Ch Ch Cha Changes

"Things are always different here, but always good"---Dave Campbell

Dave Campbell is back in Biloxi! The founder of HandsonUSA and now leader of HandsonDisasterResponse gave his usual great update at tonight's meeting where he mentioned the large grant that Coastal Medical had recently received, Handson-Indonesia, and how HODR will be ready to deploy again in the event of another major hurricane. He also reminded everyone of the plans for a HOUSA reunion here in Biloxi the week of August 29th (the one year anniversary of Katrina).

More importantly however were his editorial comments (quoted above) where he reminded us all that while things do change down here every time he returns, that things are always good.

There are so many cases of these changes that it impossible to show them all, but I will point out a few things that can serve as both examples and updates as to what is going on in the area.

A great example of how work changes but is still good happened on today's mold crew job. We were working on the house of a retired army officer. He had already done much of the work himself, but as it was a really big project we went to give him a hand. He was there waiting for us and immediately showed himself to be one of the nicest and most helpful people I have met (which is saying an awful lot!). After showing us what needed to be done, he insisted that he buy us all lunch.

As the crew ate he talked with everyone; about the storm, about his house, about his career, and about the importance of schooling, of staying motivated, and of leadership. Indeed, he was much more motivational than any 'self-help" guru!

At some point during this seminar he mentioned that I looked familiar and he thinks I was on the team that helped gut his parents house in early October. Now I can not vouch for it, but in my mind I will say I did gut his parents house. And from gutting his parents' house (which came before his own) to helping prepare his own house, the work has changed, but the importance and feeling of accomplishment have not.

Another example of how things are changing here is that Handson is now working on a new playground on the site of what early Handson volunteers will remember as Compassion Central (where free meals were served on Division St.) The park had not only been damaged by the hurricane, but also by the trucks and throngs of people who occupied the park for weeks on end.

Want another example? The Humans Society. From the original work of feeding strays (crews would take dog food with them to feed starving animals), to helping them move back to their old facility (in a mamogram bus of all things!), to the days of trying to help with overcrowding, to helping out at their new facility to now helping open a pet store at their new facilty and also helping to create a data base of pets in East Biloxi to help in the event of another hurricane. The work changes, but it is all valuable and all good.

Of course these frequent transitions bring challenges. One current challenge is how to deal with jobs that are demanding more skilled labor. Gone are the days where a totally unskilled crew could pick-up trash for hours on end or pull down drywall ad infinitem. This transition is happening faster in Biloxi than elsewhere, but it will be coming to towns and villages everywehre across the Gulf. How Handson and other relief organizations handle this transition will be of paramount importance in the coming months. Stay Tuned.