STILL NEEDING HELP - HANCOCK CO. MISSISSIPPI

Latest news from: KATRINA VOLUNTEERS - HANCOCK CO., MS

CHRISTMAS IS COMING - HELP IS NEEDED - 62 Days Until Christmas:
There will be a toy distribution at our facility in early December.
If your family is in need of assistance contact: (601) 795-9979.
We will need assistance organizing the Christmas toy give-away.
If you would like to adopt a child in Hancock County for Christmas, or an entire family - we critically need your assistance.



We are needing the following help from local volunteers:
Assistance for intakes at the office on Thursdays from 1-4pm
Assistance mowing lawns for elderly citizens on fixed incomes who can not mow the lawns themselves.
We need assistance finishing homes for elderly and disabled in Harrison, Hancock, Pearl River County, and Stone County.
Small jobs both skilled and unskilled. You can make a difference in someones life today.



We are looking for:
* To purchase a used riding lawnmower
* Donation of Propane stove
* Donation of Fridge
* Donation of Freezer
* Donation of leftover building supplies
* Looking for volunteers to visit "shut-ins" and isolated elderly residents
* Looking for volunteers to assist getting clients to appointments who can not drive or do not have a vehicle

LIVING in MOLDY WRECKAGE

Story From WLOX and Katrina Relief

 

Family living in disrepair, Katrina Relief trying to help: More than four years after hurricane Katrina the Dire... http://bit.ly/tQn1Z

posted via iPhone

from Twitter                                               

________________

PRES. OBAMA SKIPS MISSISSIPPi

President Obama is bypassing Mississippi on his Gulf Coast visit
Hattiesburg - WDAM

-------------------------

I am asking: WHY is the President skipping out on Mississippi, where the EYE of KATRINA made landfall?!

The WDAM story, which came across Twitter, is full of long-winded excuses made by Obama's team, but I say there are NO REASONS that he should not have come to Mississippi and made a tour from Pearlington to Pascagoula!!! Nothing short of that should have been No. 1 on his so-called Katrina visit to "The Gulf Coast!"

No amount of telling the President what Katrina did to Mississippi can replace the importance and profundity of actually walking through the results of Katrina!

It seems that Katrina only made New Orleans worthy of a visit from the President. And it still seems like most of the nation continues to believe that "New Orleans" and "Gulf Coast" are one and the same.

Sad indeed!

-------------------------
posted via iPhone

SUICIDES and KATRINA "recovery"

All I can say is that people in general honestly believe Barbour has done a great thing in getting "aid" to the Great State of Mississippi!?? That line of crap got him re-elected along with Wicker, etc. Does anyone really think those guys fret and worry about the folks who are tied into the statistics such as the ones in the Seacoast Echo which Kathleen, of the Relief Volunteers, writes about in her blog?

Do you think they shed a tear over any of those who have turned to self medication in order to get through another day? Do you think they feel anything at all about those who have committed suicide? NO!! If they did care, honestly and truly care as their so-called "beliefs" and "Chritianity" calls them to then we would have a phenomenal health and mental health care system in this state! People would be back in their homes.

Instead, you have the likes of Wicker harping on the country's deficit (which he seems to think Obama created), Obama in general, and swearing to "get America's fiscal house back in order." Where was he in the Bush years? Where was Barbour et. al?They could care less about the recovery of the "peoples' coast."

They're all sleeping in cozy beds!

Link:
Relief Volunteers - Hancock Co., MS
Look for the article posted Oct. 5, 2009 titled " For Whom the Bell Tolls Five Years Beyond"

FEEDING THE HUNGRY ON MS COAST

FEMA and MEMA employees donate 7,000 lbs of food to hungry people on the coast:
http://bit.ly/3x6Zol
( via twitter)

FINAL KATRINA DEATH TOLL ?

A very interesting article about a study on Katrina related deaths which counts both direct and indirect deaths.

-"Final Katrina Death Toll at 4,081"

4 YEARS AGO TODAY - KATRINA HIT MISSISSIPPI

IT'S BEEN A LONG, HARD 4 YEARS FOR THE RECOVERY PROCESS - but it's just not over...

I have not blogged here in quite awhile, and certainly not steadily, about Katrina in my beloved Mississippi. A lot has been happening in my own life, changes I never expected, but that's really no excuse. I just want all to know that even though I've had my own problems to deal with there is never, never a day that you all along the coast have not been in my thoughts and in my heart!

Given my own personal experiences with Katrina for the past 4 years, I think she will never be out of my mind. She was life-changing for me. Even though I was not there in person to experience it, I have experienced it deeply.

On this special day, I am sending love and best wishes to all those that I know on the coast and to all that I've never met. God Bless You ALL!

______________________

Steps Coalition- New recovery “shortcomings” report: "Hurricane Katrina, Has Mississippi Fallen Behind?"

Pearlington, MS Recovery- A message from Canada Jon: "Dancing with Katrina."

Relief Volunteers Hancock County-Kathleen's Recovery Blog Waveland, MS & Hancock County


From the City of Biloxi Newsletter by Vincent Creel:

Katrina Memorial: The city will hold a Katrina memorial observance on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 8 a.m. on the Biloxi Town Green. The 30-minute ceremony, which will involve several clergy members, will be capped by the unveiling of Marlin's marlin, a Marlin Miller sculpture created from a standing dead oak on the north side of the Town Green, near the Katrina memorial.

Walking on Water: The second annual Walking on Water Bridge Walk and Canned Food Drive" takes place Saturday, Aug. 29 from 8 a.m. to noon. The public is invited to walk the Biloxi Bay Bridge, and walkers are asked to bring donations of canned goods to help replenish and support local food pantries. Sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and others. Over 700 walkers participated in the inaugural event in 2008 with over 2,000 canned good collected.

Katrina & Biloxi: The city and Cable One will air "Katrina & Biloxi," the city's award-winning documentary on Cable One Cable 13 at 8:30 a.m., 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

______________________

Katrina in Biloxi -To see the city's online Katrina section, which includes photos and video.

LOSING ANOTHER BELOVED PET

FRANCES - LOST HER LIFE TO CANCER



Frances came to us two and a half years ago frightened and freaked out. She was on the porch two days before Christmas in 2006. Something clearly had upset and scared her, but she came in the house, found the most comfy chair and adopted us. With a lot of gentle care, she slowly came to trust us and respond to our love.

After Jackson passed away a year ago, Frances suddenly began to assume much of Jackson's antics and behaviors. It was bizarre to say the least but very funny and comforting.

Suddenly on Sunday, Aug. 2nd. she began throwing up and did so off and on all day. Early Monday morning she continued to feel bad and threw up a bit of blood. We immediately took her to the vet. As the day progressed into 4 days, she steadily went down. Diagnosis after an exploratory was cancer of her GI track. On Thursday morning, Aug. 6th., I held in in my arms and we sent her over The Rainbow Bridge.

This has been a shock to my heart.
She was a sweet spirit and and gentle soul in our home. Her leaving has left a black hole in my life and she is deeply missed. The loss of two beloved cats in a year and two months is just too much.

__________________

Animal Clinic of Oxford is an incredibly friendly and caring place. We were well informed of Frances's situation - communication was clear and explanations were pondered and options given. We were given empathy and sympathy and time to talk about our feelings and our pet. We appreciate everything they did for us and Frances.
__________________

Saturday, Aug. 8th. –
Moonpie, a stray I feed, was keeping vigil yesterday between the three cats- Jackson, Cosmo, and Frances's grave in foreground. He has never laid there before. He normally does not hang around during the day, especially when it is hot, which it was yesterday. He stayed there about 3 hours.

OCEAN SPRINGS - RECOVERY IN ST. ANDREWS: SLIM TO NONE

WLOX story - RECOVERY IN ST. ANDREWS

When I read this story, I remembered yet again how I felt after the landfall of Katrina.

I remember immediately after Katrina hit the Mississippi Coast that I was focusing on Ocean Springs as that was the place I'd fallen in love with in Nov. 2004. In trying to get any and all information on damages that I could, I remember that St. Andrews was very badly hit. I would see it mentioned numerous times in posts to message boards. Those days were horrible when communications were down and extremely limited. Save for two people in particular in Ocean Springs, I wouldn't have found out quite so much about my dream place. They even drove around and gave me reports of damage! And me, a stranger. Friends indeed.

With dreams of moving to the beloved "OS" in 2007, Katrina wiped that dream-slate clean! Housing issues: the ensuing rising costs of rents, home prices, and insurance was just not what I had "dreamed of." Of course, I know that is true even more so for those who lived there to begin with and who have been so diligently trying to rebuild their lives. My dream is of little importance compared to their needs.

St. Andrews is just one of many areas that still needs rebuilding and re-populated. In a few months, it will be 4 years since the infamous destruction of so much of our beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast and areas inland as well. The snail's pace just seems to keep on creeping along though, and hopefully, one day recovery will be a reality.

Those "two people" I mentioned:
Ocean Springs/Katrina - Lonny D. Root
Hurricane Watchdog - Lisa Wesson
_________________
Ocean Springs

Downtown OS- Washington Ave.

The Ruskin Live Oak

Night Time at Inner Harbor - Egrets Roosting

BAY ST. LOUIS- NEEDS GROCERY STORE

WLOX story - BAY ST. LOUIS LEADERS OK FUNDING FOR GROCERY STORE STUDY

On my trips to Bay St. Louis and Waveland, I found that the only place to buy grocery items was at Wal-Mart in Waveland. It's not that long of a drive, if you're already close in to town, but it's quite a hassle with all of the traffic.

If you think about it, it seems quite pathetic if your very own city doesn't have its own grocery store. For one thing, I'd assume that it would mean loss of taxes to the city itself. Certainly puts a strain on time management issues for the Bay folks when they need groceries. Perhaps this new "study" will confirm the need.

POPP'S FERRY BRIDGE - UPDATE

Barges drifted to left of the draw section, According to city engineers two 90-foot sections and eight pilings were destroyed in the accident. The Popp's Ferry is 3,983.5 feet or three-quarters of a mile long. (photo from Coast Guard)

MAYOR WANTS "STATE OF EMERGENCY"

On Monday, March 22, Biloxi Mayor A. J. Holloway will ask the City Council to declare a state of emergency due to the barge collision that closed the bridge early Friday morning. Such a declaration will make clear that this bridge is of utmost importance to the city and that repairs need to get underway as soon as possible.

In the Biloxi Newsletter that I subscribe to, Bmail, the mayor stated, “I want to count the repair time in days, not weeks or months, and I'd like to get that bridge back up and running in 60 days or less.” He said that the "city plans to follow the same repair plan that saw the storm-ravaged Popp's Ferry bridge repaired less than four months after Katrina."

Holloway continued by saying, “This bridge is critical to our day-to-day travels, and we're not too far away from the June 1 opening of hurricane season so I want a state of emergency declaration to let our state and federal partners know the enormity of this situation.”