Hi Team,
It's bright and early here in Atlanta but this morning, the members of Ground Team Ike were not complaining as they rolled out of bed around 5:35. We're leaving for home today and boy, do we have quite the journey ahead of us.
We're off to Wilmington to drop off the RV and rent a Uhaul truck to transport all of the chairs, supplies, computers, etc that have been stored in the RV for the last month. And then back to Winston-Salem to our nice comfortable beds for some much deserved sleepy time.
Thanks again to everyone who had a hand in all of this coming together. All in all the current members of Ground Team Ike think this project was a success and we hope you feel the same. It's certainly been a great adventure.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Day 28, 10.15.08
Hi Team,
Greetings from Atlanta! You'll be surprised to hear that we've actually been in Atlanta for 2 nights already. Kevin made the drive all the way from Houston, TX to Atlanta, GA in one long stretch. That's right, all 793 miles, in a drive that began Monday morning around 10:30 and ended early Tuesday morning around 4am. Kevin is the man.
After catching up on some sleep, Stella is once again in Nick's hands to have the wrap removed. While Stella is getting pampered, we're following her lead and helping Jane unwind after 4 weeks of being away from home.
We can all see the light at the end of the tunnel and are starting to experience a level of excitement to return to North Carolina that only Patricia may be able to understand.
Greetings from Atlanta! You'll be surprised to hear that we've actually been in Atlanta for 2 nights already. Kevin made the drive all the way from Houston, TX to Atlanta, GA in one long stretch. That's right, all 793 miles, in a drive that began Monday morning around 10:30 and ended early Tuesday morning around 4am. Kevin is the man.
After catching up on some sleep, Stella is once again in Nick's hands to have the wrap removed. While Stella is getting pampered, we're following her lead and helping Jane unwind after 4 weeks of being away from home.
We can all see the light at the end of the tunnel and are starting to experience a level of excitement to return to North Carolina that only Patricia may be able to understand.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Day 25, 10.12.08
Hi Team,
Ground Team Ike has certainly gone through quite a few shift changes, but I'm glad to say it feels good to be back on the crew. The current crew is formed by Jane Montoya (Can anyone really believe she's been out here for the whole time minus just one short weekend? What a trooper!), Kevin Corbett and myself, Laura Parewski.
Today has been like most other days in this journey. Not in the sense that we set up the computer lab and were focused to help people, but that we were reminded that we need to be flexible and creative doing seemingly simple tasks. In our attempts to drop of the U-haul trailer, find someplace for Stella to rest on her final night in Texas, and dispose of some leftovers in the fridge, we learned that anything that seems easy usually won't work out, the shortest route from A to B isn't necessarily the best for a 34-foot RV with a trailer (although I do have to say Kevin is handling Stella pretty well, being the only male on this all female crew) and Clorox wipes and Febreeze are two necessary items to have on board.
Tomorrow we're on the road again. I hope Kevin had time to have a little chat with Patricia in North Carolina about what it takes to drive this RV halfway across the country; I'm sure she had some good pointers to share and I have no doubt Kevin will be able to bring us home safely.
Ground Team Ike has certainly gone through quite a few shift changes, but I'm glad to say it feels good to be back on the crew. The current crew is formed by Jane Montoya (Can anyone really believe she's been out here for the whole time minus just one short weekend? What a trooper!), Kevin Corbett and myself, Laura Parewski.
Today has been like most other days in this journey. Not in the sense that we set up the computer lab and were focused to help people, but that we were reminded that we need to be flexible and creative doing seemingly simple tasks. In our attempts to drop of the U-haul trailer, find someplace for Stella to rest on her final night in Texas, and dispose of some leftovers in the fridge, we learned that anything that seems easy usually won't work out, the shortest route from A to B isn't necessarily the best for a 34-foot RV with a trailer (although I do have to say Kevin is handling Stella pretty well, being the only male on this all female crew) and Clorox wipes and Febreeze are two necessary items to have on board.
Tomorrow we're on the road again. I hope Kevin had time to have a little chat with Patricia in North Carolina about what it takes to drive this RV halfway across the country; I'm sure she had some good pointers to share and I have no doubt Kevin will be able to bring us home safely.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Con'd 10-9-08-Day 22- Beaumont, TX
I made my entry into the "Lone Star" state on Monday to join Crew for the last leg of the tour that will wrap up on Saturday.
"My Introduction to Stella Ground Team IKE"
People of the Gulf...
It was great to watch the people here in Texas talk about their experiences of the storm, dealing with government bureaucacy, beating the odds, and are still standing!!! People down here are a true inspiration! It reminds me of the work we did in Biloxi and Gulfport shortly after Katrina. Catherine is going to post a great story from one of the many great stories we have heard here in Texas. We helped residents sign up for FEMA, food stamps, and taxes.
The Ladies of Ground Team IKE and Stella... Oh Stella!
We drove into Beaumont yesterday and I must say I have gained valuable street cred with the crew. Prior to arriving in Beaumont much of my tasks was to learn the ropes of Stella from the Ladies of the Ground Team IKE (Cobi, Cassie, Zeninjor, Catherine, and Jane). These are the toughest women of One Economy. These ladies did it all from driving an RV/bus early in the morning/late at night to handling a 300lbs trailer at a single bound just to make sure these valuable resources get out to people that really needs them. Ladies thank you get props over here! That's also including Patricia and Laura the early crew of the team. These ladies got SWAG!
Back to the Stella...My tasks entailed learning how to drive the "infamous" Stella with Cobi. Man this girl don't play! Trust me when I say the pictures don't do Stella any Justice!! She is about the size of a city transit bus! Before I learned how to drive Stella I earned my stripes the hard way by jamming my thumb on the RV door and pushing back my skin and cuticle and getting a nasty blood blister! OUCH!!! Check out my picture with the wrapped up thumb... That's Hot! You never truly appreciate your thumb until you jam it against a door or lose it!
As I went through my training with Cobi outside I was cool as a cucumber, but inside (in the immortal words of someone I used to work directly with)... I was think "Oh this is a Disaster!!!" Cobi noted I was fine, but I couldn't help noticing she was holding her purse really tight and the beads of sweat from her brow! I figured hey this is a breeze.
After I took Cassie and Cobi to the airport at 6am Wednesday morning I had to return to my task at hand. I looked at Stella and thought, "Damn I can't do this... What if i wreack this thing?! I could just imagaine Sonja Murray's reaction during what would be a VERY LONG call and hear Rey yelling "CLYDEEEEEEEEE." But I then thought hey I'm PIC man I can do this!
As we proceeded down I-10... with Stella and her 300lbs trailer all I kept thinking was, Please don't drive this thing off the road. Everything was cool when the highway was four lane, but then I approached Trinity River Bridge. A sky bridge with a very steep upgrade, two lanes and no shoulder on each side with huge tracker trailers honking at me roaring pass me at 80mph. To make things worse I can feel a cross wind blowing against her. All alone in Stella as I drive onto the bridge in my head and as my eyes start to sweat. I morph into Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and I'm thinking "There no place like home...There no place like home..." Driving 30 mph we make it over the bridge Stella and storage safe. With a shirt and face wet from sweat.
We got to Beaumont safe and sound ready to start our next day of Adventure... Well I hope I have bored you im off to sleep catch you tomorrow.
PS. I been given the record by the Crew for the male that last the longest on Stella sorry James I got you beat!!!
Breaker 1-9... Breaker 1-9!!!
Clyde
"My Introduction to Stella Ground Team IKE"
People of the Gulf...
It was great to watch the people here in Texas talk about their experiences of the storm, dealing with government bureaucacy, beating the odds, and are still standing!!! People down here are a true inspiration! It reminds me of the work we did in Biloxi and Gulfport shortly after Katrina. Catherine is going to post a great story from one of the many great stories we have heard here in Texas. We helped residents sign up for FEMA, food stamps, and taxes.
The Ladies of Ground Team IKE and Stella... Oh Stella!
We drove into Beaumont yesterday and I must say I have gained valuable street cred with the crew. Prior to arriving in Beaumont much of my tasks was to learn the ropes of Stella from the Ladies of the Ground Team IKE (Cobi, Cassie, Zeninjor, Catherine, and Jane). These are the toughest women of One Economy. These ladies did it all from driving an RV/bus early in the morning/late at night to handling a 300lbs trailer at a single bound just to make sure these valuable resources get out to people that really needs them. Ladies thank you get props over here! That's also including Patricia and Laura the early crew of the team. These ladies got SWAG!
Back to the Stella...My tasks entailed learning how to drive the "infamous" Stella with Cobi. Man this girl don't play! Trust me when I say the pictures don't do Stella any Justice!! She is about the size of a city transit bus! Before I learned how to drive Stella I earned my stripes the hard way by jamming my thumb on the RV door and pushing back my skin and cuticle and getting a nasty blood blister! OUCH!!! Check out my picture with the wrapped up thumb... That's Hot! You never truly appreciate your thumb until you jam it against a door or lose it!
As I went through my training with Cobi outside I was cool as a cucumber, but inside (in the immortal words of someone I used to work directly with)... I was think "Oh this is a Disaster!!!" Cobi noted I was fine, but I couldn't help noticing she was holding her purse really tight and the beads of sweat from her brow! I figured hey this is a breeze.
After I took Cassie and Cobi to the airport at 6am Wednesday morning I had to return to my task at hand. I looked at Stella and thought, "Damn I can't do this... What if i wreack this thing?! I could just imagaine Sonja Murray's reaction during what would be a VERY LONG call and hear Rey yelling "CLYDEEEEEEEEE." But I then thought hey I'm PIC man I can do this!
As we proceeded down I-10... with Stella and her 300lbs trailer all I kept thinking was, Please don't drive this thing off the road. Everything was cool when the highway was four lane, but then I approached Trinity River Bridge. A sky bridge with a very steep upgrade, two lanes and no shoulder on each side with huge tracker trailers honking at me roaring pass me at 80mph. To make things worse I can feel a cross wind blowing against her. All alone in Stella as I drive onto the bridge in my head and as my eyes start to sweat. I morph into Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and I'm thinking "There no place like home...There no place like home..." Driving 30 mph we make it over the bridge Stella and storage safe. With a shirt and face wet from sweat.
We got to Beaumont safe and sound ready to start our next day of Adventure... Well I hope I have bored you im off to sleep catch you tomorrow.
PS. I been given the record by the Crew for the male that last the longest on Stella sorry James I got you beat!!!
Breaker 1-9... Breaker 1-9!!!
Clyde
Day 22, 10.09.08
Greetings from Beaumont!
A snapshot of our computer set up at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church:
And an action shot:
Today, we were interviewed by the local news media. After collecting a soundbyte from Clyde, the cameraman launched into a story about faith and catastrophe. The cameraman's father makes rosaries and was reluctant to evacuate his home in Crystal Beach (an unincorporated region of Galveston County, which is one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ike). The cameraman chronicled his mad rush to get to his father's house. When he got there, the houses around his father's house were completely levelled. Surprisingly, the father's home was completely untouched. Not a one of the tschochkes on his cabinets had moved from their spots. His St. Joseph statue was barely uncovered an inch, but was still on active duty protecting the home.
See video of story here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9M2apI6KYQ
Explanation of the local St. Joseph statue lore courtesy of Wikipedia:
"Burying a small statue of Saint Joseph on a piece of real estate for sale is reputed to enlist the saint's assistance in finding a buyer. Some versions require the statue to be buried upside down. Some believe that the saint's statue should be disinterred once the house sells, to avoid the property repeatedly changing hands; others leave the buried statue in hopes that Saint Joseph will continue to protect the property"
An example of a "St. Joseph Statue Underground Real Estate Agent Kit":
http://www.stjosephstatue.com/
Stay safe,
Catherine
A snapshot of our computer set up at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church:
And an action shot:
Today, we were interviewed by the local news media. After collecting a soundbyte from Clyde, the cameraman launched into a story about faith and catastrophe. The cameraman's father makes rosaries and was reluctant to evacuate his home in Crystal Beach (an unincorporated region of Galveston County, which is one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ike). The cameraman chronicled his mad rush to get to his father's house. When he got there, the houses around his father's house were completely levelled. Surprisingly, the father's home was completely untouched. Not a one of the tschochkes on his cabinets had moved from their spots. His St. Joseph statue was barely uncovered an inch, but was still on active duty protecting the home.
See video of story here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9M2apI6KYQ
Explanation of the local St. Joseph statue lore courtesy of Wikipedia:
"Burying a small statue of Saint Joseph on a piece of real estate for sale is reputed to enlist the saint's assistance in finding a buyer. Some versions require the statue to be buried upside down. Some believe that the saint's statue should be disinterred once the house sells, to avoid the property repeatedly changing hands; others leave the buried statue in hopes that Saint Joseph will continue to protect the property"
An example of a "St. Joseph Statue Underground Real Estate Agent Kit":
http://www.stjosephstatue.com/
Stay safe,
Catherine
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Day 21, 10.08.08
Howdy from Beautiful Beaumont,
Cobi and Cassi are on their way home today. Have a safe trip, ladies! It's time for the changing of the guard; with us now is Clyde Edwards:
We spent the whole day caravanning from La Porte to Beaumont with Clyde at the helm of the RV. Upon arriving in Beaumont, we were greeted by Chuck from AT&T, and Father Henry and Beatrice of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. The Church will be our home base for the last leg of this trip.
Watch the RV in action!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLzF1D0ATqc
Good night,
Catherine
p.s.:
The fried alligator at Pappadeaux is scrumptious:
Cobi and Cassi are on their way home today. Have a safe trip, ladies! It's time for the changing of the guard; with us now is Clyde Edwards:
We spent the whole day caravanning from La Porte to Beaumont with Clyde at the helm of the RV. Upon arriving in Beaumont, we were greeted by Chuck from AT&T, and Father Henry and Beatrice of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. The Church will be our home base for the last leg of this trip.
Watch the RV in action!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLzF1D0ATqc
Good night,
Catherine
p.s.:
The fried alligator at Pappadeaux is scrumptious:
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Day 20 10.07.08
Wow, sadly I can't believe its been a week and a day already. At first it felt like the days were long but by the time the end got here I wasn't ready to go! I thoroughly enjoyed my time as part of ground team ike! This was one of those trips I will remember for the rest of my life!
Our last day was pretty tame we worked at the neighborhood center along side the food bank. We had a few clients but I think today food was more important and if we helped 1 or 100 its a few less people with a need. The food bank even gave us some of their leftover nectarines for crew c to pass out in Beaumont. We learned that the food bank gets their food from the 2nd Harvest Food Bank in Houston, and that they literally have 200 people visit them every Tuesday. It was truly a site to see, several elderly men and women fervently stacked and organized the various food groups and patiently passed them out in assembly line fashion. While the younger volunteers hauled the food to the cars of the elderly and moved the heavy boxes down from the 10 foot tall stacks of boxes. It was yet another example of how well this community works together to help each other, most of the volunteers Neighborhood Center t-shirts were tattered and faded so you could tell they were long standing dedicated volunteers.
Our last day was pretty tame we worked at the neighborhood center along side the food bank. We had a few clients but I think today food was more important and if we helped 1 or 100 its a few less people with a need. The food bank even gave us some of their leftover nectarines for crew c to pass out in Beaumont. We learned that the food bank gets their food from the 2nd Harvest Food Bank in Houston, and that they literally have 200 people visit them every Tuesday. It was truly a site to see, several elderly men and women fervently stacked and organized the various food groups and patiently passed them out in assembly line fashion. While the younger volunteers hauled the food to the cars of the elderly and moved the heavy boxes down from the 10 foot tall stacks of boxes. It was yet another example of how well this community works together to help each other, most of the volunteers Neighborhood Center t-shirts were tattered and faded so you could tell they were long standing dedicated volunteers.
One of the volunteers (he's Ralph from the video Cat posted) actually got a call directly after we helped him follow up with his FEMA application , which was a nice surprise! We got to see him today and wish him luck because he goes in for a hip replacement tomorrow, it brought our journey full circle because he had come in 2 days before for help as well.
Cobi took Clyde to the KOA to get him acquainted with the "dumping procedures" and let him get used to driving the RV. We all took turns for lunch and ended them with the sweet goodness of fudgecicles! After we said our goodbyes and thank yous to the Neighborhood Centers a few people went to the gym, Clyde nursed his battle wound (he smashed his hand in the RV earlier that morning and if you look in the door way you can see his mark on the RV LOL) and others did some work and used the break to rest.
Houston was our goal for the night so we all got dolled up for a night on the town. We ended up at the Galleria mall district. The Cheesecake Factory was our unanimous choice! What a treat the food was wonderful and it was a good time for us to reflect and let go. (hmm I think I left my leftovers in the RV sorry guys!)
Jane, Laura and Patricia thank you for paving the way for crew B. Everything went very smoothly for 3 main reasons:
Cobi took Clyde to the KOA to get him acquainted with the "dumping procedures" and let him get used to driving the RV. We all took turns for lunch and ended them with the sweet goodness of fudgecicles! After we said our goodbyes and thank yous to the Neighborhood Centers a few people went to the gym, Clyde nursed his battle wound (he smashed his hand in the RV earlier that morning and if you look in the door way you can see his mark on the RV LOL) and others did some work and used the break to rest.
Houston was our goal for the night so we all got dolled up for a night on the town. We ended up at the Galleria mall district. The Cheesecake Factory was our unanimous choice! What a treat the food was wonderful and it was a good time for us to reflect and let go. (hmm I think I left my leftovers in the RV sorry guys!)
Jane, Laura and Patricia thank you for paving the way for crew B. Everything went very smoothly for 3 main reasons:
- We had great partners AT&T-BARRY BEASLEY!!!!!! Neighborhood Centers of La Porte, Eloy Gonzalez from the public works building in Shoreacres, The Rec Center of La Porte and ACORN and the church in Pasadena!
- A great community. Pasadena, La Porte and Shoreacres were amazing we cant thank you enough for all the hospitality and support.
- Our team with the leadership of Cobi! You girls were so much fun and such hard workers. And Clyde the last day and half was fun!
Cobi encouraged us to view this trip as an adventure, and it really was. I think this was a very innovative idea to bring technology to the people in desperate need of it just after a natural disaster. It would be a great signature response for One Economy to keep alive, and a One Economy RV, similar to the USO RV's that travel around the country, would be epic! In a several ways the computers seemed to be a release for the people... they could use them and vent to us at the same time.
Thanks to everyone that made this possible I had and absolute blast in Texas!
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