Volunteers & Materials Flow-In for Katrina Victims
I just came back from a trip to the Gulf Coast and saw some telling and positive signs that recovery is happening there. I flew into Mobile on business this past Thursday, and then traveled to Panama City on Friday, Tallahassee on Saturday, and then back to Mobile on Sunday. What I saw was fleet after fleet of recovery coming into the Mississippi and New Orleans region.
Trucks with loads of hurricane supplies made up about 2/3 of the traffic I saw on I-10 those four days. Building material, machinery, temporary housing, supplies and equipment that was familiar and some that was strange and very different. Most had the disaster recovery stickers on them and those that did not were still recognizable as being the same. A huge and steady convoy flowing west towards the region with help and assistance. Then an equal flow of trucks heading back each empty to reload. I'm sure that those traveling west in Louisiana and Texas saw the same thing, as well as those traveling north through Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. Money and help is flowing in and that is a good thing. That said I certainly hope that someone is watching the purse strings and making sure that all the money is being spent as it should be. The trucks started looking like Brinks trucks after several hours of seeing the steady flow of "millions and millions of dollars" passing me via the I-10 black-top river of relief..................................
The other thing I saw was a steady flow of volunteers flowing in from various church groups. The plane down had two groups that I identified being from religious organizations that were going to the region to help. They numbered probably around fifty total of the two hundred travelers. There were two denominations that I confirmed, one Catholic and one Baptist. On the flight home tonight there were probably seventy-five to one hundred volunteers and were represented by the Catholic Church, Baptist Church, and Methodist Church from my conversations with them. There we lots of retired to close to retired age volunteers but also some younger people as well. I will say that the 50 year plus volunteers seemed to out number all others by a 3 to 1 margin. Good for them, there was a steadiness that I saw in them, and a purpose that was clear.
Aside from the plane, the Airport in Atlanta was full of people with T-Shirts identifying themselves a volunteers for hurricane effected people, and they were everywhere. I can't even begin to count the number but there were thousands over the course of the four day trip, and 90% had a religious affiliation. Makes one clearer on who to donate money to on such events I think, or it did for me. To see the resources in process of making their way, both human and material was uplifting to me........................
The other thing I saw was convoy after convoy of utility trucks that I had seen in Mobile on Thursday and Friday, heading east on Saturday and Sunday. I have to believe that they were going to make a right turn at I-75 and then head south to Broward - Dade county to help those folks out next. It was an impressive display organization resources being dispatch to the place they are needed next I'd say from my observations......................................................
Trucks with loads of hurricane supplies made up about 2/3 of the traffic I saw on I-10 those four days. Building material, machinery, temporary housing, supplies and equipment that was familiar and some that was strange and very different. Most had the disaster recovery stickers on them and those that did not were still recognizable as being the same. A huge and steady convoy flowing west towards the region with help and assistance. Then an equal flow of trucks heading back each empty to reload. I'm sure that those traveling west in Louisiana and Texas saw the same thing, as well as those traveling north through Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. Money and help is flowing in and that is a good thing. That said I certainly hope that someone is watching the purse strings and making sure that all the money is being spent as it should be. The trucks started looking like Brinks trucks after several hours of seeing the steady flow of "millions and millions of dollars" passing me via the I-10 black-top river of relief..................................
The other thing I saw was a steady flow of volunteers flowing in from various church groups. The plane down had two groups that I identified being from religious organizations that were going to the region to help. They numbered probably around fifty total of the two hundred travelers. There were two denominations that I confirmed, one Catholic and one Baptist. On the flight home tonight there were probably seventy-five to one hundred volunteers and were represented by the Catholic Church, Baptist Church, and Methodist Church from my conversations with them. There we lots of retired to close to retired age volunteers but also some younger people as well. I will say that the 50 year plus volunteers seemed to out number all others by a 3 to 1 margin. Good for them, there was a steadiness that I saw in them, and a purpose that was clear.
Aside from the plane, the Airport in Atlanta was full of people with T-Shirts identifying themselves a volunteers for hurricane effected people, and they were everywhere. I can't even begin to count the number but there were thousands over the course of the four day trip, and 90% had a religious affiliation. Makes one clearer on who to donate money to on such events I think, or it did for me. To see the resources in process of making their way, both human and material was uplifting to me........................
The other thing I saw was convoy after convoy of utility trucks that I had seen in Mobile on Thursday and Friday, heading east on Saturday and Sunday. I have to believe that they were going to make a right turn at I-75 and then head south to Broward - Dade county to help those folks out next. It was an impressive display organization resources being dispatch to the place they are needed next I'd say from my observations......................................................
posted by Steve at 8:26 PM
