Hurricane Katrina

[Joel Comm]

It's been a very sad week, especially for those who have lost loved ones or lost their homes in the hurricane. I'm not sure if any of our members were directly affected, but with a group this size it would not surprise me. My prayers are with those who have experienced this tragic loss.

I am working on an idea that would allow us to help the relief effort in a substantial way and am waiting to hear from Google to make sure it is alright.

Please use this thread to express your own thoughts and feelings related to Hurricane Katrina and the terrible results of the storm in the gulf area.

Joel

[laffin_boy]

Katrina hit South Florida last Thursday as a Cat 1 Hurricane and 8 days later there are still 30,000 homes without power!!!! My family lost power until Sunday and that wasn't fun.

...When I saw that it was a Cat 5 hurricane heading towards the Gulf Coast, I thought f**ck they've had it!

What annoys me is that in New Orleans, is that it's a engineering mistake with the levees. Somebody IS to blame for New Orleans!!!

I've given money to www.redcross.org (http://www.redcross.org) and I'm sure others will too.

Ed.

[Paul B]

Three of my cousins are missing. Please pray for them. Thanks

[conversionrater]

I donated to the Red Cross today as well. I also came across this good concise page with links to Hurricane Katrina video, pictures, blogs, and links to numerous donation sites.

http://www.whoomp.com/articles/167/1/Hurricane-Katrina-Videos-and-Video-Clips

[dj bill]

I was watching the news the last two days and decided that I needed to do something!!

So...I bought some domain names and threw up a website to help collect donations and have links to news.

www.Katrina-Help.info
www.Katrina-Help.net
www.Just-Smiles.org

These sites are all currently pointing to the same site but hopefully they will all be developed (if I have any time) to something more.

Bottom line, I am not collecting money nor profiting any money off of this. I am only made these sites to POINT people who WANT to help to places they can.

I am praying for everyone who lost someone, who lost everything, who have no where to go or who are still trying to connect with their loved ones.

If you can donate...please do. If not...please do what you can. This is my donation and hopefully it will help some!

DJ Bill Lage

PS: I will try to add any links to my site to become a nice source for where to go to help. PM me if you have any info!

[Vrindavan]

Hurricane Katrina Food Relief
http://ffl.org/

[Erik Geurts]

I'm from The Netherlands, a country that virtually exists thanks to our dikes (not sure of that's the same as a levee). A large part of our country is below sea level.

I was on vacation last week when Katrina hit in the US, and I only heard and read about this terrible tragedy when I arrived home. It kicked me in the stomach.

As Joel suggested over at reliefsense.com, I've pledged the expected AdSense intake from next Monday, no wait, actually I've pledge twice that amount and already donated it through the American Red Cross. Good idea Joel!

Back around Christmas when the Tsunami hit, I donated a large portion of my year-end bonus.

[Bobette Kyle]

:( Heart wrenching.

I am sure every city in America is doing whatever they can to help relocate and get those people back on their feet. :)

St. Louis, for example, is bringing in 2000 people today - those that are not sick enough to be hospitalized, but have a medical condition and families with young children - to be treated and housed in an unused Lambert Airport hanger. Volunteers are putting together care packages of personal supplies, racks of clothing, and food for them when they arrive.

As far as finding places to for people to live...I heard this morning on the radio that Catholic Charities is coordinating efforts of (I think) 12 different local agencies to help find families St. Louis area "sponsors" - to be friends, help them find and move into housing, provide moral support, etc. - through the next several months while they settle into their new neighborhoods.

I think it would be great if all cities could work together like this to get folks relocated and settled back into a quasi-normal life ASAP.

Also - not sure if this was posted yet or not - you can get redcross.org banners to put on your Website here: http://www.redcross.org/psa/bannerorder/all/

[dasmith]

Thanks Joel for the thread.

I live in Moss Point Mississippi and just today got a temporary dial up
conection going. I now have power and phone but it comes and goes.
No TV except old rabbit ears. I have yet to be able to see whats going on around me. I have not been able to see any news or pictures of the coast.
I live 15 miles from the gulf coast but we are not allowed to go and see
what has happened. I have heard alot but have seen little. I was very discuraged right after the storm when my home had a tree sticking into one of my bedrooms and water leaking into the other two. I have 9 trees laying down in my yard all were 18 inchs or more across. But a week later I made my way back to the refinery I work in and found out that 26 of my co-workers lost all of there belongings and 4 lost their entire house. We have been working non stop all week trying to cut trees off houses and trying to cover them before it rains again and ruins whats left.
I could not believe how things could change in one day. You would not believe how many things you take for granted.

No power for six day's
No running water for six day's
Waiting 50 to 75 cars deep at the pump for gas
No stores to buy food

I did not realise how spoiled I was. You will not believe how many things you take for ganted until they are gone.

I am just so happy my family is safe. I am very tired and stressed out but have found that when you here about other who have lost family members and friends I realise I am the fortunate one.

Thanks again Joel for giving me a place to share.

David