Thursday, 8 pm

We've just returned from a celebratory dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. Also saw UVA beat Virginia Tech (thanks to ESPN. This is our son Ross's college. Mike made a call to Jim Staton to share their joy at the victory.

We took Eddie and Kelly to dinner, and were joined by Sally and Lisa from Durham, North Carolina. A great time was had by all...there were some wild stories told; I'm not sure Eddie has completely absorbed what it means to be with UU women (and men)!

In the afternoon, the rains came. We left at 2:30 pm to see Hands On in E. Biloxi and to meet with Dr. Joe Dawsy, head of the Coastal health centers -- 8-9 clinics (now mostly in trailers, vans and rented space) that serve the Gulf Coast in Mississippi.

Hands On is a well run shop--we met with Chris, the director, and met other longer-term volunteers. This place can accommodate 90 in their bunks; presently there are 30 long-term volunteers and they will be full all during March.

Chris met David Campbell, founder of Hands On USA, in Thailand during relief efforts after the tsunami. He's been running Hands On-Gulf Coast for over a year. (Generally, Hands On USA does immediate rescue and relief and then moves on, responding to emergencies around the world. In cooperation with Hands On Network, another relief org, volunteers can stay long-term in affected areas.) I like the Hands On no-nonsense approach, nimbleness and effort to be good planners. East Biloxi is the poorer area of Biloxi; that is where Hands On is situated.

Meeting with Dr. Dawsey informative. Losing personnel each month, hard to draw doctors to the area since Mississippi, he says, has a reputation for extreme poverty and a lack of sophistication. Not so in Biloxi and with respect to the health care efforts there. Very underfunded for mental health services. Volunteer medical professionals are needed. Recipirocity (in terms of practicing medicine there) can be arranged with some advanced planning. UNC is bringing a busload of RNs and doctors to Biloxi in two weeks. Luckily, anyone licensed to practice in North Carolina automatically has licensure in 5 other southern states. Not so for nurse practitioners unfortunately. NPs can come to the Gulf Coast, but their scope of services is limited to RN duties due to Mississippi's rules. Especially this summer, this is a huge need in the area, as well as for, e.g., MPH students (who have a medical or nursing degree or health care admin. experience) who could help with management of the center and some clinical issues.

Lanier is taking Cally and Teresa to the airport nearby at 5 am tomorrow morning. Then Lanier, Mike and I head to New Orleans.

Bev