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!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Day 19, 10.06.08
Hi Team,
Today we're back at La Porte Neighborhoods center. We've seen a transition from a majority of the individuals using the computers to file FEMA forms to a more diverse range of activities: checking FEMA/insurance status, finding social service offices, checking email/social networking sites, filling out loan forms, looking for home restoration services, etc.
A month has passed since Hurricane Ike crashed thru this area. Residents are still waiting for FEMA agents to come out to assess their properties. As with Ralph, a La Porte native:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH3w4yD9ABk
[interview with Ralph]
He was helping his fellow neighbors, hauling food and supplies around to handout at the Neighborhood Center. In the interview, he mentions how Hurricane Ike has positively brought the community together.
According to Ralph, the town of Shoreacres looks like it was bombed. Although a full month has passed, debris is everywhere. See images below, and these two youtube videos filmed on our flip cameras while driving around:
1) Shoreacres, TX: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHBZY5D52og
2) More Shoreacres, TX: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzJsOY5VDIw
The piles of refuse have yet to be cleaned up because residents are still waiting for insurance and government agencies to come out to assess damages. They cannot start renovation and cleanup until the assessments are finished. Note the "you loot we shoot" slogans spraypainted across the boards, to discourage anyone who would even think of stealing or scrounging for scrap metal.
Overall, there is a desire for the return to normalcy. People are trickling back into town, and everywhere you go, you can hear neighbors greeting and welcoming one another home.
Today we're back at La Porte Neighborhoods center. We've seen a transition from a majority of the individuals using the computers to file FEMA forms to a more diverse range of activities: checking FEMA/insurance status, finding social service offices, checking email/social networking sites, filling out loan forms, looking for home restoration services, etc.
A month has passed since Hurricane Ike crashed thru this area. Residents are still waiting for FEMA agents to come out to assess their properties. As with Ralph, a La Porte native:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH3w4yD9ABk
[interview with Ralph]
He was helping his fellow neighbors, hauling food and supplies around to handout at the Neighborhood Center. In the interview, he mentions how Hurricane Ike has positively brought the community together.
According to Ralph, the town of Shoreacres looks like it was bombed. Although a full month has passed, debris is everywhere. See images below, and these two youtube videos filmed on our flip cameras while driving around:
1) Shoreacres, TX: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHBZY5D52og
2) More Shoreacres, TX: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzJsOY5VDIw
The piles of refuse have yet to be cleaned up because residents are still waiting for insurance and government agencies to come out to assess damages. They cannot start renovation and cleanup until the assessments are finished. Note the "you loot we shoot" slogans spraypainted across the boards, to discourage anyone who would even think of stealing or scrounging for scrap metal.
Overall, there is a desire for the return to normalcy. People are trickling back into town, and everywhere you go, you can hear neighbors greeting and welcoming one another home.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Day 18 10.05.08
Shoreacres was our location for the day and as always we were greeted by Barry's smiling face once we arrived on site. Since the USO RV was gone we were able to park on the more scenic side of the old firehouse. The weather was absolutely gorgeous 70 degrees with a nice cool breeze. A hammock would have been ideal! The small park between the old firehouse and Shoreacres town hall had benches and a picnic tables and a small gazebo, it was a cozy spot.
To our surprise we actually had more people come today than yesterday. At this point most people used the computers to buy drywall, water heaters and other basic necessities to get in there homes and repair them so they are livable. A few clients also filed their SBA loan forms which is quicker online. Also something I noticed that was heartwarming was everyones encouraging and helpful spirit. The survivors were giving each other advice about which companies to use and how to get things accomplished and since we don't live there it was great to see the community help themselves. This hurricane has really shown how tight knit the community is and how they are all working together. Its a sight to see especially considering how much they have been through.
We got to take a drive through their community today and see the damage that IKE caused. Houses would look completely undamaged from the outside but then you would see the 4 foot tall piles of debris spread across their lawn and know they lost just as much as the neighbor with a caved in roof. Its hard to describe in words how it feels to see peoples whole lives scattered along the streets. We took some video and a few pictures so you can get an idea of what we saw.
After work we headed to the local Washeteria to get some sheets and clothes washed and it was surprisingly a quick trip. After that we had a taco night and watched the Amazing race. It felt so good to have an early night in to just chill and wind down. Get ready for long days everyone, I would suggest lots of rest before you head down.
Tomorrow we'll be back at Neighborhood Centers and hopefully we can help some more people! Oh and our threesome will become a 5 as we welcome Clyde (the first guy to join the crew) and Jane M. back for another round of GroundTeamIKE work.
To our surprise we actually had more people come today than yesterday. At this point most people used the computers to buy drywall, water heaters and other basic necessities to get in there homes and repair them so they are livable. A few clients also filed their SBA loan forms which is quicker online. Also something I noticed that was heartwarming was everyones encouraging and helpful spirit. The survivors were giving each other advice about which companies to use and how to get things accomplished and since we don't live there it was great to see the community help themselves. This hurricane has really shown how tight knit the community is and how they are all working together. Its a sight to see especially considering how much they have been through.
We got to take a drive through their community today and see the damage that IKE caused. Houses would look completely undamaged from the outside but then you would see the 4 foot tall piles of debris spread across their lawn and know they lost just as much as the neighbor with a caved in roof. Its hard to describe in words how it feels to see peoples whole lives scattered along the streets. We took some video and a few pictures so you can get an idea of what we saw.
After work we headed to the local Washeteria to get some sheets and clothes washed and it was surprisingly a quick trip. After that we had a taco night and watched the Amazing race. It felt so good to have an early night in to just chill and wind down. Get ready for long days everyone, I would suggest lots of rest before you head down.
Tomorrow we'll be back at Neighborhood Centers and hopefully we can help some more people! Oh and our threesome will become a 5 as we welcome Clyde (the first guy to join the crew) and Jane M. back for another round of GroundTeamIKE work.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Day 17, 10.04.08
RePorting from La Porte:
Today, Barry from AT&T so generously surprised us with a breakfast of kolaches, a regional dish. Fillings can range from sweet to savory, but in this particular instance, soft dinner rolls are stuffed with sausages and cheese. I would say they are like as if pasties and corn dogs had babies. Cobi is absolutely in love with them and wishes that they would catch on in Portland. As she was eating, I am sure she was imagining the excuses she would have to give to TSA agents when they open her kolache-lined carry-on bags.
We set up shop today next to Shore Acres City Hall. We were joined by the Red Cross and a United Service Organizations (USO) truck. Both nonprofits were distributing hot meals and supplies. The morale-boosting USO RV ("mobile canteen") was decked out with large screen TVs and video game stations. The trickiest part of the situation is getting the word out; there are so many well-meaning organizations scattered about but it is hard to broadcast this resource location information to the residents.
We began our morning by helping a mother and daughter, who came to check on their FEMA forms and to submit an United States Small Business Association (SBA) loan form. The mother was 80 years old, but in better health than her daughter. The daughter had suffered a stroke, which resulted in her becoming nearly blind and losing the ability to read. The daughter had been living independently in her own home wherein everything had been custom built and designed to accommodate her needs. After Hurricane Ike, the insurance company short-shrifted her. Although she had been paying extremely high premiums, they refused to pay more than an assessed value well below what the home and possessions are really worth. To add insult to injury, the insurance company called a demolishing company (without notifying her) before she could rescue her possessions. As she was telling the story, she was crying the whole time. However, she wanted to impart upon us the positive changes in her life that were precipitated by Hurricane Ike. At present, this is the first time in 40 years she is living with her mom. Her mom is determined to encourage her to take better care of her health. Mother and daughter are learning to reconnect.
We offered them some kolaches. At first the mother politely declined, until the daughter gently nudged her to take one. They bit into them and smiled, at each other and at us.
Miscellaneous:
1) We have been using AirCards to connect the laptops to the Internet. The Internet connection is spotty out here, between one and three bars, more often the former.
2) The only KOA campsite (where we can service and recharge our vehicle) is 48 miles away near Houston. It is approximately one hour each way. We have to go to the KOA every 2-3 days. The owner of the KOA seemed proud that his was the only location where RVs could possibly go to get these services in this part of Texas.
3) En route to the KOA, we saw a dog running on the freeway. We stopped and the car in front of us took him in. The dog had a collar, so they are hoping to return him to his owners.
4) We'll miss you Zeninjor, have a safe trip home.
5) Stay tuned, more videos to come.
Today, Barry from AT&T so generously surprised us with a breakfast of kolaches, a regional dish. Fillings can range from sweet to savory, but in this particular instance, soft dinner rolls are stuffed with sausages and cheese. I would say they are like as if pasties and corn dogs had babies. Cobi is absolutely in love with them and wishes that they would catch on in Portland. As she was eating, I am sure she was imagining the excuses she would have to give to TSA agents when they open her kolache-lined carry-on bags.
We set up shop today next to Shore Acres City Hall. We were joined by the Red Cross and a United Service Organizations (USO) truck. Both nonprofits were distributing hot meals and supplies. The morale-boosting USO RV ("mobile canteen") was decked out with large screen TVs and video game stations. The trickiest part of the situation is getting the word out; there are so many well-meaning organizations scattered about but it is hard to broadcast this resource location information to the residents.
We began our morning by helping a mother and daughter, who came to check on their FEMA forms and to submit an United States Small Business Association (SBA) loan form. The mother was 80 years old, but in better health than her daughter. The daughter had suffered a stroke, which resulted in her becoming nearly blind and losing the ability to read. The daughter had been living independently in her own home wherein everything had been custom built and designed to accommodate her needs. After Hurricane Ike, the insurance company short-shrifted her. Although she had been paying extremely high premiums, they refused to pay more than an assessed value well below what the home and possessions are really worth. To add insult to injury, the insurance company called a demolishing company (without notifying her) before she could rescue her possessions. As she was telling the story, she was crying the whole time. However, she wanted to impart upon us the positive changes in her life that were precipitated by Hurricane Ike. At present, this is the first time in 40 years she is living with her mom. Her mom is determined to encourage her to take better care of her health. Mother and daughter are learning to reconnect.
We offered them some kolaches. At first the mother politely declined, until the daughter gently nudged her to take one. They bit into them and smiled, at each other and at us.
Miscellaneous:
1) We have been using AirCards to connect the laptops to the Internet. The Internet connection is spotty out here, between one and three bars, more often the former.
2) The only KOA campsite (where we can service and recharge our vehicle) is 48 miles away near Houston. It is approximately one hour each way. We have to go to the KOA every 2-3 days. The owner of the KOA seemed proud that his was the only location where RVs could possibly go to get these services in this part of Texas.
3) En route to the KOA, we saw a dog running on the freeway. We stopped and the car in front of us took him in. The dog had a collar, so they are hoping to return him to his owners.
4) We'll miss you Zeninjor, have a safe trip home.
5) Stay tuned, more videos to come.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Day 16, 10.03.08
Friday was very eventful so here are some highlights:
Top Ten List
10. Meeting Mrs. Paula the Director of Neighborhood Centers she was so sweet and took such good care of us that day. Her church even brought us bagged lunches to eat, with BROWNIES! Oh and congrats to Neighborhood centers for all the funding they received that day! Mrs. Paula was really excited and you could tell she worked hard to get funds for the center.
9. Being called FEMA all day and finally getting the point across to Mrs. Paula that we weren’t FEMA.
8. Seeing Cobi drive up after her 4 hour search for a tire to replace the flat she acquired on her drive back from taking Jane to the airport. 10 tire stores, 4 cities, and an hour wait on the freeway for AAA, she was still ready for our next adventure.
7. Finally getting a decent internet connection at a site(also part of the reason for the delay in our highly desired blog entries)
6. The fact that people actually came to the lab to get help and use the center we had maybe 3 dozen users, which is a lot better than none.
5. Meeting 3 mayors and 4 city council members in one day. Only in a small town can you call the mayor and have him be somewhere in 15 minutes.
4. The entire day, and especially the Rodeo experience, was the epitome of every Texas stereotype you could ever imagine. From the Sunday best couples to the bowlegged cowboys; the country music with the fiddles and “she left me twang”; the smell of horses and fried pickles, the big belt buckles, and overall the true southern hospitality. Needless to say, our crew stood out like sore thumbs, but we were welcomed with open arms.
3. Watching Katie Hongle (aka Cat) ride the bull. She was the only one brave enough to try!
2. Hearing everyone’s stories. We had a lot of survivor interaction on Thursday and it was really rewarding to hear everyone thank us for just letting them vent. A mom and a daughter who lost everything and were frustrated with FEMA, a family whose mobile home was damaged and they had no food and a mother, niece and son who needed help creating resumes and printing documents. One of our patrons, Derrick Drew(26), actually stayed for 3 hours, he recently had a pre-stroke(3 days ago because of IKE stress) and I think spending time away from it all really helped him because he thanked us dozens of times and we all got big hugs as he left.
A cowboy and a bull. We had a great view of the process to get the bulls ready and of the cowboys from our suite!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Day 15, 10.02.08
Howdy from La Porte!
After our first night in our new home sweet home the RV we all walked to the Rec center to take showers and get ready for the day. The rec center has been nice enough to give us access to their facilities for showers and even to work out, so when all come back super buff you’ll know why! The day started off a little slow once we got set up and ready to help no one showed up. We took the opportunity to run our errands and get the RV stocked up for the next few days and grabbed some yummy lunch from Chili’s. Also our trip allowed Zeninjor to get some great footage of Cobi driving the RV.
[Barry Beasley and Cobi Jackson]
With the help of Barry (from AT&T) and his connections in the community and Cobi’s ideas we were able to devise a back-up plan to better serve the community with our services. Since the word didn’t get out about our set-up at the rec center we will be moving to the neighborhood center in La Porte tomorrow so that we can get the resources to more people. We stayed in the classroom for the rest of the afternoon/evening preparing signs and flyers to spread the word about our locations for the next few days. Catherine made us Ground Team Ike t-shirts:
Afterward we chilled in the RV with the much coveted generator (we can only use it until midnight so we cherish the time because it gets hot) and Zeninjor and Catherine cooked some vegetable stew for dinner as we watched the Vice Presidential debate.
It was a long day but we made it through.
~Toodles Lauren Latrobe (aka Cassie)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Day Fourteen, 10.01.08
Hi Team,
Greetings from Pasadena, TX!
Bringing fresh faces and energy to Ground Team Ike, we are:
Jane Montoya
Catherine Hong Le
Cassie Reid
Cobi Jackson
Zeninjor Emwemeka
After just one full day of (wo)manning the mobile Ike Help Center, let us just say: we are absolutely in AWE of Jane, Laura and Patricia. With unflagging enthusiasm and dedication, these ladies have been there every single day at the mobile computer lab, 9am-7pm, 7 days out of the week. This is in addition to all of the extra hours taken up by transporting/setting up/maintaining equipment and troubleshooting logistical issues as they travel from town to town across this lonestar state. Laura and Patricia, get some well-deserved rest! We hope we can live up to your example.
Today, we were set up in a church and helped more than 130 people who came by to fill out their FEMA forms. To put the situation into context, imagine what it's like to be someone whose home has been hole-punched by Hurricane Ike. Due to heavy traffic, some social services offices are swamped and no longer accepting applications by phone. And, if the physical offices near you have been closed, your only recourse is to fill out an online form. In the case of FEMA forms, if you don't have a social security card, you can't file online. Even if you try to file your child's name because he is a natural-born citizen, it doesn't work because only social security numbers of adults aged 18+ are accepted online. You can try calling FEMA on the phone...but, good luck. It can take hours to days to reach a representative. When you finally do get thru to file your application, it'll be another 10-14 days for these forms to be processed and for a FEMA agent to come out to assess damages.
It is a frustrating and time-consuming process. Some families are so grateful that we are there to sit next to them and to simply listen while they are going thru this process.
We will be sharing more snapshots and stories...thanks for your help and support!
Greetings from Pasadena, TX!
Bringing fresh faces and energy to Ground Team Ike, we are:
Jane Montoya
Catherine Hong Le
Cassie Reid
Cobi Jackson
Zeninjor Emwemeka
After just one full day of (wo)manning the mobile Ike Help Center, let us just say: we are absolutely in AWE of Jane, Laura and Patricia. With unflagging enthusiasm and dedication, these ladies have been there every single day at the mobile computer lab, 9am-7pm, 7 days out of the week. This is in addition to all of the extra hours taken up by transporting/setting up/maintaining equipment and troubleshooting logistical issues as they travel from town to town across this lonestar state. Laura and Patricia, get some well-deserved rest! We hope we can live up to your example.
Today, we were set up in a church and helped more than 130 people who came by to fill out their FEMA forms. To put the situation into context, imagine what it's like to be someone whose home has been hole-punched by Hurricane Ike. Due to heavy traffic, some social services offices are swamped and no longer accepting applications by phone. And, if the physical offices near you have been closed, your only recourse is to fill out an online form. In the case of FEMA forms, if you don't have a social security card, you can't file online. Even if you try to file your child's name because he is a natural-born citizen, it doesn't work because only social security numbers of adults aged 18+ are accepted online. You can try calling FEMA on the phone...but, good luck. It can take hours to days to reach a representative. When you finally do get thru to file your application, it'll be another 10-14 days for these forms to be processed and for a FEMA agent to come out to assess damages.
It is a frustrating and time-consuming process. Some families are so grateful that we are there to sit next to them and to simply listen while they are going thru this process.
We will be sharing more snapshots and stories...thanks for your help and support!
Day Thirteen, 9.30.08
Hi team,
As I look at the title of this blog posting, all I can think is 'Wow, how is it already the end of day thirteen? Where has the time gone?' There are so many words that come to mind to describe the path this journey has taken. (Sorry to get a bit sentimental on you guys today, but this is my last night on the RV for a while and although I'm looking forward to a day off, part of me is going to miss being here despite all of the frustrations and emotions from being 'stuck' on a 34-foot vehicle for the past two weeks.) Its been a roller-coaster ride of emotion as well as a test on each member of Ground Team Ike's stamina and personal endurance. I'm glad to have been a part of it and share the home-sweet-home Stella has provided with Jane and Patricia; I hope the next round of GTI members has just as great an experience as I, and I believe Jane and Patricia, had. And, just for the record (back to the reference from Day One), I have no desire to drive this RV off a cliff, as Thelma and Louis did to finish their journey, although I can't speak for Patricia who's had the hassle of driving this thing around Texas and its neighborhoods as we went from site to site.
Today was a great day in Pasadena. Our site was great and the staff was so accommodating and friendly. We were also able to help a fair number of people in the morning and hand out even more applications for food stamps. Everyday it amazes me how many people do not receive enough help from FEMA to cover their losses or even make ends meet. Tomorrow should be another great day, at another new site.
Thanks again to everyone both on the ground and along the way who has helped all this come together, from advanced planning to brainstorming about the Ike Help Center website to the great volunteers who have brought us coffee in the morning. We all really appreciate the effort you're putting in to help make everything run smoothly.
As I look at the title of this blog posting, all I can think is 'Wow, how is it already the end of day thirteen? Where has the time gone?' There are so many words that come to mind to describe the path this journey has taken. (Sorry to get a bit sentimental on you guys today, but this is my last night on the RV for a while and although I'm looking forward to a day off, part of me is going to miss being here despite all of the frustrations and emotions from being 'stuck' on a 34-foot vehicle for the past two weeks.) Its been a roller-coaster ride of emotion as well as a test on each member of Ground Team Ike's stamina and personal endurance. I'm glad to have been a part of it and share the home-sweet-home Stella has provided with Jane and Patricia; I hope the next round of GTI members has just as great an experience as I, and I believe Jane and Patricia, had. And, just for the record (back to the reference from Day One), I have no desire to drive this RV off a cliff, as Thelma and Louis did to finish their journey, although I can't speak for Patricia who's had the hassle of driving this thing around Texas and its neighborhoods as we went from site to site.
Today was a great day in Pasadena. Our site was great and the staff was so accommodating and friendly. We were also able to help a fair number of people in the morning and hand out even more applications for food stamps. Everyday it amazes me how many people do not receive enough help from FEMA to cover their losses or even make ends meet. Tomorrow should be another great day, at another new site.
Thanks again to everyone both on the ground and along the way who has helped all this come together, from advanced planning to brainstorming about the Ike Help Center website to the great volunteers who have brought us coffee in the morning. We all really appreciate the effort you're putting in to help make everything run smoothly.
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