Sep
11
Written by:
American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter
9/11/2008 9:47 PM
While working the overnight shift from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at a Red Cross shelter just outside of Baton Rouge, LA, I looked around at the about 200 people sleeping—they were 200 reasons I was in Louisiana helping after Hurricane Gustav left hundreds of thousands without power.
At the shelter, the 200 people living there had formed a community. There was one child who was quite the artist and gave everyone there a picture; another woman had a smile that brought one to your face as well. Even though the people were staying in a shelter because their homes had no power, they were thankful they had a blanket to keep cover at night and meals to eat.
Eventually the Red Cross shelter had to close because it was located in a school that was beginning session again, but pretty much everyone was able to return to their homes. The Red Cross set up a location to distribute clean-up kits, food and water to those returning home to no electricity. For about 25 people who could not return to their homes, the Red Cross helped them get to another shelter nearby.
Now I am in a transition process from working in a shelter to doing casework. Today, I am helping catch up on some of the casework already in progress, but tomorrow I am going out in the community to do casework. I don’t know all the details yet, but am looking forward to the opportunity to help even more.
I have seen a few of fellow St. Louis Area Chapter staff and volunteers while here in Louisiana. I saw the ERV crew, Mike and Larry, and have heard from Becky that they are all extremely busy going out to the hardest hit areas to serve meals and distribute water.
Kathy Ray
St. Charles, MO
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1 comments so far...
Re: Kathy Ray – Responding to Hurricane Gustav in Baton Rouge, LA
Kathy:Thanks for the update! Reading your personal experiences and learning about how you are helping others is a great way to see the Mission of the Red Cross in action. All of us here in STL are thinking about you and the great work being done by you and the other ARC staff and volunteers! LR has been keeping us up-to-date. We are all proud of you and the others representing our chapter! Stay safe! cu soon!
By Dana G-ARC H&S on
9/12/2008 7:15 AM
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