Monday, May 9, 2011

Catatastrophe relief, From Cafateria to Warehouse

Today began with helping at the Belk Center Parks and Rec, in Tuscaloosa, AL.  I have been volinteering there every morning at 6:30 am and again in the evening for the dinner and clean up.  I have met so many strong and incredable people.  This AM, I spent some time talking to a Vietnam Vet.  He had lost his entire home, and has been forced to stay at the rec center.  He has been denied help from the red cross as he tells, and is not looking for a hand out but needs one.  He is getting frustrated with the V.A. for not helping, and the Red Cross for not allowing him to help around the facility.  He told me that he was treated better in 1968 in Vietnam,  He is a proud and reserved man, he has lost everything and does not know how to get his life back together.
Like his story there are just asmany other stories that sound similar.  There are people who have lost everything, and are trying to rebuild.  As hard as I have been working to clean up the Mess hall after dinner, I have also been spending time with people and listening to their concerns.  Today I heard that a woman had lost her dog from the tornado, and they were reunited by a face book entry to search for her lost puppy.  I is so simple to just sit5 down and strike up a conversation with someone. 
It has been a week and the shelter is still a couple hundred strong.  People are still in great need at this facility.  After Breakfast clean up, I again volenteered at Care plus.
Amaricorps are volenteering to fill up ware houses with donated goods.  As I entered the military waved me through, and I began sorting and moving donations for five hours.  THe volenteers have come from all over to help.  I met people from Kentucky, Arizona, and many other states.  It is amazing to see hw people can come together and help each others.  There is enough donations for a couple more storms.  Which the people do not want or need.
I have so much to add, But I have put in a total of fourteen hours today, and I can barely keep my eyes open     

1 comment:

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