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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