UMCOR Bright Spots

IN TODAY’S ISSUE
October 11, 2007

Lake Charles—Southwest Recovery Statio Needs More Volunteers
“Now We Say ‘Camille Who?’”
This Week's Quote
Recovery Stats
Raining Outside & Inside...(slide show)

LAKE CHARLES—SOUTHWEST RECOVERY STATION NEEDS MORE VOLUNTEERS

By Susan J. Meister, Gulf Coast Communications

Case manager Chris Ewing set an appointment for a home visit with Miss Tressie in Cameron, La, to determine if the Lake Charles – Southwest Recovery Station could assist with mold problems in her elevated mobile home. Ewing estimates that the homeowner signed up for possible assistance as early as February or March 2006.

Residents of Cameron Parish, La., are required to elevate their homes twelve feet about sea level.
Susan J. Meister/UMCOR

The homeowner toured the home with Ewing, pointing out ongoing problems with mold in the walls and kitchen cabinets. Ewing said that site manager Kevin Hodge would be out sometime soon to evaluate, but he couldn’t make any kind of commitment on when volunteer groups might be available to help fix the problems.

Nearly 2000 cases still open

After Hurricane Rita devastated the Gulf Coast in southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana in September 2005, a variety of groups helped take basic data from affected homeowners in the area. Although the Lake Charles Station has begun to make an impact on the rebuilding process in the 6500 square mile, four parish area, there are still nearly 2000 open cases.

Hurricane Rita came on the heels of Katrina in the fall of 2005. Much attention has been given to the Katrina rebuilding effort, often causing Rita survivors to feel overlooked. As Tom Hazelwood, executive director for disaster response in the US, explains, “At any other time, because of its widespread destruction, Rita would have received time and attention.”

Kevin Hodge, Site Manage, helps coordinate repairs and rebuilding.
Susan J. Meister/UMCOR

Roxanne (Rocky) Landry, construction supervisor, says simply, “We need more volunteers.” She explained that with the number of properties that were damaged by the storm which continue to deteriorate, the station needs to focus on doing what’s needed to get houses dry, clean and safe. “We need all types of skills,” she continued, “and we proceed one step at a time.”

Yvonne Dayries, Louisiana Conference manager of volunteers, said that many of the volunteers that call the office want to come to New Orleans. “We try to get groups to go to Lake Charles, and we try to match groups to the greatest need,” she said. Dayries mentioned that the recent August “Takin’ It To The Streets” event helped raise awareness of the continuing need, especially among churches in the Lake Charles area.

For case manager Ewing, seeing homeowners putting forth the effort to rebuild makes it all worthwhile. Landry adds, “We want to welcome volunteers and help them feel that they have accomplished something while they are here.”

To volunteer to help rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Rita, contact the Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Recovery Ministry.

For more on the United Methodist recovery work visit these web sites:
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)
UM News Service
Mississippi Conference
Louisiana Conference
Texas Conference
Alabama-West Florida Conference

Our Work

Mr. Henry can see the foundation of his former home from the porch of the new house being built in Waveland, Miss.
Susan J. Meister/UMCOR

“NOW WE SAY ‘CAMILLE WHO?’”

Mr. Henry is convinced that God held his former home up so that he would survive Hurricane Katrina and help a lot of people in trouble in Waveland, Miss. The homeowner rode out the storm on his roof and watched the devastating storm surge come toward him through the woods. His six-year old son was down the road with his grandmother in the attic of that home.

“Nobody believed that anything could be worse than (Hurricane) Camille,” Mr. Henry laughed. “Now we say ‘Camille who?’” Camille made landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast on August 17, 1969.

Mr. Henry and his son are living in a FEMA trailer, anxiously awaiting the completion of their new home. With the help of the Gulfside Station of Mississippi United Methodist Katrina Response, Mr. Henry has received grant funds from The Salvation Army, the American Red Cross and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation (GCCF) for building materials and appliances.

Mr. Henry works full time with Earth Works Design as a landscape architect. He is able to take time to help volunteer teams in his new home. “I’m enjoying this experience,” he said. So far he’s helped with framing, concrete and hanging sheetrock.

The homeowner is anxious to finish up the home so that he and his young son can spend more time fishing. “We go fishin’ every weekend,” he smiled.

The progress on Mr. Henry’s home is monitored by case manager Cheryl Necaise. She and the other staff at Camp Gulfside are helping rebuilding efforts in Hancock County, Mississippi, which includes the towns of Waveland and Bay St. Louis, which bore the some of the worst of Katrina.

To help families in Waveland, Mississippi and other locations along the Gulf Coast rebuild from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, contact the Mississippi United Methodist Katrina Response.

This Week’s Quote: “ “I don’t know where we could be without the church.”- Bishop William Hutchinson, Louisiana, at a recent event to celebrate volunteers who have come to the Gulf Coast over the past two years

Power Point Slide Show DOWNLOAD
RAINING OUTSIDE & INSIDE….
Download this slide and use in your Sunday morning announcements or mission minute