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Title: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by Edna on Sep 10th, 2005, 1:21am Not so sure that ANY words can describe what it's been like around here. To sit and know the devastation that lies so near to us here in Raceland is unbelievable. Seeing it on TV just somehow doesn't seem real, and after sitting for days and watching nothing but news coverage, I felt I had to get out and help as soon as I could or go crazy for lack of trying. There are about 6 or 7 local shelters within the parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes here. Myself along with other family members and friends have gone for the last few days to see of what assistance we could be after phoning to volunteer and being put on a waiting list……..AGH……so we just showed up. After yesterday, I finally broke down (during my bath……lol……think that was discussed in another post). Although I know the little I am doing is helping some, it's just overwhelming to know how much there is still left to do. Here are just a few of the stories….. I walk into the shelter, sign my name to the volunteer list, get a name tag and head for a department to work in. The "clothes, donation" area is one of the busies and keeps you occupied so much that you forget what day it is or that you have to stop at some point to use the bathroom. PILES of donated goods come in daily, and have to be sorted. This is a big chore. From there, we "shop" for what any survivor needs. We don't get to see them……we just get notes on a paper of what they need and the sizes. Walking amid the halls you see the triage area, where the patients of different needs lay. Yesterday I saw one woman tending to the need of cleaning a young boys feeding tube, right there in the hall where he lay practically motionless. Across from him was an elderly lady, who we're sure is an Alzheimer patient. Where is her family, we don't know??? Perhaps she has none left or they have been displaced like many children have. One woman was reunited on Wednesday with her young 3 yr. old daughter. She is a policewoman who showed up for work on Sat. morning before the storm. Her daughter has stayed with an aunt for care. The mother stayed in New Orleans until the Friday after the storm. From there, she was evacuated to Houma to a shelter and hadn't had any word on the whereabouts of her daughter. Come to find out, her daughter was at a neighboring shelter in the same town!!!! Another family had a beautiful set of twin girls that had been sent to Beaumont, TX while they were here in Houma, LA. They too were united this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are just cute as a button and I enjoyed the time I got to spend with them. They were just excited to be playing and told me they'd soon be moving, they just didn't know where. A few young adults that we got to mingle with at one of the shelters were just excited to know that they were waiting for rides to be united with other family members in TX. Their hope was to be able to continue their schooling. One young woman, so bright, just wanted to be able to finish her schooling to become a teacher. Her mother and father have decided they are staying on here, but she wants to get back to N.O. eventually. Her father already has a job here and they are just waiting on housing to come through. YEE HAA for them!!!!!!!!!!! As we went around the shelter inquiring if anyone needed any type of personal items, we got the opportunity to share some amazing stories, although most sad. Two older gentleman, from the N.O. area said how they had been in war, but that what they saw from this storm is much worse!! Can you imagine???? One told of how the children in the rescue boat he was in just kept commenting on the people "swimming" in the water as they were carried off to safety. He said that he'll never forget all those bodies he saw floating everywhere. The people we dealt with were so very appreciative of all we did no matter how small. One lovely lady and her family left yesterday afternoon for TX to meet up with family. She had 6 beautiful children and was expecting a 7th. The children were so well behaved and such fun to be around. One young girl said how she admired this woman, because she held down a job to support her family instead of being on welfare. How inspiring!!! I know I haven't spent my last day there helping. All I do know, is that it helps me to try and return to some normalcy. We are ok here, our area fared well. I'm tired now here, my thoughts have left me………and my fingers no longer can type right. Thanks for listening, somehow, it helps to know you guys are here and care!! pf wishes, EDNA |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by Svenn on Sep 10th, 2005, 3:05am You keep on telling us these stories you carry with you Edna You keep on getting those things out of your chest and mind you hear my friend.Thats an order We WILL lissen , and you know we are with and for you dear friend Keep in touch Svenn&Bente |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by LeLimey on Sep 10th, 2005, 6:34am Oh Edna, thank you for sharing these stories. I love hearing the reunited stories.. to be separated from my kids is one of my greatest fears so I particularly love those :) God bless you love Helen X |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by Jasmyn on Sep 10th, 2005, 8:33am Edna what you do and the stories you tell make not only a big difference in the lives off all the evacuees but touch each and every life that reads this. Thanks for the ripple effect that contributes to us all. |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by sassy_lady on Sep 10th, 2005, 9:16am Edna God Bless you, If you did nothing else but talk to these people & give them hope !!! you are making a differance in their lives, I talked to so many people & Prayed over all of them, I found that many of them just wanted to be heard, hugged & told that things are going to be ok!! Ben the older man that came back with us, he cried when we said he could come home with us!! he looked at me & asked, do you really mean home? I hugged this man & we cried !! I told him that yes I mean HOME !! He Is scared & alone, we got him set up with red cross yeaterday & took him to the ER, he has head truma & has to have surgery on his right eye, he waited on his roof for 2 days for the water to go back down, had to kick out his roof to get out of his house!! I cleaned his cuts & did what I could!! now he will get the real help that he needs & we will give him our apartment to live in & he will be apart of our lives & family, I will get pictures today & post them, Edna anything that you do makes a differance no matter how small you think it is, it is a BIG help & a BIG differance!!!! keep up the good work honey !! And This picture is a sign from God to you too!!! http://storage.msn.com/x1pnp_rgmi5o51gmCLFJS6Umsvu0ulqoKrBcXbA9g3oyee_GJgXpSAArZBP5_nB5EgevGIV9w6nV1Cfj-MhsfaYUndC66DF8c8zRIZIQri8RRlU7cUFrp2xXVP1pMZCyoYx_fMxxPPCR1I this cloud was in the sky when we pulled in to our chapel when we got back from M.S. with the people!! cause I had thought that we could of done better & was upset some when we pulled in, & I feel that the lord put that cloud there to give a message to all of us that we did our job on that trip!! & I feel that the lord put that cloud there to tell the people that we brought back with us that they are ok & in good hands with us!! & I beleave that to all that see this cloud even though it is in a picture, that the lord is talking to all of us through it & that it has a message to all from GOD!!! & It's ok to cry & feel sad about what is going on around us & it's ok to feel joy also, lives are being changed & things will get better for these people & any smile that you get out of these people is a blessing!! & any joy or peace that you can give them is a blessing!! I walked up on a coulpe to talk to them about leaving & in coming to Fla. the woman broke down,, I told her that I was from Fla. & that we go through these things every year & that I truely know how she is feeling & what she is going through, we hugged & Cried, by the time we got done talking this woman was smiling & laughing & had a positive out look on things again, that meant more to me then the supplys we took there !! they are picking up their son from a family member & are suppost to drive down here, we told them that we would take them to get their son no matter how far it was or how far we had to go!! but they had a car & some friends gave them some money so they are coming, I Prayer they do, gave them my # so wait for the phone to ring!! any how, just don't give up & remember everything no matter how small means alot to these people !! Lots of Love & Prayers Jolene oxoxoxoxoxoxox P.S. Call me if you need to talk, things can get to us too!!! |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by Charlie on Sep 10th, 2005, 4:29pm Thanks Edna. We're all so glad that you are there to write these stories and that you are such a help to so many. You're sumpin' kid. http://www.subscribe.smileygenerator.us/all/albums/misc/spoton.gif?SSImageQuality=Full Charlie |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by BikerBob on Sep 10th, 2005, 5:10pm Thank you for sharing your experiences Edna, you have a huge heart. Unfortunately, I'm 2000 miles away and don't have resources on the Gulf coast to help. Less than an hour ago, on a busy street corner in San Francisco with heavy foot traffic, a block from where I live... Four 12-year-old girls had set up large tables on the sidewalk. They had huge bowls of cookies, more than 1000, on the tables and several gallons of lemonade and several hundred cups. Their big hand-painted signs said "FREE LEMONADE AND COOKIES" "ALL DONATIONS GO TO THE SALVATION ARMY". Mother-hen (wearing a Salvation Army badge) was keeping an eye on their operation from about 5 yards away. I watched them for a couple minutes. They're raking in more than $50 per minute. I couldn't resist making yet another donation and telling them what they're doing is very kind. Everyone can find a way to help. BB |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by cootie on Sep 10th, 2005, 10:29pm I'd much rather here what you have to say about all this then watching the news !!! Very interesting.....and a real 'first hand' insite on all this. Keep up the good work.......inspired Pam |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by jcmquix on Sep 10th, 2005, 11:06pm God Bless you Edna..... You are helping all these people's lives.... and giving them HOPE.... Love Ya..... Charlie |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by BobG on Sep 11th, 2005, 12:17am Hey Edna [smiley=hug.gif] |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by Cathi04 on Sep 11th, 2005, 8:46am Edna, for those of us who are NOT in the thick of things, your stories are priceless. We cant be there. We dont see, firsthand, the way nature has destroyed people. Keep the stories flowing. As for us on the West Coast, we will keep shelters available, and do our best to provide anything else needed. Thank you, Edna.......we will talk soon. Cathi |
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Title: Re: volunteering at the shelter........ Post by Woobie on Sep 12th, 2005, 5:54am [smiley=hug.gif] Cant wait to see you again - I'm gonna squoooooosh ya! |
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