Topic : 09/08 Hurricane Katrina

I don't know where to begin, other than to say God Bless to all those who survived the horrible events and are now left with nothing.  I will not even begin to think I know how you must all feel - I have never gone through such a horrible tragedy.  The feelings of horror and worry and desperation so many must now be feeling - the mothers and fathers not knowing where their children are, the children who have lost parents and grandparents...  

   

The horror is almost too much to even think about - but think about it I must, as that is what makes me hug my child a little longer and breath a sigh of relief that such devestation has not happened to me.  I can live without my things...But the thought of not knowing where my child or my husband is?  My heart goes out to those parents who must not only fight to survive, but do so with the worry of not knowing where their children are.  

   

My son will be four soon.  My husband and I were talking about the hurricane and the vast numbers of people now left without homes.  Little guy asked what we were talking about, so I told him there are kids who no longer have food or water or toys to play with.  

   

Bless his little heart.  He went to his room and put some toys into a back pack and handed the bag to me.  He said "Mommy, maybe they like these?"  I opened the bag and found not broken toys or toys he was bored with - I found his FAVORITE toys - his Spiderman items, his Thomas the Tank Engine toys, etc.   

   

And so I thought, If he's willing to part with his favorite toys, what can I do?  

   

Tomorrow, we are going down to our local Red Cross and Salvation Army to see what we can do for the victims - NO!- THE SURVIVORS of Hurricane Katrina.  I want to help, even though I cannot physically travel the distance to lend a helping hand.  I will do what I am able.    

   

Again, God Bless.  

   

You Neighbours to the North  

   

Audrey in Canada  

What a sweet son you have. You should be real proud of him. Katrina was terrible. I find myself thinking about all the people there, and become very sad. I can not even begin to imageine what they are going thru. I made a donation, I only wish I could do more. We can all say prayers for them. And we can hope their lives get much better. I myself do not know what I would do, if anything ever happened to my children. I cry when they skin their knees. God Bless all of them and all the GREAT PEOPLE who are helping.   Gina

I wish there was a way that the boarders could open and we canadians would be allowed to take in people when we have extra rooms in our homes, this absolutly crazy that there is so much red tape at a time like this. Also it would be nice if during these documentary's if the commercials could be about the company sponsoring the station about how much they have donated instead of showing a plate of crab legs and dip or pizza. perhaps as an example Highline fish could acheive the same recognition by saying they donated 1 million dollars  and General Foods donated so much. I sure would have a great feeling about that then oh yeah they are promoting a new fish that the victims cannot buy and would probably love to eat It's just a thought  I feel we could be doing alot better.

Just had an idea that I am going to take to the Salvation Army/Red Cross when I go there tomorrow and thought to share it with you.  How about helping organize "Back Pack" hampers?  Fill a back pack with necessities donated by stores, individuals, organizations?  Vary the packs depending on age and gender.  A back pack for a man would include shaving items and toiletries, underwear, t-shirts, socks, etc; for a woman, feminine hygiene products, panties, bras, and other items; a child would include clothing and a toy or colouring books/crayons, etc.  All would include such necessities as toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo, soap, etc.   

    

With schools opening again, this is also an idea you might approach teachers with - something the kids can do as part of their social studies class that also teaches them compassion for others and how they can help in little ways.  If one classroom can create one back pack for two adults and two children, that would help many.  Imagine a school of 400 students coming up with the items  to fill 64 back packs.  That may not seem like a lot, but that is 64 people who currently have nothing.   

    

My little guy is starting pre-school next week at our neighbourhood elementary.  I am going to take this idea to the teachers and staff tomorrow, as well.  As I see it, as a former elementary school teacher, this is a FABULOUS teaching tool that will broaden the eyes of the students - it is likely all of them have heard one thing or another about Katrina, even if they do not yet fully grasp the disaster and the havoc the storm has wrought.  The students can also include letters of encouragement and support if the teachers wish.   

    

Thank you for your kind words regarding my little guy - he is a great little guy filled with compassion.  Even when he was 18 mo old, he used to cry when other kids cried.  When he was just beginning to walk but still drinking from a bottle, he went up to a little girl (she was about 4 yrs old) who was crying in the local WalMart - and handed her his bottle because that always helped soothe him when he was upset.  She stopped crying and smiled but then HE was upset because she wouldn't take the bottle he offered!!!  Ah, well...   

    

Like I said, he's a great guy and we think he's the most special little person we know...But we're NOT BIASED!  LOL.   

    

Take care...   

    

Audrey    

God Bless to everyone who got out a live!!!!!!!! 

  

My message is not about the people of hurricane Katrina its about all the poor aimals left for dead. 

I am very happy that some of them got out, but am devistated that most are just there to rot and die. Know I know that the president is only focused on people but I think he should also be interested in the lives of the animals. Some of thos ppl out there have had thier dogs for like 11 years, and I know if I were in that disaster, I think the only comfort i would have if I lost my parents and family would be to have my dog or cat with me...  

I think the president should help save the animals lives too, not only humans, and I am sorry to those who do not agree but this is my opinion. 

  

Thank you for reading this and... 

I hope that every body is ok along with thier pets!!!!! 

Hi Audrey,That is a great idea. I am sure they would appreciate anything.I still get teary eyed when I think about it. It makes you more aware of just how much we actually have. Have a Great Day Gina

     I just want to share a thought that I had and presented to my supervisor where I work but did not get a response to this idea and wondered if is it so off the wall of an idea not to entertain the thought or is it too good of an idea that would require some effort to initiate?  Anyway, here it is......   Why not for those of us who are unable to physically go help these people or open our homes to those who need a place to stay and I could go on with all the other ways to help, but what I mean is yes, we can donate money or items to them and support them in our prayers, but if we can't do much else,  what would it hurt for companies and big businesses to offer a charitable day of overtime for their employees.  Give every employee the opportunity to work perhaps on a Saturday or other scheduled day off for 8 hours and code their time to donate all of their earnings for the day to the Katrina relief effort.  It would benefit the companies to have people working the extra time and also give those who cannot do some of the things that we would like to to help the chance to give a nice amount of money towards the effort.  It is one day out of our lives to make a huge difference.  If the response to the idea was large, the amount of money made by such a plan could very well push the progress of the recovery greatly ahead.  If all of the workers of our country did this, imagine the number of the dollar donation.  I just really feel like this was an idea that was worth sharing and even if I can't get anywhere with my immediate place of employment, maybe if there was some attention brought to it, it would catch on and people would want to be involved in such a plan.   

  

My heart just goes out to all of those that suffered through this horrible disaster and I wish there were a way that I personally could help every single person through this, but we should do whatever we can and however we can because it could have been us and may one day be one of us in need.  We share this Earth together and must work together to keep our world safe and peaceful.   

The hurricane Katrina was not the simple twisting and smashing of a few buildings but affected such a massive area that I'm afraid for the people who have lost so much.  My husband watched more of the coverage than I have and he donated a hundred dollars for each of our grandchildren.  I'm sure he was thinking of somebody else's little grandchildren being homeless, suffering, and being in the midst of a horrible situation.  Where is our money being used?  What do all the places getting the money use it on?  Does anyone know the answer?  

   

We put up my sister and her family years ago when they moved to our town and I think that's what these families need is their own family reaching out.  Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, Parents.  Some kind of shelter that isn't a cot with so many other people.  I wish that many of them would also take the offer of those cruise ships.  They'd have their own bedroom quarters with a shower and plenty of dining space.  I know that's temporary too.  I saw you Dr Phil on Larry King Live's program and I know that everyone needs to think about the future.  To step forward.  I think they need a few days to cry.  I wish I was closer because I'd go to the shelters and hug them. 

   

Meanwhile the Caring Corp, the Iowa Jaycees, and the Urbandale Jaycees had the boy scouts pass out a list of things needed for a scavanger hunt for the people displaced by Katrina.  They didn't give us towns folks much time to find things but when I took my bagfuls to their office the traffic parking was just coming and going with so many women carrying boxloads and bag after bag of donations.  I told the girl inside where boxes of things were stacked to the ceiling that I had emergency bags packed at home for our family so I already had many of the things needed to donate.  I'll just refill our supplies next payday.  In an emergency, we grab our bags and go.  Now that this has happened the whole country can be more aware of what each of our families should have in a backpack or small carry case that we could use "just in case".  Even an individual crisis, like a house fire, could give us a cd with our pictures on it or the negatives and some clean underwear.  I think I'm going to include toilet paper too.  I keep our emergency bags in our cars.  Then if needed, even during work hours, we'd have that with us.    

   

God bless the families and keep them in his care.  I hope it won't be long until they've had their cry and look around to see all of America hugging them.  We love them too.  

   

Dee  

   

   

I have watched so much of the Hurricane coverage hoping to see my friend.  He had called me a few weeks ago because he wanted to know when I was moving back to New Orleans.  I've been wanting to move back for years.  In September 2001, we spread my best friend's ashes through the French Quarter starting at Jackson Square, the heart of New Orleans, as the buggie-drivers call it.  When I heard that the Quarter could be flooded, I worried that my friend's ashes would be washed away.  Really, I worried that my memories could somehow be washed away by the city being destroyed.  I am HIV positive so I'm scared to go back to New Orleans right away.  I wanted to help since I'm on disability and have the time.  I have found two friends and they are safe.  One probably lost everything, but he's alive.  Another friend I haven't found yet.  He lives on St Roch and I wonder if he would be one to stay.  If I were there, I would have stayed too.  I'm just the kind of person who would try to ride it out.  That's just who I am.  So I understand the ones who stayed.  That city is part of my soul.  I new it the minute I first stepped foot on Bourbon Street.   

  

I'm watching today show and having emotional ups and downs.  I have been going through this since before the hurricane hit.  I thought it would miss New Orleans like so many times before.  My friend may have gone to Texas to be with his family.  I hope that's what happened.  He hasn't made contact with me by phone or Internet.  I've sent emails and even regular mail just in case he was smart enough to forward his mail.     

213,753 Katrina Missing Persons Searchable at WeCareTexas.com
  

 

   

Dallas, TX(PRWEB) September 8, 2005 --    

   

    

 

   

WeCareTexas.com hosts the largest (over 213,000) continually updated, SEARCHABLE database of Hurricane Katrina missing persons. Plus, it provides a free automatic telephone calling service to continually dial numbers of missing persons until they are found. CNN and MSNBC missing persons lists combined, so searches are easier. The American Red Cross lost persons database can be accessed and searched from the site now as well.   

   

    

 

   

The first benefit is that the COMBINED database can be searched from the site by first name or last name, and names and notes can be added by anyone to the site.   

   

    

 

   

FREE Auto Dialing missing Persons’ Telephone Numbers is the second service offered by WeCareTexas.com. The service will continually call a specified number entered by a searcher until that number answers and then the system delivers an automated recorded message advising them to contact friends and family.     

   

    

 

   

Interested parties can engage this service through the www.WeCareTexas.com website.   

   

    

 

   

About www.WeCareTexas.com  

   

WeCareTexas.com, an On the Mark, Inc. public Service website, was originally created August 1, 2005, as a portal through which all Texans could access immediate information by auto generated email from any authorized agency, such as the National Weather Service Bureau, Texas State Agencies, municipalities, and various other organizations, e.g., changes in local laws, Amber alerts, and other emergencies.  Organizations have only to request via www.WeCareTexas.com that its information be distributed FREE.   

   

    

 

   

About On the Mark, Inc.  

 

   

On the Mark, Inc.’s cutting-edge telemarketing and auto dialing services are employed by a wide range of industries, e.g., political campaigners, mortgage companies, government, insurance companies, and charitable organizations to advertise their services and products and make important announcements more timely, and at far less cost than any other available media.   

   

    

 

   

Contacts:   

   

    

 

   

Thomas Gross, Chief Information Officer             

 www.WeCareTexas.com      

817-692-9093