Today we are celebrating our first year anniversary.
I am enclosing some pertinent links.
Here is a link to a blog that I set up to chronicle the community center
project progress from its inception.
http://people.tribe.net/8058bafc-6689-43ca-ba23-427b1628eeaa/blog
Our homepage has two links you should find interesting. The links are on the lower right of the page. The first link is to video footage that begins as the water entered the Govt complex, true situations endured by residents as they took refuge in their attic's and rescue from their roof tops. The second link is to an animation that shows the progress of the water as it inundated the region well after the storm had passed.
This link is to a video filmed by another group that had some presence in St. Bernard Parish.
I am interviewed in this as well as members of the community center board of directors
John W. Booth and Ms. Alberta Lewis.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5452108694006803818&hl
Things are far from achieving "Normal" and when the recovery progresses far enough
the "Normal" achieved will be a new Normal as things can never be as they were before
the devastation.
Peace,
Iray
The Community Center of St. Bernard Parish is a grass roots effort that began with
community meetings in March 2006. Remarkably, we were able to receive
our 501 C-3 tax exempt status within 120 days. With little capital and
a great need we managed to enter into a partnership with the local Masonic Lodge.
They offered us their function hall as our first home for as long as we need it.
Community Center of St. Bernard now open
http://www.sbpg.net/newsjan07.html
To get a clear understanding of things here in St. Bernard one must realize that unless Katrina brought a tree down on their house or the wind blew the roof off, the major amount of devastation was wrought by the inadequate flood control infrastructure. The Mississippi Gulf River Outlet (MRGO) served as a conduit for the estimated 30 foot tall surge of water that engulfed St. Bernard Parish. If you go to our homepage http://groups.msn.com/ccstbp you will find two links that will show you what we feel actually happened. The first link is to a video where you will see actual footage of the water rising, people stranded on their roofs, and the immediate aftermath. The second link is to an animation of how the water came in.
Some of you have asked about how to donate, Donations are Tax-deductible . We haven't had the chance to setup a PayPal account yet but you can send checks to
Community Center of St. Bernard
c/o Gulf Coast Bank Attn. Kelly Miller
8216 West Judge Perez Drive
Chalmette , Louisiana 70043 - 1612
Peace, Iray
My local paper did a follow up on my efforts on the anniversary of Katrina and
this Sunday the Times-Picayune named me and 8 others heros of the storm,
Enclosed is the link to the article as well as the text of the one in the Keene Sentinel.
Peace,
Iray
Sorry, I deleted the links, because they only link to pages full of advertisements and text like:
All subscribers with a valid daily subscription will receive the day's edition of the Sentinel online as well as access to archived articles from the five previous days. Articles older than 5 days can be purchased from the site using a credit card.<sarcasm> Thanks to the Sentinal for making the World Wide Web almost as useful as the big pile of old newspapers that accumulates in the corner of my Living Room just before re-cycling day. </sarcasm> I also deleted the copied articles, because of possible copyright problems, and because Iray can tell his own story better than the semi-cluless newspaper reporter. (At least I assume he can, I deleted the article before reading it. I did notice the newspaper kept referring to Iray as Mr. Something.) --Webmaster
Here is something you may be able to help with. It's getting people outside of Louisiana to contact their Congress and Senate people and let them know that the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MR GO) has got to go.
Let them know to go to the links and follow through.
Thanks,
Craig K
This is a chain letter, but not in the usual sense. I'm asking that you forward it on to friends after taking some action. This won't work unless you really do it. I'm not kidding.
The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet was and is responsible for much of the devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It remains open today as a navigable waterway. The Corps of engineers can't do anything to close it until Congress "deauthorizes" it. Unbelievable but true! Our new levee board passed a resolution yesterday (3/23/07) urging congress to deauthorize the channel.
Sen. David Vitter is supposed to introduce a bill to deauthorize the "MR-GO" some time this session. This has a short shelf life - please take action NOW!
Now this is where you come in. Congressmen respond to constituents. It is necessary to involve as many as possible to contact congressmen in Washington. It would be sooooooo much better if this message was received by congressmen in different states. The shipping interests have not given up on keeping the MR-GO open - even in the face of the devastation and the future danger.
Please contact 10 friends outside of the state and ask them to contact their congressmen and express their support for the Deauthorization of the MR-GO and complete closure following deauthorization. They should be really good friends, friends who you can count on to take some action to help us out and really, it will help them too. I'm not kidding about this. If you forward the names to me and have them forward names to you I can hopefully see this take off and do some good.
This chain letter hasn't been around the world,
but if no action is taken, more people will die.
I honestly believe we can make a difference.
Links to the house and senate are below.
An email to the congressmen is fine. Thanks
http://www.house.gov/
http://www.senate.gov/