September 01, 2005
Katrina Flood Relief Drive (UPDATED)
Scroll down to bottom of post for more updates.
UPDATE 10:00 PM: (by George Moneo) - Please continue to give generously. I donated today to three charities, organizations that do God's work on Earth: Catholic Charities, The Salvation Army, and The American Red Cross. Please follow my lead and give generously. I may have bitched and moaned about my power being out, but that is insignificant compared to the devasation we are witnessing in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
I received this letter yesterday and was asked to post it. Res ipsa loquitur.
Angels @ Babalu BlogIn the midst of chaos resulting from Hurricane Katrina, we will no doubt be hearing many heroic stories of compassion. In these times of despair, among the rubble of such a disaster, there are always those few people that rise to the true meaning of humanity. These people are truly walking, living angels on earth.
This past Friday evening after the Hurricane had passed through Florida, I called my father who lives in Miami Beach from my home in Raleigh, NC. He is an 84 year old senior who fought in the Bay of Pigs Invasion, was taken prisoner along with the other members of the 2506 Brigade, and endured Fidel's prisons for almost 2 years. He now needs a walker to get around because of a hip replacement not to mention all the other ailments that afflict him, including the fact that he is blind in one eye.
When he answered the phone on Friday he was in complete panic because he was being evacuated to temporary shelter. The apartments where he lives had been declared unsafe due to permanent structural damage from the hurricane. After reassuring him, we concluded that he would contact me as soon as he got to the shelter being provided.
Days passed and no word came. Endless amounts of phone calls to the police and the Red Cross for days on end, and no contact. After 5 days, today I was finally able to reach him as he had gone back to his apartment to retrieve some of his things. Luckily, the electricity was back and the phone was operating.
Now, he was presented with the task of finding an apartment right away and moving by himself. He has no one besides his 2 sisters living in the same apartment complex that are also in the same situation. His superintendent advised him that there was another apartment in the complex that he could move into but he had no one to help him move.
It is bad enough imagining that this once tough, strong and brave man now finds himself helpless as his age advances, but, add to that fact, that I, his only daughter, am unable to go to him.
I found myself again making all kinds of unfruitful phone calls. Crazed with desperation, only to find out no one could help. The only cousin in Miami was admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery TODAY! None of the other three seemed to care enough... for the old man that risked his life for their freedom.
In a last ditch effort to help my old man, I made one last attempt. An email, to a man that we here at Babalu know very well.
Within minutes I got a call. That typical strong Cuban voice on the other end of the receiver didn't hesitate one bit, when he said "Rose, what can I do to help?" In the middle of a storm, with tons of work at the office, between meetings, a blog to tend to, donations to tally, and God knows what else, he stepped up to the plate and held his hand out to someone he didn't even know. To make a long story short, as I write this, his beautiful wife (whose father also is a veteran of the Bay of Pigs), is visiting my father with a care package and boxes for packing. His father-in-law has reconnected with an old war buddy, the moving man, Jose is on his way to my dad's and... oh yes! God is smiling, because his angels have once again made him proud.
Thank you, Val, Maggie, Edgar, Jose Angel and anyone else who was involved, words cannot express my gratitude. You are true examples of what we should all strive to be.
God be with you,
Rose Polewczak
UPDATE 1:20 PM: I just received the following comment from Felix M, long time Babalú reader from New Orleans (translated):
Dear Val,Thank you for your efforts in collecting funds to help withthis catastrophe that will affect all of us in New Orleans for a long time. I am one of your readers from New Orleans. At this time my friend, my dog and I are safe in the home of friends in Alexandria, Louisiana. Tomorrow we are flying out to Michigan with my friend's sister. My entire family is scattered about in parts of Texas and Tampa. My sister and her husband are at the Hilton Hotel in New Orleans and will be evacuated to Houston for months as the city is completely underwater. My home is under ten feet of contaminated water and is in total ruins.
I never thought that I would ever be a refugee again.
I thank God that I am alive, but our lives have been tossed into an abyss that will take quite some time to climb out of.
Val, once again, thank you and your readers for the support you have offered. This catastrophe will have unprecedented ramifications and it will leave us all with profound psychological wounds. I hope that we can rebuild my beautiful city and I hope that one day you will be able to visit for Carnaval or the Jazz Festival. Ill email you when I arrive in Michigan.
Sin mas mi paisano y besos a tu esposa y familia. Felix M."
Gracias Felix, y que Dios los bendiga. Aqui en Miami tienes tu casa, mi hermano.
Thanks to each and every one of you that has made a donation so that folks like Felix can one day retun to their homes in the city they love.
After a night of Category 1 hurricane force wind and rain, after the following day of clean up and damage assessment, of helping neighbors do the same tree cutting and clean up of their and our yards and homes, after yet another night sleeping in the August Miami heat without power or A/C, after travelling through the streets of Miami the following day with trees and debris strewn everywhere, car horns honking, traffic lights out, people screaming at each other in traffic, desperate, hot, frustrated, angry, worried, irritated and helpless I witnessed something that brought tears to my eyes.
As I made my way down to a friends house to help bring a tree from off of his neighbors home, having just witnessed the ugliest side of human nature in traffic, there on the sidewalk in front of a church, in over 90 degree heat and humidity that made it feel like 110, standing in the midday Miami sun, were two young ladies, couldnt have been more than 20 years old, holding up signs towards the oncoming traffic.
They read, simply, "FREE LUNCH."
After what we had just been through, not even a fraction of what the folks up in the Gulf States are going through now, my faith in humanity was restored. I pulled up next to them, tears rolling down my cheeks, thanked them and said, simply "God bless you."
Here were these two young ladies, whose homes and families had just been through the exact same trials as my own, taking time and effort away from their own problems to help others in need. God bless them indeed.
Today we are running a blogosphere wide collection for the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf States. Each blogger chooses one charitable organization and prods his readers for donations. My somewhat stern post yesterday was a success. Lots of people donated to the listed charities and many folks emailed me thanking me for getting them off their behinds and making them do something to help.
A humungous thank you to each and every one of you that made the sacrifice and donated for this more than worthy cause.
But it isnt over yet.
Babalú has chosen the Catholic Charities USA organization as its official charity and I urge you all to DONATE A FEW DOLLARS NOW.
I chose this particular charity as they were instrumental with the assistance to many Cuban refugees arriving in the USA throughout the years.
I cannot even begin to state how proud I am to be an American, how lucky I feel to have been accepted and allowed to prosper and live in this great nation. How honored and humbled I am to have the privilege of our freedoms.
My offer of a Babalú tshirt still stands. For a minimum of $20 donation I will send you a tshirt.
This country has given me and my fellow Cuban-Americans everything, and I know there is no way to ever repay that debt but to be a good citizen, a good neighbor and a good American.
This collection effort is my way of standing in the streets in the hot Miami August heat and being that good neighbor.
Give 'til it hurts folks. There's many many people up there whose lives are depending on it.
Update:Since I was punishing my readers yesterday until donations started to come in, I had set all comments to closed except for yesterday's post. I didnt realize until just now that comments were closed for this post and I have just remedied that.
Update: The following is from reader ebnelson who just picked up family from the Astrodome:
Just back from the Astrodome I picked up my brother in law, who along with the 40 refugees in his church, was boated along Canal St. to a logistical point and then moved to I-10 West and finally bussed into Houston at 1AM this morning. I was able to give a ride to the pastor of his church to another church, and a refugee who just needed a ride to the bus station to catch a ride to some family he had been in touch with. The B-in-law will be staying with us for awhile. The stories they tell are moving: saving a 92 year old lady, who was bed ridden, living in a flooded lower floor apartment. Her mattress was floating away with her on it. The family of five walking down Canal St. at 1:30 AM Wednesday, fleeing water and looters. The stories of bodies floating, alligators swimming along with snakes. The mosquitos and flies multiplying in the filthy water, full of debris from furniture to raw sewage. And through it all, I hear a determination. A determination to rebuild, to move forward. I gave yesterday and again today. This is the biggest natural disaster, hopefully for the rest of our lives. It is a test of our chracter, our will, our resolve and strength. We must rise to the occasion. We are Americans and this is what we do.
If anyone knows of any charities or organization collecting relief supplies and distributing directly in the affected areas or taking them directly there, please let us know in the comments.
I havent had time today to read every single blog helping out in the relief drive, but if anyone has read something somewhere about local collections please shoot me an email with a link and I wll try to post the information.
I am also concerned for a few Babalú readers from the affected areas. If anyone knows a where folks from the disaster area are leaving comments or communicating to the outside world, or a websource where one can look for news on family members, neighborhoods, etc.., please email me.
Gracias. And keep donating.
Update 1:15 PM:Here is some more emergency contact information:
EMERGENCY LISTINGSFEMA- REGION 6 RRCC (Denton,TX)
1-940-898-5433(Mississippi State EOC Rescue Hotline)
1-601-352-9100FEMA- REGION 4 RRCC (Atlanta, GA)
1-770- 220-5600Kentucky (EOC) 1-800-928-2380 0r 1-800-255-2587
U.S. Coast Guard 1-800-DAD –SAFE to search for a loved one. 3 2 3 7 2 3 3
American Red Cross (victims registry)
1 866-438-4636They will do a welfare inquiry (search/rescue) after 48 hours.
Must have full name, full address, age, work number for the person(s) being sought and all the seeker’s contact information as well. They will do a welfare inquiry (search/rescue) after 48 hours.Local (ATL) (ARC) (404 ) 876-3302
American Red Cross Donation Line 1-800 435-7669
Individual Assistance- ESF 11 Margaret Hester #5572
www.mstraffic.com for traffic info
WDSU (NBC ) AFFLIATE IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
Web site www.wdsu.com
You can find latest news, videos, shelter information, and other information about hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.WLBT (NBC) AFFLIATE IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
Web site www.wlbt.com
You can find latest news, videos, shelter information, and other information about hurricane Katrina in Mississippi.
Posted by Val Prieto at September 1, 2005 06:40 AM |
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» A Ray of Light from Brandon's Puppy
In spite of all the bad news out of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, there is still a light of hope that shines when I hear the good things that are happenining. There are dozens of stories, which Michele has been... [Read More]
Tracked on September 2, 2005 10:07 AM
» A Ray of Light from Brandon's Puppy
In spite of all the bad news out of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, there is still a light of hope that shines when I hear the good things that are happenining. There are dozens of stories, which Michele has been... [Read More]
Tracked on September 2, 2005 10:19 AM
Comments
val, maybe, instead of the "regular" updates to the blog, you can run news itmes from the affected areas, and with all the bad news coming out of there, something like this following report can add a 'silver lining' as the headline says, to the situation
'That boy is a hero': Rescue of family is silver lining for city
A 13-year-old boy in Biloxi, Miss., rescued his entire family -- 12 people, including his twin sister -- during Katrina's rage.
BY AUDRA D.S. BURCH
aburch@herald.com
BILOXI, Miss. - In the long, harrowing moments before Katrina crashed into the east side of this coastal city, a dozen family members, friends and neighbors piled into the only bedroom of a wooden house.
Then they waited, and some drifted asleep. Suddenly, the water rushed in. It came fast, penetrating every wall and window. They retreated to a living room that yielded no protection from the five-foot tide inside the house.
The babies began screaming, the adults panicked and, in that moment, 13-year-old Phillip Bullard began saving lives. Four adults and nine children, including himself.
Phillip swam and cradled the youngest, a 1-year-old boy. He floated the oldest -- all through the house, out a broken front window and into a boat floating down what was once Holley Street. He coaxed his twin sister to turn loose the side of the house, which she clung to in terror. And he took the hands of his mother and grandmother and guided them through the house, on a path made from sodden furniture.
They were willing to die, unable to swim and too frightened to leave their home.
''I just didn't want to see my family drown,'' said Phillip, a seventh-grader who spent Wednesday in a shelter at Biloxi Junior High, which he normally attends. ``I was scared if I didn't keep helping, somebody would die.''
WORD SPREADS
Phillip's story hopscotched across town. Folks quickly learned about the boy who rescued his family, a bright spot in an otherwise dreary day in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
''That little boy is a hero,'' said Kenneth Brinson, who helped set up an outdoor community center near Main Street Baptist Church in the neighborhood where Phillip lives. Most of the day, Brinson cooked red beans and rice and smoked sausage for the hungry.
Phillip, a typical teenager who runs and jumps and dances and dreams, lives with his mother and grandmother on the east side of town, a collection of older A-frame homes in a mostly poor, mostly withered neighborhood. Almost from the very beginning, they knew the little house would fall to a storm with this kind of roar.
''I saw all the water and it was coming from everywhere. I swear it came through the floor,'' said Vanessa Posey, 44, Phillip's mother. ``I started screaming and trying to get everybody up. I broke the window and tried to put the babies on top of the bar. My son did most everything else.''
CLEARED THE WAY
Phillip, a soft-spoken boy who said he knew he wanted to be a police officer or doctor before the storm, says he went under water to clear a path to the window and then got his 25-year-old sister, Yoshico Posey, out. He picked her first because she was the only other person who could swim and help guide the rest out of the house. They formed a rescue team. He carried or floated each person out the window; she passed them to a neighbor who was helping, or put them in a boat they found drifting by.
Later, they used broomsticks to paddle down the street and sought haven in the upstairs loft of a neighbor's home.
''It felt like Phillip was in there getting people for hours,'' said Vanessa Posey, sitting outside the shelter. ``I just kept thanking the Lord for every person he got out.''
By the time Phillip finally swam out of the house, he found his twin sister clinging to the exterior wall of the house.
''She was scared. It took me awhile to convince her to let go and take my hand,'' he said softly. ``But I had to keep trying because she would not have made it.''
After everyone was rescued, Phillip took the boat to Division Street, a main thoroughfare, to find help. It never came.
And so the story that began at noon Monday in the earliest moments of Katrina's brief stay ended with Phillip in a shelter, nursing a foot cut by tin that his mother fears will become infected. This time, help is on the way.
''I just thank God for Phillip,'' the mother said. ``We would not be here but for the grace of God and the courage of my son.''
Posted by: daniel at September 1, 2005 08:44 AM
I donated first through my charity, but I gave 20 towards yours. Send mine to Gov. Blanco.....
Posted by: hsilio at September 1, 2005 10:02 AM
Bad news "sells papers" so looters and other criminals will get a lot of coverage at first. However, eventually many more stories of heroic and selfless acts will become known. Americans always take care of their neighbors and confront adversity with a "can do" attitude. We will be stronger after all this just like we came together after Hurricane Andrew.
God bless America!
Posted by: Jose Aguirre at September 1, 2005 10:03 AM
God does bless us, Jose. In a less fortunate place people wouldn't just be out of their homes, they'd be dead. While this hurricane is a tragedy, it's a tragedy many will live to remember. Sometimes it's hard to keep in mind that any day we wake up alive - in our beds if we're really lucky, but at all if we're less so - is a blessing.
Posted by: Murel Bailey at September 1, 2005 10:50 AM
I gave to the Red Cross yesterday, but you'll be glad to know that Catholic Charities just got fifty from me on your recommendation.
Posted by: David at September 1, 2005 10:53 AM
Amen to all that. Val, you have stirred my "Catholic guilt" and will be sending some benjamins to Catholic Charities. You reminded me of how much Msgr. Bryan O. Walsh did for a lot of our "muchachos and muchachas" back when.
As for the shirt, once again, donate it to someone who can really use it and help spread the "babalu." Or educate them - the suggestion to send one to governess Blanco is a good one.
One thing we can do to help everyone is - not meaning to preach - cut down on fuel consumption. One way to do that is to slow down. I've significantly extended the range in my trusty '89 Nissan by driving at an average 55 mph. It hurts, as I kinda like to "lead-foot" it, but this is a relatively "easy" way of reducing the pressure on gasoline supplies in the wake of the disaster. And help us be less reliant on people like mini-me Chavez.
Hey, thanks again for motivating us for a good cause!
Posted by: Alberto Quiroga at September 1, 2005 11:02 AM
Just back from the Astrodome
I picked up my brother in law, who along with the 40 refugees in his church, was boated along Canal St. to a logistical point and then moved to I-10 West and finally bussed into Houston at 1AM this morning. I was able to give a ride to the pastor of his church to another church, and a refugee who just needed a ride to the bus station to catch a ride to some family he had been in touch with. The B-in-law will be staying with us for awhile. The stories they tell are moving: saving a 92 year old lady, who was bed ridden, living in a flooded lower floor apartment. Her mattress was floating away with her on it. The family of five walking down Canal St. at 1:30 AM Wednesday, fleeing water and looters. The stories of bodies floating, alligators swimming along with snakes. The mosquitos and flies multiplying in the filthy water, full of debris from furniture to raw sewage. And through it all, I hear a determination. A determination to rebuild, to move forward. I gave yesterday and again today.
This is the biggest natural disaster, hopefully for the rest of our lives. It is a test of our chracter, our will, our resolve and strength. We must rise to the occasion. We are Americans and this is what we do.
Posted by: ebnelson at September 1, 2005 11:36 AM
Donated to Mercy Corps this morning, doesn't seem like enough but in something like this, what is?
Posted by: Mark at September 1, 2005 01:08 PM
Val,
I will be sending another $20.00 to Catholic Charities again today... On behalf of the great kindness you and your family have extended to me and my dad. It's not much but, every little bit counts.
Gracias hermano,
Posted by: Rose at September 1, 2005 02:13 PM
I just sent my donation on behalf of babalublog.com
Posted by: cachito at September 1, 2005 02:39 PM
val la cosa se esta poniendo fea
I understand that if people get hungry its okay to steal milk ,bread and food in general.
I will even tolerated looting for clothes.
But came on I seen a guy in the middle of the fucking water stealing a 24 pack of heinekens.
Give a break man . I love beer more than anybody else but I will never put a stunt like that.
These's mob of leeches must stop their rampage.
But people lets not get discouraged and lets keep helping the good side of humanity that needs our help to survive.
Posted by: tocororo at September 1, 2005 06:03 PM
val mañana cuando cobre voy a dar un poco mas a la iglesia catolica esto rompe el alma ni hermano
This is beyond 9/11
Posted by: tocororo at September 1, 2005 06:37 PM
For those of you like myself, who sometimes may not be able to donate right now, but know they will be able to do so in a few days, a week or two. Catholic Charities has a pledge site, where you can pledge a future donation by filling out an "honor card". It also allows you to send the donation on behalf of a person or persons of your choice and that person will receive an email notification of the donation you have pledged on their behalf. But please, remember to send out the donation as soon as possible. The victims of this hurricane need our help ASAP.
Posted by: Rose at September 1, 2005 09:23 PM
Your comments today about the A/C and FREE MEALS reminded me of what we in South Florida went through, during our "Big One" -- Andrew.
I never thought those memories would be dredged up again, but they were -- when I saw that little girl in Mississippi, exhausted, sleeping outside her devastated home.
To all of you who can bear it, because I know what Andrew did to so many of you (us), here are my recollections about that post-cat 5 hurricane:
(Warning: This post might make you reach for your wallet...again)
I'm really proud of the Sundries readers who contributed here and there.
And as I said in my comments section -- you don't have to hit a 1,000 dollar donation homerun every time.
I even logged my 5 dollar Best Buy contribution of today, when I went to pick up some blank DVD-Rs there. The checkout lady said, you want to give to the American Red Cross?
Despite having given already, what the heck -- I gave my $5 Sandwich Cubano and Cafe con Leche money too.
Nice work, Babalu Bloggers.
Cheers,
Victoria
Posted by: Victoria at September 1, 2005 11:29 PM
Val, your guilt trip worked, and I just donated $100 to Catholic Charities. I don't really need another t-shirt so don't send me one unless you have a huge surplus, o.k.? Good job!
Posted by: Regina at September 3, 2005 04:41 PM