuilding Levees, Rebuilding Neighborhoods

NPR's Living on Earth: Rebuilding Levees, Rebuilding Neighborhoods:

"It's been a year since Hurricane Katrina drowned New Orleans. Now returning residents wonder if the levees that failed in that storm will protect them. Living on Earth's Jeff Young reports on the levee repairs."

And later:

"For Mississippi and Alabama, Katrina was a historic natural disaster—a massive Category 5 hurricane that obliterated the coast. But for New Orleans it was a man-made catastrophe. By the time the storm reached here the winds and surge had weakened to within the design criteria of the levees meant to protect the city. Yet those levees failed on August 29th in the largest civil engineering disaster in American history."

BonaResponds local service pics

Partial Group Photo,
originally uploaded by FinanceProfessor.

This is one of 35 pictures we uploaded from our Local service day at Archbishop Walsh High School in Olean NY.

There were actually more volunteers than are shown (over 50), but getting them all together proved impossible.

We are doing another larger service project on September 16th. Come join us! We will be recreating a day in the Gulf with many local projects from painting a covered bridge, to working at a local hospital, to finishing up our work at Walsh, cutting new trails on state forest land, and much more. Something for everyone. So come join us!

Louisiana Weekly - Your Community. Your Newspaper.

This is great if the homeowner can afford it, but many cannot. Then what?

Louisiana Weekly - Your Community. Your Newspaper.:

"A year after Hurricane Katrina ripped through here the damage is everywhere evident, and to drive along U.S. Highway 90 is to witness almost unrelieved devastation. While most of the major casinos along the beachfront are once again functioning, only the battered frames or the foundations remain of the majority of nearby homes.

But, remarkably, there are a few determined, enterprising homeowners who have not waited on insurance payments or federal allocations to rebuild their homes. 'I used all of my own money to rebuild my house,' said Minnie Miller, whose small house was virtually inundated by 17 feet of flood water. 'I spent more than $50,000 to do it, and I didn't get a dime from insurance companies or the federal government."

BonaResponds update

I just wanted to give everyone a quick recap of the First BonaResponds
local service project.

Although it was the first Friday back to school and the beginning of a
long Labor Day weekend for most local residents, we had just over 50
volunteers who painted, cleaned, and landscaped around Archbishop
Walsh High School.

1. Several classrooms were completely painted as was the main entrance
area to the school.
2. The majority of the hall ways were repainted including the trim
around each door.
3. Ceilings in the cha pel, and walls in several class rooms, the
scaristy, and the hall way were plastered and were left to dry prior
to painting.
4. The stairway to the second floor was cleaned and repainted.
5. The main entrance was repainted, benches cleaned and painted, and mulch was set down near the front sign.

All in all it made a great difference at the school which willundoubtedly improve the learning environment for the high school students and make the City look better.

However, there is much work to be done at the school so we will be returning: we will make this one of our work sites for the September 16th Service Day. Additional work sites on September 16th include Allegany State Park, a trail building project on State Forest Lands west of Allegany,
The Olean Historical Society, the Olean Hospital, the SPCA, St. Elizabeth's Motherhouse, the St. Bonaventure campus, and the Village of Allegany.

All are encouraged to volunteer on the 16th and bring family, friends etc. We will meet at the old Fitness Center (near Valu hardware) at 8:15 AM. After a brief meeting, we will split up and go to the various work sites. Lunch will be provided.

As an added incentive to encourage student participation, we hope to make sponsorship for future Gulf Coast trips a function of work on these local service projects. (for instance, while the Gulf trips will be open to everyone, full sponsorships will be available only for those who have volunteered and trained locally).

Thanks for all of the help at Walsh and I look forward to working with you all on the 16th.

jim

BTW IF you can not make it but want to help, we will accept donations--make checks payable to St. Bonaventure University (memo should be BonaResponds). Mail to Jim Mahar BOX BY St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure NY 14778

further question? Email Jim Mahar.

A Bank Survives Katrina. Now, the Hard Part. - New York Times

A Bank Survives Katrina. Now, the Hard Part. - New York Times:

"Alden J. McDonald Jr., the chief executive of this institution, which was the country’s third-largest black-owned bank until Hurricane Katrina and floodwaters roared through New Orleans one year ago.

Mr. McDonald and his staff count themselves among the fortunate, despite the general state of disrepair inside and outside their building. While their neighborhood wants for many basic amenities, including mail delivery and phone service, their company is one of the few enterprises back in business in the vast northeastern quadrant of New Orleans. And in a city where an estimated two in three businesses remain shuttered, Liberty is not only open but also turning a profit."

BonaResponds News Coverage

From the Olean Times Herald:

"BonaResponds, a group from St. Bonaventure University formed to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, is planning several local service projects in preparation for return visits to Louisiana and Mississippi.

....BonaResponds will lead an effort to clean up Archbishop Walsh High School Friday...Work will begin at 1:30 p.m. at Archbishop Walsh and continue until 7 p.m. Community members are welcome to help with the effort. Volunteers can call (716)372-8122 to offer donations or learn more about the cleanup....

Dr. Mahar said BonaResponds will be painting, landscaping, putting in new ceiling tiles, and doing other odd jobs around the Walsh campus.

BonaResponds also plans a Sept. 16 service day in Allegany and Olean. Volunteers will help at sites in the village, the St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, along the Allegheny River Valley Trail and at the Bartlett House in Olean. Work will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will continue until early afternoon. Again, community volunteers are welcome to join BonaResponds.

“It will be much like a day in the Gulf,” Dr. Mahar said."

and of course we are going back! In early January and over spring break in March. Want to come? It will be GREAT!


Nice article! Two small problems--I am an assistant professor not associate (unless I got a promotion and no one told me ;) ) and I want to take more people in January than the article suggests but otherwise :)

The Drive: Lakeview

I do not care how many times I see the destruction, I am never ready for it.

From Dr. Bob on 1st year anniversary

As always he is both caring and insightful.

From Dr. Bob:

" Dear Friends and family,

The first anniversary of Katrina's visit here on the Gulf;f Coast has come and gone, and Ernesto has become a distant whimper. Every day for the past 2 weeks, giant billows of STORM CLOUDS have appeared across the coastal skies. I do not have the poetic words to describe how beautiful and magnificent these masses of condensing atmospheric water can be, especially in the angled light of sunrise or sunset. The sheer bulk of these clouds, and their height, is astounding and awesome. Moreover, this display is inspiring, not frightening. It is more like a show, an artistic exhibition, and not at all like a threat to life and property.

I suppose that the August skies of Mississippi's Gulf Coast have been this way since time immemorial. I know, even in the short time I have been here, how this awesome beauty convinced so many people that they should settle here, set down their generations of roots, and raise up families and communities so enamored of this place.
Living was easy, and peaceful, friendly and, for the most part, secure. Locals felt comfortable and safe in their close knit communities and neighborhoods. Some even found a way to prosper here, but even those who did not, could fall back on the "rich blessings" of an extended, ever present family or circle of close friends, known and faithful since childhood.
Then, August 29th, 2005, Katrina paid a devastating visit, and everything changed: STORM CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON became a malevolent harbinger of unstoppable destruction. For those who did not, or could not flee, death, or at best terror, took its toll. Those who fled, returned to witness their communities and homes unrecognizable, and to experience the dread and/or hopelessness of ever recovering their former lives.

Now it is August 30th, 2006 - a year and a day beyond Katrina. In Biloxi and Gulfport 95% of the debris that was an everpresent reminder of what happened, has been removed. In its place is a lot - too much - of empty space, and the kind of eerie quiet that comes from the relative absence of human re-inhabitation. Of the homes and businesses still standing (not yet demolished) in East Biloxi, Bay St. Louis, and portions of many other Coastal towns, less than 20 % of these are inhabited today, or show any signs or repair or reconstruction. Here and there are bright, clean, newly-constructed, or partly constructed homes and businesses amidst a virtual sea of bulldozed empty lots. Large portions of these cities - where there was relatively mild or moderate wind or water damage - are back to their pre-storm appearance, activity and occupancy. There, one could hardly detect Katrina's visit, save for the sparseness of leaves or branches on mature trees that were stripped by Katrina's winds. In those neighborhoods, a future of progress and promise is noteable. But at ground zero (eg. East Biloxi and Bay St Louis and Waveland) only the white sand beaches, centuries- old Live Oak trees, AND, the beautiful STORM CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON , offer promise and a future beyond Katrina.

What about the people then ? Ahh. Here there is extraordinary promise. A depth and a wealth of strength, resilience, persistence, determination, and - most important in my view - faith. A deep, spiritual faith in a God that is merciful and generous and forgiving and loving. A faith in the power of people cooperating and working together in families, organizations, or communities to get things done. Yes, houses and homes are important places in which to mature and feel safe, but as I listen to people's hopes and dreams, I see these 'structures' important more as symbols of the possibility of rising above losses, standing up with heavy burdens, and recreating a productive and satisfying life for self and family and community. Such rebuilding is tenuous, and people know it is. They are not unaware that Casinos, Condominium developments, boutique stores, entertainment centers, tourism, and an influx of visitors will change the heart and soul of this part of America. I believe many are preparing themselves - 'practicing', if you will - to move on, either to a new place, or to into a changed old place. Preparing to survive, thrive, and succeed in nurturing the best of the caring and compassionate communities they grew up with."

Desiree Sayle hosts Ask the White House

Desiree Sayle hosts Ask the White House:

"George, from Pennsylvania writes:
I am assuming volunteers are still needed to help the people affected by Katrina,correct?"

"Desiree Sayle
Excellent question George. And the answer is yes.

In a report released this month, the Corporation for National and Community Service found that more than half a million Americans have journeyed to the Gulf Coast in the past year to volunteer in hurricane relief and recovery efforts. The figures compiled by the agency also reveal that tens of millions more people, while not traveling to the Gulf region, supported relief efforts in a variety of ways.

But, the true transformation of a stronger and better Gulf Coast will require a sustained commitment over time. In the months ahead, volunteers will continue to play an integral role in rebuilding and reinvigorating the area."

While George may get points for asking the easiest question ever, the answer is right on. Convince a friend to go with you to volunteer!

Signs of Life Book

BUY THIS! :) Signs of Life Book:

"Signs of Life is a moving collection of photos of the hand-made signs that appeared in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina. Profits from sales of the book will go to two organizations still working in the area: Common Ground Relief and Hands On Network.

Hand-made signs—spray painted on houses, on cars, on refrigerators—were some of the first 'signs of life' to appear after the flood waters receded. The signs range from the sacred to the profane, from defiant to defeated, from frightening and encouraging. The signs reveal a powerful story of those who survived the deluge.

Compiled by Eric Harvey Brown and Lori Baker, New York-based photographers and writers who volunteered in the Gulf Coast after the hurricane, Signs of Life shows not only the traces of the violence of the storm, but also that much devastation remains one year later"

and yes I do have at least one picture in the book :) But buy it anyways!

C-SPAN

Simply amazing coverage...I just wish I were back there now...if you have any question of whether there is work left to be done, then go watch C-SPAN: "On the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, C-SPAN will cover the John 'Spud' McConnell Radio Show & Garland Robinette Radio Show, both from New Orleans. Also, President & Mrs. Bush make remarks on Gulf Coast Recovery"

There is MUCH work to be done!!

President Bush Meets with Community Leaders in Mississippi

President Bush Meets with Community Leaders in Mississippi:

"As a matter of fact, now is the time to renew our commitment to let the people down here know that we will stay involved and help the people of Mississippi rebuild their lives."

He mentioned Handson and Suzanne by name. :)

The Volunteer Story on TLC

Wow there are many great Katrina Recap shows on for the one year anniversary. Hopefully, they will keep the helping spirit alive.

One show that I definitely want to record is TLC's Volunteer story:

"Motivated by sheer personal determination to help people who need them, the group gets itself to the Red Cross headquarters in Gulfport, Mississippi, and eventually ends up working in one of the worst hit areas of Mississippi. In some cases, this group is the first to arrive to devastated areas. The personal-view footage of the devastation from the passenger seat of the ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) is unlike any ever seen. The volunteers describe what it is like to smell death for the first time; to see houses completely off of their foundations and entire towns lay to waste."

Fraud? Stay tuned. This could be BIG!

Short version: two sisters took papers from their job and gave to lawyers in an attempt to prove the insurance company was committing fraud.

From Yahoo News:

The sisters, who managed teams of State Farm adjusters, say the documents show that the insurer defrauded policyholders by manipulating engineers' reports so that claims could be denied.

"I think we've given him the smoking gun," Cori Rigsby, 38, told The Associated Press during a recent interview at the home she shares with her sister near Ocean Springs.

State Farm spokesman Phil Supple said the Bloomington, Ill.-based company is reviewing the sisters' allegations but hasn't been allowed to question them.

"State Farm's employees are committed to conducting themselves in an ethical and appropriate manner," Supple said. "Any suggestions to the contrary are simply wrong."

Hundreds of homeowners on Mississippi's Gulf Coast have sued their insurance companies for refusing to pay for millions of dollars of damage from Katrina. A judge who presided over the first Katrina insurance trial ruled this month that Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. must pay for damage caused by wind but not from flooding, including storm surges"

Wow. This could be HUGE. And while I wish it hadn't come to this, if the reports are true, then hats off to the two sisters!

The NYTimes on the Rebuilding of New Orleans

From the NY Times:

"Like a half-completed drawing in a child’s coloring book, the picture is starting to fill in. There are shadows and firmer outlines, a few promising, some of them menacing.

New Orleans will almost certainly be smaller than it was. Repopulation has slowed to a trickle, leaving the city with well under half its prestorm population of 460,000. It will probably have fewer poor people; its housing projects remain essentially closed, and many poorer neighborhoods are still devastated. With inexpensive housing scarce and not being built, partly because of the paralysis in recovery planning, it is easier for the middle class than the poor to return."

And Later:

"Neighborhoods ruined now will probably shrivel further, planning experts say. The Lower Ninth Ward, still a barren wasteland, is unlikely to be rebuilt anytime soon, if at all. Gentilly, a classic 1920’s and 30’s New Orleans neighborhood of Arts and Crafts-style stucco houses with wide overhanging eaves, is coming back only fitfully, with a few trailers visible in front yards of once-flooded houses."

Surviving Katrina

SURVIVING KATRINA is a two-hour special premiering Sunday, August 27 at 9 PM ET/PT on the Discovery Channel, profiles ordinary Americans who forged ahead through death-filled waters, mass confusion and devastation to save others. This is just one of many shows on both Katrina and the storm's aftermath. Also look for PBS's show on rebuilding Biloxi (also on Sunday I am afraid).

Meet the Press

Don't miss this weekend's Meet the Press!

"One year after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, we'll talk to the Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, to assess the accomplishments and struggles his city has faced on its road to recovery. We'll also ask him about his latest controversial comment defending New Orleans' clean-up efforts by criticizing the progress of rebuilding at New York City's Ground Zero.

Then, David Paulison, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will be here to discuss the effectiveness of the federal government's efforts to aid those hit by last year's storm. And, as we move into this year's peak hurricane season, how prepared are we for what some forecasters say could be a very active couple of months in the Atlantic?"

Bush on the one year anniversary

I may not agree with him on everything, but he hit the nail on the head with this!
From the Buffalo News

"President Bush cautioned against placing too much importance on the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's Gulf Coast strike, saying a long, sustained rebuilding effort still is needed.

"It's a time to remember that people suffered, and it's a time to recommit ourselves to helping them," Bush said Wednesday. "But I also want people to remember that a one-year anniversary is just that, because it's going to require a long time to help these people rebuild.""

Bringing two recent stories together

From Yahoo (AP):

"McCusker, a Times-Picayune photographer for about 20 years, was booked with aggravated battery and aggravated flight from an officer, both felonies, Arey said Thursday. He said McCusker was in a psychiatric hospital.

"He's a great guy, a great photographer and we're all pulling for him," said newspaper managing editor Peter Kovacs.

"McCusker is mentioned in a feature on the city's travails in the current issue of American Journalism Review, saying he went back to work June 20 after a monthlong leave.

During the leave, the article says, McCusker spent much of his time sleeping off exhaustion and attending therapy sessions three times a week. He told the magazine he'd essentially become nonfunctional.

"You have to understand the depth of the horror that the city was," McCusker says in the article. "Tens of thousands of people on the freeways stranded. The children begging for food and water. The looting at the Wal-Mart. It was of biblical proportions."

and later:

"This marks an especially dangerous time for residents in areas still largely destroyed by Katrina, said Dr. Jessica Henderson Daniel, director of training and psychology at Children's Hospital in Boston.Daniel, in New Orleans for a convention of the American Psychological Association, said the storm's anniversary will spark new feelings of loss and more emotional and physical stress"

Dr. Phil in New Orleans

From the Sun Herald:

"Phil McGraw, who brought his "Dr. Phil" show to New Orleans just after Hurricane Katrina, returned this week to tape follow-up episodes that will air in the coming weeks.

Since touring the city by boat in early September, the popular TV psychologist has used his show to focus on New Orleans' recovery efforts and post-Katrina stress and mental health challenges, particularly for first responders."

Haven't they suffered enough? First Katrina, then Rita, now Phil? (sorry I couldn't resist ;) ) I realize he means well and many really like him.

Biloxi residents fear being forgotton

With apologies to Simple Minds "Don't you, forget about us" is the message that Biloxi residents want the nation to hear.

From the Herald.net:

"The biggest fear of many still in Biloxi of being forgotten has some basis....one international tragedy after another took headlines and attention: Iraq, Afghanistan, the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. They echoed the movie "Wag the Dog" in which foreign wars are faked in order to distract Americans from domestic problems.

When wars didn't make headlines, officials have focused on gay marriage, stem cell research and estate taxes.

Meanwhile, families live in cramped FEMA trailers rooted by sewer connections to the front lawns of their gutted middle-class homes. This month, a year after Katrina, they must start paying rent on those trailers as well as their mortgages."

They still need volunteers! Why not take an extra day for Labor day and go down for 4 or 5 days? You will do a world of good!

WLOX Tv news reports from Biloxi

WLOX has some very good reports from Biloxi on the recovery.

For instance the Volunteer BBQ that was held in Hiller Park, the clean-up of the coastal waters, and an update on the repairs of Hope Six houses (yeah the ones we helped demold! :) )

HODR-Indonesia

Scuba posted his 60 day report....short version: Handson Disaster Response is doing a wonderful job (which of course is NO surprise!)

A few look-ins:

"This past month saw a HUGE expansion in the volunteer numbers present in Sawit....This is exciting because it has increased our impact in the community. Where prior it may take up to 4 days to complete the "ruins" removal from the footprint of a house it now takes a single day to clean most areas! The month of August has a steady number of about 15 volunteers with us throughout."

AND

"In an effort to expand the opportunities for our volunteers and allow the children to experience a native English speaker we are now helping at least 2 days per week at the school. The Headmaster of the local primary school has welcomed a number of our volunteers at her school. The students are currently attending classes in an old fashioned military type tent whilst their school is being rebuilt. HODR volunteers have made lesson plans, taught mathematics, English (duh!), and generally assisted wherever they could. Nothing like having eighty 6-9 year olds under one tent being taught by 4 different teachers!! You should try!"

btw Pictures of their work are available on Flickr.

GREAT job people!

Suicide attempt

Want to add another reason why people should continue to volunteer? To be there to talk to the survivors and to help them deal with the stress.

Almost a year later the stress is still there, indeed, in some ways it is worse. Most are trying to deal with it in their own way, but occasionally it just bubbles over. This can happen to anyone. In the following story it happens to a professional photographer for the Times-Picuayune.

He had just found out how much (or better how little) he was being reimbused by his insurance company for his destroyed home. And he broke. The stress had broken down his will to live.

Fortunuately for him his attempt (a so-called "suicide by cop" attempt) failed and he is now on suicide watch. However, what about the thousands of others going through hte same thing?

The story is available in a text format and video from WDSU.

"A New Orleans police officer is recovering and a Times Picayune photographer is in jail.Police said John McCusker rammed an officer between cars during a suicidal standoff.It started when police pulled McCusker over for driving erratically. Investigators said McCusker shouted, "Just shoot me."

Remember this stress of Katrina is still being felt by millions and sometimes it just gets to be too much. You can help. Go volunteer today!

Anniversaries can be stressful and this one is no exception

The August 29th Katrina anniversary has many worried that the date may spur bad memories and other mental stresses.

From WDSU:

" Psychologists are warning about a surge in mental health issues as the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches."

Scientists model stronger storms due to global warming

A more immediate problem than rising tides might be stringer storms, and storm surges:

From Yahoo:

"There's been a lot of talk about the threat to coastal areas of sea level rise, and that is a very, very real issue ... but one that is going to unfold over a period of decades, if not a century," said Bill Chameides, Environmental Defense's chief scientist, in a telephone news conference.

"What we think will actually be a more immediate risk to coastal areas ... is the threat of storm surge, which is actually exacerbated by sea level rise due to these growing-intensity storms," Chameides said.

Using U.S. government data, the scientists created maps showing flood risk areas in Wilmington, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina, and Miami...."