Spurfect
09-03-2005, 06:04 PM
Well I have just gotten back from my second day of volunteering for the Hurricane Katrina evacuees. I have to say this time I was MUCH more involved in it, and this whole experience has really touched and humbled me. I took several pics with my camera phone this time, again I'm sorry about the quality but this is as good as it gets from me. My phone is the only thing I took into the arena with me. (Warning: This will be LONG!)
So I woke up at 5 a.m. this morning so that I could be at the Astrodome at 6. One problem.. there was a big storm going on outside. Lots of rain, thunder, lighting.. I started to talk myself out of going and I even tucked back into bed, but then I realized that I had made this commitment and I wanted to do it, so I got my butt up and drove down to the Reliant Center, storm and all. When I got to the Reliant Center, just walking from the parking lot to the actual center itself, I could already see clothes thrown around on the floor as if they were put out there to dry (but of course because of the rain, the clothes were sopping wet). When I got inside I joined all the other volunteers that were already there, and there were also more arriving. I was happy to see so many people there, especially at 5:30 on the morning on a stormy day. They split us up into groups and sent to the Reliant Arena where thousands of evacuees were kept.
Now let me say something about the people.. there are ALOT ALOT of people there, an amazing amount. Everywhere you turn there is someone there whether you're outside of the arena, inside in the gates area, in the halls, in the corners, and of course inside the actual arena. And guess what? that was not even the half of them. Most of them were at the ASTRODOME, which we passed on our way walking to the Reliant Arena (R.A. from now on)..when we passed by it we were able to see in through one opening and there were so many people in there from what I saw. The first thing I noticed before stepping inside the R.A. was the SPCA set up outside the doors with an "Animal Registration" sign up. Coincidentally, there were no animals in any of the carriers. That to me was pretty sad because I'm sure most of the animals were left behind.
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/5535/spca9yr.jpg
Originally my group was going to be unpacking and unloading things.. they told us that Wal Mart was sending many 18 wheeler trucks packed with stuff, but when we got there the leader said that Wal Mart STILL had not arrived even though they had been saying they'd be there since Midnight. Because of that she assigned us to do different things if we wanted, and the rest would stay for the Wal Mart stuff. I preferred to do something else other than heavy lifting. I was assigned to food duty. When I walked out to the area where the food was being served, they were already serving breakfast and there were already two lines formed (they were so long I could not see the end of the lines).
http://img287.imageshack.us/img287/7003/inline5sz.jpg
http://img287.imageshack.us/img287/9236/food0yl.jpg
Basically what I did was I would stand around and help the people that I thought needed help. In other words, alot of people were getting 2, 3, 4, 5 plates to take back to their families. They were serving grits, scrambled eggs, bacon, and waffles/pancakes (all on one paper plate) so it was hard to balance it all especially if you had more than one plate. If I saw anyone struggling to hold all their plates, I'd go and ask them if they wanted some help. I'd take some of the plates off their hands, and go down the line with them, have the food all served, get their drinks and condiments and would follow them back to their table and set their plates down for them. I helped a few little kids with their plates, and I helped an elderly man in a wheelchair that had no legs. I got all his stuff for him and he wanted to go eat outside so I went with him. Right after I set down the man's plate, I was about to go back inside when another elderly man stopped me and asked if I was with the SPCA, I told him no. He said he had come over here from New Orleans on Thursday, and had to leave his dog and 4 cats behind. He seemed kind of lost to me, I wasn't sure exactly what he was trying to tell me, I guess he wanted me to tell him if I thought they were still alive or not. I really did not know what to say. I told him I really wasn't sure, and that it depended on the area, I asked him if his house was flooded, and he said not up to the 2nd story, which is where he left his pets. I felt kind of uncomfortable in this situation because this man was looking to me for answers and I had no idea what to say to him. I just said that I really didn't know, and that as far as I knew, no one was allowed to go back to New Orleans just yet. He became teary eyed and said "I guess there's nothing I can do" I felt soo bad.. I just told him to please talk to the people from the SPCA. I went back inside. I worked breakfast duty for probably about 4 hours. It seemed like the line would never end. It just kept going and going there were so many people. It felt really good helping though, because they were so nice and grateful.. there were the occasional quiet ones, but no one mean or rude. Then there were overly appreciative ones as well (the ones that just really make you smile inside). Anyway after all that time of being on my feet and not eating yet, I took a little break, got some pancakes and stopped to chat with a few people.
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/5798/brotherjohn7dy.jpg
THIS man was AMAZING. Just awesome. He is "Brother John". I sat with him for what was probably an hour. He told me his whole story. About how he and his family were at home through it all, he told his nephews to "go to sleep" for a few hours because he wanted to think of something to do. He said he realized that something really bad was going to come. He said it started quickly, the wind was terrible, he literally heard buildings breaking apart. As bits of his house broke they had to keep moving to different areas of it. He talked about how the water rose very quickly. He said that he himself was not afraid, not of death, he had come said his prayers and had come to accept it. He just hated to "go this way" and worried for his family. I asked him how he made it out, and how he got to Houston. He said they waited for hours and hours. No one would help them. Then he broke down. oh man, it was so hard, it breaks my heart to see a grown man cry, but he just BROKE DOWN in front of me. I went and hugged him and told him that I knew things were tough right now, but it'd get better. Then we started talking about other things, President Bush, computers, alot of stuff. He was so funny, and so nice, and overall just awesome. When he was talking he was very animated and just became really happy. He asked me about myself, and he said he was gonna get a t-shirt and put my picture on it because i was so great.. lol :) I loved his spirit.. he said he would be okay and he loves his life and wasn't gonna give up, and pretty much spent the rest of our conversation joking around and smiling. I told him about my dog and he said he had to leave his dog over there. He left it with police, on a bridge. :( Then he had to go get in the Medical line before it closed down, to get his tetanus shot.
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/4840/medical2ks.jpg
Next I sat with a lady and her two kids. Her little girl was sooo precious that I just had to take a pic of her.
http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/3958/kid43yo.jpg
There is not much else to this. The lady was pretty quiet. She would say little things here and there. her kids were so cute.
Across the table from me was this guy, who was so exhausted that he was asleep sitting down:
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/7768/asleep7xh.jpg
I walked around for a while, there were many signs just like this:
http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/2407/signs0tz.jpg
sorry it came out so blurry. But it's basically a sign look for people. There was also alot of this:
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/545/waiting7ay.jpg
this young man was sitting and waiting around with a sign on his leg that had a name on it. Also, people walking around with signs looking for loved ones. One man held a sign that said "Looking for (I forgot the name) Seven Years Old. Got seperated from mom in New Orleans"
I went inside of the arena:
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/4391/reliantarena0ly.jpg
thousands of cots spread around on the floor with people laying, asleep, or just sitting there. very sad. Also, while I was in there, I heard alot of commotion and turned to my right, only to see a reunion, on camera. There was a camera crew there, capturing a moment. a lady and a man reuniting with an elderly man in a wheelchair. It was pretty emotional. After that moment, the camera kept on rolling and two women were talking to it. This was also very sad because the first woman was crying and pleading to the camera for family members, and the second one did the same. so so heartbreaking to see.
Another room at the Reliant Arena:
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/7695/insidearena7px.jpg
hundreds of more people in cots.
Next I went to the makeshift daycare they had there. It was basically a barracaded area with little paintings and drawings hung around the gates. It was called "Kiddotown" as you can see in this pic:
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/6392/makeshiftdaycare6sn.jpg
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/3005/kiddotown6ie.jpg
I went inside Kiddotown and played with some kiddos. This little guy was soo cute!
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/7812/kid32kn.jpg
This girl made me a "clay snake"
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/2513/kid21uo.jpg
and this girl made me a "clay turtle" lol. btw, they relished the pics.
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/61/kid14ve.jpg
The kids were great. It was a blast playing with them. I played with alot more other kids, they were so cute and happy. There was one that was crying for his mom, I felt so bad for him because they told me I couldn't take him out of the play area until his mom came and got him. She never came the whole time I was there, and that kid was soo sad. He'd cry and cling on to me. :( I had to leave and I felt so bad leaving. but someone else took over.
I then took another break and called my sister. While i was on the phone with her, another reunion happened right next to me. This one was even more dramatic. Two ladies reunited, and one of them was screaming her lungs out crying. Even my sister on the phone heard it and it made HER emotional. It was something else.
Chick-Fil-A came for lunch and dropped us off a crapload of chicken sandwiches and chips. Chick-Fil-A rocks. 8)
There was another section where people registered their names and all their information, and people that are missing. That place was always full.
Later, a girl asked me if she could use my cell phone. I let her use it and she was able to contact a family member. I heard her telling her story of how the water was up over her head and she had to swim to get out. After she was done, she told me how that was the first time she was able to contact someone in her family.
I can't tell you what an experience this was. Just unbelieveable. I heard so many stories, saw so many people, so many things. People in good spirits, people crying. Happy kids, sad kids. I just dont know how to explain it all. But I did everything I could to help out and keep people as comfortable as possible. There were so many nice volunteers there. I can say with great certainty that these people are being taking care of. There is DEFINITELY enough food and water.. they will not go hungry/thirsty for sure. Anyway I just wanted to share my experience with you all and give you an inside look to what's going on.
So I woke up at 5 a.m. this morning so that I could be at the Astrodome at 6. One problem.. there was a big storm going on outside. Lots of rain, thunder, lighting.. I started to talk myself out of going and I even tucked back into bed, but then I realized that I had made this commitment and I wanted to do it, so I got my butt up and drove down to the Reliant Center, storm and all. When I got to the Reliant Center, just walking from the parking lot to the actual center itself, I could already see clothes thrown around on the floor as if they were put out there to dry (but of course because of the rain, the clothes were sopping wet). When I got inside I joined all the other volunteers that were already there, and there were also more arriving. I was happy to see so many people there, especially at 5:30 on the morning on a stormy day. They split us up into groups and sent to the Reliant Arena where thousands of evacuees were kept.
Now let me say something about the people.. there are ALOT ALOT of people there, an amazing amount. Everywhere you turn there is someone there whether you're outside of the arena, inside in the gates area, in the halls, in the corners, and of course inside the actual arena. And guess what? that was not even the half of them. Most of them were at the ASTRODOME, which we passed on our way walking to the Reliant Arena (R.A. from now on)..when we passed by it we were able to see in through one opening and there were so many people in there from what I saw. The first thing I noticed before stepping inside the R.A. was the SPCA set up outside the doors with an "Animal Registration" sign up. Coincidentally, there were no animals in any of the carriers. That to me was pretty sad because I'm sure most of the animals were left behind.
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/5535/spca9yr.jpg
Originally my group was going to be unpacking and unloading things.. they told us that Wal Mart was sending many 18 wheeler trucks packed with stuff, but when we got there the leader said that Wal Mart STILL had not arrived even though they had been saying they'd be there since Midnight. Because of that she assigned us to do different things if we wanted, and the rest would stay for the Wal Mart stuff. I preferred to do something else other than heavy lifting. I was assigned to food duty. When I walked out to the area where the food was being served, they were already serving breakfast and there were already two lines formed (they were so long I could not see the end of the lines).
http://img287.imageshack.us/img287/7003/inline5sz.jpg
http://img287.imageshack.us/img287/9236/food0yl.jpg
Basically what I did was I would stand around and help the people that I thought needed help. In other words, alot of people were getting 2, 3, 4, 5 plates to take back to their families. They were serving grits, scrambled eggs, bacon, and waffles/pancakes (all on one paper plate) so it was hard to balance it all especially if you had more than one plate. If I saw anyone struggling to hold all their plates, I'd go and ask them if they wanted some help. I'd take some of the plates off their hands, and go down the line with them, have the food all served, get their drinks and condiments and would follow them back to their table and set their plates down for them. I helped a few little kids with their plates, and I helped an elderly man in a wheelchair that had no legs. I got all his stuff for him and he wanted to go eat outside so I went with him. Right after I set down the man's plate, I was about to go back inside when another elderly man stopped me and asked if I was with the SPCA, I told him no. He said he had come over here from New Orleans on Thursday, and had to leave his dog and 4 cats behind. He seemed kind of lost to me, I wasn't sure exactly what he was trying to tell me, I guess he wanted me to tell him if I thought they were still alive or not. I really did not know what to say. I told him I really wasn't sure, and that it depended on the area, I asked him if his house was flooded, and he said not up to the 2nd story, which is where he left his pets. I felt kind of uncomfortable in this situation because this man was looking to me for answers and I had no idea what to say to him. I just said that I really didn't know, and that as far as I knew, no one was allowed to go back to New Orleans just yet. He became teary eyed and said "I guess there's nothing I can do" I felt soo bad.. I just told him to please talk to the people from the SPCA. I went back inside. I worked breakfast duty for probably about 4 hours. It seemed like the line would never end. It just kept going and going there were so many people. It felt really good helping though, because they were so nice and grateful.. there were the occasional quiet ones, but no one mean or rude. Then there were overly appreciative ones as well (the ones that just really make you smile inside). Anyway after all that time of being on my feet and not eating yet, I took a little break, got some pancakes and stopped to chat with a few people.
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/5798/brotherjohn7dy.jpg
THIS man was AMAZING. Just awesome. He is "Brother John". I sat with him for what was probably an hour. He told me his whole story. About how he and his family were at home through it all, he told his nephews to "go to sleep" for a few hours because he wanted to think of something to do. He said he realized that something really bad was going to come. He said it started quickly, the wind was terrible, he literally heard buildings breaking apart. As bits of his house broke they had to keep moving to different areas of it. He talked about how the water rose very quickly. He said that he himself was not afraid, not of death, he had come said his prayers and had come to accept it. He just hated to "go this way" and worried for his family. I asked him how he made it out, and how he got to Houston. He said they waited for hours and hours. No one would help them. Then he broke down. oh man, it was so hard, it breaks my heart to see a grown man cry, but he just BROKE DOWN in front of me. I went and hugged him and told him that I knew things were tough right now, but it'd get better. Then we started talking about other things, President Bush, computers, alot of stuff. He was so funny, and so nice, and overall just awesome. When he was talking he was very animated and just became really happy. He asked me about myself, and he said he was gonna get a t-shirt and put my picture on it because i was so great.. lol :) I loved his spirit.. he said he would be okay and he loves his life and wasn't gonna give up, and pretty much spent the rest of our conversation joking around and smiling. I told him about my dog and he said he had to leave his dog over there. He left it with police, on a bridge. :( Then he had to go get in the Medical line before it closed down, to get his tetanus shot.
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/4840/medical2ks.jpg
Next I sat with a lady and her two kids. Her little girl was sooo precious that I just had to take a pic of her.
http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/3958/kid43yo.jpg
There is not much else to this. The lady was pretty quiet. She would say little things here and there. her kids were so cute.
Across the table from me was this guy, who was so exhausted that he was asleep sitting down:
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/7768/asleep7xh.jpg
I walked around for a while, there were many signs just like this:
http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/2407/signs0tz.jpg
sorry it came out so blurry. But it's basically a sign look for people. There was also alot of this:
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/545/waiting7ay.jpg
this young man was sitting and waiting around with a sign on his leg that had a name on it. Also, people walking around with signs looking for loved ones. One man held a sign that said "Looking for (I forgot the name) Seven Years Old. Got seperated from mom in New Orleans"
I went inside of the arena:
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/4391/reliantarena0ly.jpg
thousands of cots spread around on the floor with people laying, asleep, or just sitting there. very sad. Also, while I was in there, I heard alot of commotion and turned to my right, only to see a reunion, on camera. There was a camera crew there, capturing a moment. a lady and a man reuniting with an elderly man in a wheelchair. It was pretty emotional. After that moment, the camera kept on rolling and two women were talking to it. This was also very sad because the first woman was crying and pleading to the camera for family members, and the second one did the same. so so heartbreaking to see.
Another room at the Reliant Arena:
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/7695/insidearena7px.jpg
hundreds of more people in cots.
Next I went to the makeshift daycare they had there. It was basically a barracaded area with little paintings and drawings hung around the gates. It was called "Kiddotown" as you can see in this pic:
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/6392/makeshiftdaycare6sn.jpg
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/3005/kiddotown6ie.jpg
I went inside Kiddotown and played with some kiddos. This little guy was soo cute!
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/7812/kid32kn.jpg
This girl made me a "clay snake"
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/2513/kid21uo.jpg
and this girl made me a "clay turtle" lol. btw, they relished the pics.
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/61/kid14ve.jpg
The kids were great. It was a blast playing with them. I played with alot more other kids, they were so cute and happy. There was one that was crying for his mom, I felt so bad for him because they told me I couldn't take him out of the play area until his mom came and got him. She never came the whole time I was there, and that kid was soo sad. He'd cry and cling on to me. :( I had to leave and I felt so bad leaving. but someone else took over.
I then took another break and called my sister. While i was on the phone with her, another reunion happened right next to me. This one was even more dramatic. Two ladies reunited, and one of them was screaming her lungs out crying. Even my sister on the phone heard it and it made HER emotional. It was something else.
Chick-Fil-A came for lunch and dropped us off a crapload of chicken sandwiches and chips. Chick-Fil-A rocks. 8)
There was another section where people registered their names and all their information, and people that are missing. That place was always full.
Later, a girl asked me if she could use my cell phone. I let her use it and she was able to contact a family member. I heard her telling her story of how the water was up over her head and she had to swim to get out. After she was done, she told me how that was the first time she was able to contact someone in her family.
I can't tell you what an experience this was. Just unbelieveable. I heard so many stories, saw so many people, so many things. People in good spirits, people crying. Happy kids, sad kids. I just dont know how to explain it all. But I did everything I could to help out and keep people as comfortable as possible. There were so many nice volunteers there. I can say with great certainty that these people are being taking care of. There is DEFINITELY enough food and water.. they will not go hungry/thirsty for sure. Anyway I just wanted to share my experience with you all and give you an inside look to what's going on.