Hello all,
When I last posted I was reporting on the work the youth group from Winchester did last week. Here is a link to a local report on that work:
http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=6138069 Click on the camera for the video of the story. What we have been doing this week so follow up to their work. And then today, as Bev reported, getting some of the bigger picture through conversations with people in other communities. There is so much to do here.
Lanier
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Wednesday, 8 pm
A windy but warm day found us doing a couple of projects that were more satisfying then just junk removal that we did most of the day yesterday. Cally and I were teamed with two folks from a synagogue in Chaperl Hill and a young woman who grew up in and went to college here in Mississippi.
I worked in the morning with Jake, a young man with the Chapel Hill group to basically disassemble and carry out the internal framing of an historic house. Got lots of work with a slesge hammer, and learned how to use a a "Saws All" to cut both the wood and nails. We took the whole thing down in about three hours time and it was dirty, muddy, sweaty and great fun.
Then joined Cally, who will try just about anything, to climb onto a roof and nail down tarps with wood slats to keep them down to prevent further water damage. I was on the roof with a half dozne women who discovered the joys of banging nails with hammers, and I think understood this behavior in their toddler sons from the first time! We got the roof covered up pretty well, which is a good thing because we are supposed to get major thunder storms tonight. So, tomorrow, our crew chief Eddie may have us help refine the bunk rooms with some internal carpentry.
Mike
Hi there. This afternoon Teresa, Lanier and I went to meetings in Bay St. Louis after clearing some trash out of an area across the road from a house to be rebuilt on Rippy Rd. which Mike described above. This work resulted in a mound of wood pieces and shingles about 15 ft. x 5 ft. high and two dozen bags of personal goods and other stuff strewn on the ground. We filled a trash barrel as well to be picked up by the county's collection. In Bay St. Louis we met with people from the school district and the Pearl River Valley Foundation. Though PRVF is north of the Gulf Coast, they quickly recognized the need to help the Gulf Coast's multiple cities and towns, and got permission from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to use a grant fo obesity (slated to begin Sept. 2005) for Katrina relief in stead. $600,000 went in to an after school program and 8 week summer camp program for kids in 2006. For this summer Ted Alexander, the Foundation director, needs to raise $800,000. Demand will be higher, they want to accommodate up to 3,000 kids this summer, a bit mroe than the 2,400 children who were able to attend camp last summer. Teachers and high school students are hired to be counselors.
We met with Pam Motley from an early childhood institute at Mississippi State who is training day care providers to engage in "Power Play" with 3-6 year olds, helping them with coping, teamwork, self esteem and intimacy after the trauma of the Katrina. This work actually originated with the Trauma Institute in Boston. She will be in Boston in a couple weeks to strategize with one of the directors, Steve Gross.
Divorce and suicide rates are up 300% and 600% respectively on the Gulf Coast and this was an area with families already in difficulty before the storm. In Bay St. Louis, 95% of everything standing was lost -- business, schools, homes. Almost everyone is still in trailers (350 sq. ft. for families of 2, 3 4 or more). We toured the area with a young woman named Carrie Russo, who showed us the devastation along the beach and on adjoining roads. It was a t one time an historic town full of small cottages and bungalows and its share of mansion on the beach due to people retiring from New Orleans.
We had dinner together around 7 pm back at the camp, sitting outdoors in a wind that presages some rain and predicted hail tonight. Lish fixed a baked chicken on stuffing with a tasty gravy. Mike bought pecan and cherry pies at Wlamart...Cally insists on putting the hottest sauce on everything. I have to remember to tell you all how Lanier was ready to rush a train at a crossing near our camp as we set out for Bay St. Louis. She claimed the trains are slow around here and not worth waiting for....Teresa and I encouraged her not to do so.
As Teresa said while we were in Bay St. Louis, why do we buy home or business insurance? We apparently don't get much for it. Bay St. Louis sustained $1.2 billion in damaged and destroyed buildings. I believe I heard that the schools were covered for $30 million, and have gotten $5 million and that is it says their insuror. Apparently, a suit won recently against State Farm (remember their ads?) enables everyone to sue their insurors for money due them, but this takes legal assistance, and few people ahve the money for that.
We listened to the CFO of the school district, a man named Garland, talk about the hoops that government makes you jump thru to get any assistance, and that $0 is available for rebuilding. We didn't even get to talk about Homeland Security funds held up in Jackson (the capital). He and his family have lived in Bay St. Louis for generations (few like him have moved away); he is so heartbroken he won't cross the highway to see damage sustained by some of his favorite places (the Coliseum being one). So he focuses on helping the school district get back on its feet, working around the clock, and only last week visited his own home to assess the damage there and start to plan for his own rebuilding effort. Despite the obvious sadness in the room, the dozen or so people who took the time to meet with us are clearly a determined group, feel forgotten by Washington, the media, and organizations that sent immediate donations of supplies right after the storm.
Bev
I worked in the morning with Jake, a young man with the Chapel Hill group to basically disassemble and carry out the internal framing of an historic house. Got lots of work with a slesge hammer, and learned how to use a a "Saws All" to cut both the wood and nails. We took the whole thing down in about three hours time and it was dirty, muddy, sweaty and great fun.
Then joined Cally, who will try just about anything, to climb onto a roof and nail down tarps with wood slats to keep them down to prevent further water damage. I was on the roof with a half dozne women who discovered the joys of banging nails with hammers, and I think understood this behavior in their toddler sons from the first time! We got the roof covered up pretty well, which is a good thing because we are supposed to get major thunder storms tonight. So, tomorrow, our crew chief Eddie may have us help refine the bunk rooms with some internal carpentry.
Mike
Hi there. This afternoon Teresa, Lanier and I went to meetings in Bay St. Louis after clearing some trash out of an area across the road from a house to be rebuilt on Rippy Rd. which Mike described above. This work resulted in a mound of wood pieces and shingles about 15 ft. x 5 ft. high and two dozen bags of personal goods and other stuff strewn on the ground. We filled a trash barrel as well to be picked up by the county's collection. In Bay St. Louis we met with people from the school district and the Pearl River Valley Foundation. Though PRVF is north of the Gulf Coast, they quickly recognized the need to help the Gulf Coast's multiple cities and towns, and got permission from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to use a grant fo obesity (slated to begin Sept. 2005) for Katrina relief in stead. $600,000 went in to an after school program and 8 week summer camp program for kids in 2006. For this summer Ted Alexander, the Foundation director, needs to raise $800,000. Demand will be higher, they want to accommodate up to 3,000 kids this summer, a bit mroe than the 2,400 children who were able to attend camp last summer. Teachers and high school students are hired to be counselors.
We met with Pam Motley from an early childhood institute at Mississippi State who is training day care providers to engage in "Power Play" with 3-6 year olds, helping them with coping, teamwork, self esteem and intimacy after the trauma of the Katrina. This work actually originated with the Trauma Institute in Boston. She will be in Boston in a couple weeks to strategize with one of the directors, Steve Gross.
Divorce and suicide rates are up 300% and 600% respectively on the Gulf Coast and this was an area with families already in difficulty before the storm. In Bay St. Louis, 95% of everything standing was lost -- business, schools, homes. Almost everyone is still in trailers (350 sq. ft. for families of 2, 3 4 or more). We toured the area with a young woman named Carrie Russo, who showed us the devastation along the beach and on adjoining roads. It was a t one time an historic town full of small cottages and bungalows and its share of mansion on the beach due to people retiring from New Orleans.
We had dinner together around 7 pm back at the camp, sitting outdoors in a wind that presages some rain and predicted hail tonight. Lish fixed a baked chicken on stuffing with a tasty gravy. Mike bought pecan and cherry pies at Wlamart...Cally insists on putting the hottest sauce on everything. I have to remember to tell you all how Lanier was ready to rush a train at a crossing near our camp as we set out for Bay St. Louis. She claimed the trains are slow around here and not worth waiting for....Teresa and I encouraged her not to do so.
As Teresa said while we were in Bay St. Louis, why do we buy home or business insurance? We apparently don't get much for it. Bay St. Louis sustained $1.2 billion in damaged and destroyed buildings. I believe I heard that the schools were covered for $30 million, and have gotten $5 million and that is it says their insuror. Apparently, a suit won recently against State Farm (remember their ads?) enables everyone to sue their insurors for money due them, but this takes legal assistance, and few people ahve the money for that.
We listened to the CFO of the school district, a man named Garland, talk about the hoops that government makes you jump thru to get any assistance, and that $0 is available for rebuilding. We didn't even get to talk about Homeland Security funds held up in Jackson (the capital). He and his family have lived in Bay St. Louis for generations (few like him have moved away); he is so heartbroken he won't cross the highway to see damage sustained by some of his favorite places (the Coliseum being one). So he focuses on helping the school district get back on its feet, working around the clock, and only last week visited his own home to assess the damage there and start to plan for his own rebuilding effort. Despite the obvious sadness in the room, the dozen or so people who took the time to meet with us are clearly a determined group, feel forgotten by Washington, the media, and organizations that sent immediate donations of supplies right after the storm.
Bev
Wed. morning
Since their may be rain tomorrow, everyone is determined to do more debris collecting and hammering today (we're going to put up a frame on a house, if I'm not mistaken). Mid-day Lanier, Teresa and I will go to some meetings in Bay St. Louis about after school care, children's emotional responses to Katrina one hyear later, and health care needs in the area.
Mike, Cally will stay to work all day with our friend, Kelly, from Japan. Eddie, who leads the crews, is an amazing bundle of energy. Last night after 12 hours of work or more, I saw him chasing Jinnie's lab-mix, and he was running faster than the dog! Good night's sleep because we figured out how to keep the heat on at a low level in our hut. Had pancakes for breakfast, thanks to Lish. She uses all leftovers so last night's Shepherd's pie turned in to hash this morning. Plenty of salt, which Mike likes.
Popped in on a city council meeting last night but only stayed 10 minutes as it turned out Derrick wouldn't be heard that day. Got the names of all the councilmen (one woman) though, should we need to be in touch.
Bev
Mike, Cally will stay to work all day with our friend, Kelly, from Japan. Eddie, who leads the crews, is an amazing bundle of energy. Last night after 12 hours of work or more, I saw him chasing Jinnie's lab-mix, and he was running faster than the dog! Good night's sleep because we figured out how to keep the heat on at a low level in our hut. Had pancakes for breakfast, thanks to Lish. She uses all leftovers so last night's Shepherd's pie turned in to hash this morning. Plenty of salt, which Mike likes.
Popped in on a city council meeting last night but only stayed 10 minutes as it turned out Derrick wouldn't be heard that day. Got the names of all the councilmen (one woman) though, should we need to be in touch.
Bev
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Tuesday night
It's 8 pm and we're sitting at our "dining table" next to the baseball fields that abut our camp in Turkey Creek. We worked hard today clearing debris from severa properties in Turkey Creek. Derrick Evans, the leader of the initiative, is talking to us about a film we saw last night about the impact of the storm in this part of Mississippi. He's explaining the importance of maintaining this community (freemen formed the community in the 1860s after the Civil War ended by purchasing hundreds of acres here). TC was annexed by Gulfport a couple decades ago to build an airport and since then has encroached on the area through "laws" that take away property. He says: Protection of the wetlands here is meager. Comedy of errors can be used to describe the conflicting policies and fundings in place that seem to stymy rather than support the community's efforts. Derrick testifies before Congress, before his state legislature, the local city council, as needed, to keep awareness high. A dozen or more homes have been declared national historic treasures but local government has no funds to ensure their future. Folks who survived the storm and stayed put are not being given funds to rebuild because they didn't abandon their properties!
Bev
Bev
Tuesday at work
It is hard to remember the date, that's when you know you're focused on the work at hand. We had a good night's sleep, woke up to learn local water cannot be used, bacteria in there. We thought we'd be surveying but learned we're joining the debris team. First, we head to Walmart for bottled water for the camp. Breakfast quick and then we headed out to Rippey Rd. where a dozen homes, wrecked in the storm, are being claimed by the Turkey Creek initiative as a result of initial research to find the owner or someone who can authorize rebuilding. We cleared off the street a bundle of steel and metal fixings found in a house gutted by a group last week. Then pushed back some debris that had been piled high by a previous group but was too far into the road to be safe. Final task before lunch to clear brush from a property (red ants abound) to get it ready for review by the county. Lanier has seen the before-and-after on this home; in just 10 days it's ready to rebuild. Since Feb. 28 is last date FEMA will pick up trash in this area, we're rushing today to organize all this stuff for pick up. Cally with a weedwacker is an impressive site to behold. Cally, Lanier, our friend Kelly from Japan, Teresa, Mike, are working as a team.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Monday, 6:50PM; After Walking the Neighborhoods
Spent most of today walking in some neighborhoods that one of our group described as like being in the "third world", and yet there was also signs of progress, signs of hope and incredibly gracious people. But, I couldn't help thinking that these neighborhoods looked just like the ones I had seen pictures of on TV when I was in my teens, and Bobby Kennedy was walking among the people. There has been no victor in the "war on poverty".
Among the many trailers and old rotting properties, there are a few that are small miracles - often built by church groups from other states, the national guard or other groups. But, it seems to be completly random as to which house owner receives a miracle, and which just tries to hang on!
Mike Collins
Among the many trailers and old rotting properties, there are a few that are small miracles - often built by church groups from other states, the national guard or other groups. But, it seems to be completly random as to which house owner receives a miracle, and which just tries to hang on!
Mike Collins
Before and after
I left here (here being north Gulfport and Turkey Creek) about ten days ago to go out to San Antonio and be a "sponsor" for the youth group. At that point we had assembled a list of ten houses in Turkey Creek in need of help. That is misleading, since if suggests that the rest of the houses are okay, which is far from the truth. These ten are the ones most in need of help. Five had been "red tagged" by the city to be demolished within thirty days, and the others were just about as bad. Many were missing parts of their roofs, so they had been sitting in the rain for eighteen months; others had major collapses of one side of the building or a porch; several still had belongings inside--a piano in one, sofas, beds, chairs, dressers, pictures on the walls, etc. You have the sense of people who have just been overwhelmed and have walked away. But now I return to find that the seventy teens who were here last week, while I was in San Antonio, have done a major clearing out of nine of the properties. I've got to bring this to a close now, since they are holding a movie about this area for me to get down there. So more later.
Lanier
Lanier
Monday
Mike and I arrived about 10:30 and hooked up with Teresa, Cally and Lanier, who were surveying the neighborhood with Derrick, an outreach volunteer from St. Louis who has been here for 2 months. Lish is our cook; she is originally from New Hampshire but has been "all around for some time." Molly is the volunteer coordinator, replacing John who is headed back to Wisconsin where he hopes to hear about his Peace Corps assignment. Many different personalities and ages of volunteers, including Kelly from Japan--all have to get along with each other. We talk to neighbors, filling out forms, to understand any needs they might have for repair, health or social services. In about 90 minutes we head back for lunch--macaroni and salad. We spent this afternoon surveying, walking the states -- streets named Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana in this area right near camp. It's exhausting but the plus is 70 degree weather. Justin, an outreach coordinator, is processing our data to see if there are immediate needs that can be addressed this week. We met Eddie, as well, originally from Frankfort, IL who has been here two years overseeing whatever rebuilding can be done. Funds are needed for materials; Turkey Creek was glad to receive our Home Depot cards. It's clear that before more building can happen, funds have to flow. Bottled water is low here; PepsiCo can't donate any more water and soda. Insurance can't be counted on; federal funds don't seem available. More on this later. I'm sweaty and hot but glad to send out this note. Will try to get the others to weigh in with more.
Monday
Mike and I arrived about 10:30 and hooked up with Teresa, Cally and Lanier, who were surveying the neighborhood with Derrick, an outreach volunteer from St. Louis who has been here for 2 months. Lish is our cook; she is originally from New Hampshire but has been "all around for some time." Molly is the volunteer coordinator, replacing John who is headed back to Wisconsin where he hopes to hear about his Peace Corps assignment. Many different personalities and ages of volunteers, including Kelly from Japan--all have to get along with each other. We talk to neighbors, filling out forms, to understand any needs they might have for repair, health or social services. In about 90 minutes we head back for lunch--macaroni and salad. We spent this afternoon surveying, walking the states -- streets named Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana in this area right near camp. It's exhausting but the plus is 70 degree weather. Justin, an outreach coordinator, is processing our data to see if there are immediate needs that can be addressed this week. We met Eddie, originally from Frankfort, Illinois who has been here two years overseeing whatever rebuilding can be done. Funds are needed for materials; Turkey Creek was glad to receive our Home Depot cards. It's clear that before more building can happen, funds have to flow. Bottled water is low here; PepsiCo can't donate any more water and soda. Insurance can't be counted on; federal funds don't seem available. More on this later. I'm sweaty and hot but glad to send out this note. Will try to get the others to weigh in with more. It's disorienting to be in a landscape that looks like it's really ground zero--trees lopped off or sideways, homes that have been crushed, side by side with some rebuilding that has been done thanks to local churches and other faith-based groups. No one has time to care who or what is across the street from them; life has to on. Elderly parents have to be tended to. Lanier's already documented conditions in some classic old homes which, if rebulding occurs, describes what is needed.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Saturday - one day to go
I've laid out our bags. Since we're taking an Aero bed, we need two bags each to check. We usually don't travel like this! Cally came over and got a pad used for camping. It will provide her with additional comfort in our hut at Turkey Creek. We're packing scrabble, books. Spoke with Jinnie and she will be connecting us with social and environmental justice groups there. She told me 100 live in Turkey Creek, the balance of the population has dispersed to trailers, friends and extended family. Some will not come back.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Preparing to go - Feb. 26-Mar. 2
Cally Abdulrazak, Teresa Howe, Mike Collins and I, will be going to Turkey Creek this Sunday to do work. Lanier was there last week and spent time cutting thru county and state-level red tape so that certain homes can be at least gutted in this neighborhood. Now she's in San Antonio with our youth group. She'll meet us at Turkey Creek some time on Sunday. We will work four full days and then on Wed. have the opportunity to meet with Pearl River Valley Foundation, which runs after-school programs and summer camp for 700 children. Hundreds are on the waiting list for these programs. We hope to meet Joe Dawsey, director of the health centers of the Gulf Coast. Mike and I plan to meet with Mark Newburg on Saturday, Mar. 3. Mark is a Belmont High school grad, Tulane law school grad, and now chief of staff to New Orleans city council president, Thomas Oliver.
Already we've had amazing support and information from Bridge to Biloxi, the Concord, Mass.-based group that builds homes through Handson.net and from Jinnie Trabulsi, our UU liaison there. Rich Pasley from B2B sent us a photo of the huts where we'll be staying. Lanier has reported in on conditions. Her good friend Amelie (originally of Alabama) is organizing a northeast-based group of volunteers, and plans to accelerate fundraising for the area. We, and anyone else who is interested, can be part of this effort.
Already we've had amazing support and information from Bridge to Biloxi, the Concord, Mass.-based group that builds homes through Handson.net and from Jinnie Trabulsi, our UU liaison there. Rich Pasley from B2B sent us a photo of the huts where we'll be staying. Lanier has reported in on conditions. Her good friend Amelie (originally of Alabama) is organizing a northeast-based group of volunteers, and plans to accelerate fundraising for the area. We, and anyone else who is interested, can be part of this effort.
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