My wife Sheila and I have been in Bay Town, Texas, not far from Galveston, for a week now. I can easily say that this assignment is the most challenging that I have experienced as a Red Cross volunteer. The community still has no electricity or running water. Gas lines continue to be 3-5 miles long. The Red Cross is going to be here for a long time to come. We're needed here and I hope that the people who live in these communities aren't forgotten.

A week ago, Sheila and I, along with two other Red Cross volunteers, traveled from Houston to Bay Town with instructions to set up a shelter for the community. When we arrived, we started from scratch. We had no showers, flushing toilets, or electricity and we were in a community that was 75% destroyed. We got to work immediately, mopping floors, moving furniture, calling Headquarters for supplies and making signs to direct people to the shelter. We worked with our contacts at Red Cross Headquarters, a local Target and other community orgs to get basic supplies like cots, blankets, portable toilets, diapers, bottled water, cups and drinks. Red Cross ERVs arrived to deliver heater meals, and comfort kits arrived soon after. After a day or so we got a generator to power the shelter. Things really started to improve.

Over the last seven days, we have provided a safe place for hundreds of men, women and children, all who desperately need a hand after losing everything. The community is pretty devastated but hopefully they can rebound. Two days ago a local Denny's restaurant opened. We jumped at the chance for a meal that didn't come from a box. When we walked in the door, the waitress warned us it would be a long wait; they only had one cook and two waitresses. There were five items on the hand-written menu. We didn't mind.

Yesterday afternoon showers arrived. We assembled them and our guests got their first shower in days. Infrastructure here is finally improving and its getting easier to move supplies. Also, more volunteers are arriving so we're getting some much needed rest. We're doing well, everyone is helping one another and I know that we are making a difference. Please keep the Red Cross in your thoughts.

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Re: Jim Ulbrich - Managing a Shelter on the Texas Coast Hi Sheila and Jim, This will be a note of many thanks: Thanks for the up-date on your work in Bay Town. Even though you were called on to do some very difficult shelter work, I'm sure your sense of humor was evident along with your wonderful smiles. Thank you for your dedicated service to the evacuees your served. Thanks also for calling me while I was in San Antonio; I wish we could have talked. Thanks for being my mentors at my first DSHR; you were the best and fun, too! You are an example of what being a Red Cross volunteer means. PLee By Patty Lee on   10/3/2008 2:09 PM

Re: Jim Ulbrich - Managing a Shelter on the Texas Coast glad to see you guys are taking retirement easy!!! Thinking about you guys, I am glad to know such great people as jim & sheila! can't wait to see you in november. next time you guys go out with the red cross, i will try to get some food to you! george ; ) By george frasher on   9/22/2008 3:17 PM