"George Shirley" > wrote in message
...
> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
> > On Wed 31 Aug 2005 01:04:36a, sarah wrote in rec.food.preserving:
> >
> >
> >>I heard a BBC R4 interview about an hour ago with a university lecturer
> >>who got out of town in time, and whose wife and children had travelled
> >>up north earlier in the week to take the eldest to college. He said that
> >>last Thursday was just another day, Friday the serious warnings started
> >>and now... he said he was lucky, he knew he was lucky, his family was ok
> >>even if his house was likely to go under in the near future. He said
> >>that it wasn't losing the stuff that hurt, it was losing *the city* and
> >>all that it meant: New Orleans/that part of the South has given a lot to
> >>the rest of the world, even if it had taken a lot, too. He asked people
> >>who'd ever enjoyed New Orleans, or something that came from the city to
> >>pray for the city and those who live there. Or lived there. I was
> >>driving at the time, and had to pull off the road because I was crying.
> >>I listen to Clifton Chenier and Sonny Landreth and a host of other
> >>musicians from that area, or influenced by Cajun sounds. James Lee
> >>Burke's works are among the very, very few novels that sit on my
> >>shelves, rather than the library's. I don't pray, but I'd like to help.
> >>If anyone knows of a practical way a Brit could lend assistance, let me
> >>know.
> >>
> >>I don't even know the name of the interviewee.
> >>
> >>my very best wishes to everyone, everywhere.
> >>sarah
> >
> >
> > Sarah, you represent what I love and admire so much about the Brits!
> >
> > Yes, apart from the catastrophic loss of life and property, we have lost
an
> > irreplacable history and the physical effects of a culture that was
unique.
> > I know that given time, the cities can be rebuilt, but the rest is
probably
> > gone forever.
> >
> > Thank you for understanding that...
> >
> I agree with Wayne's sentiments entirely Sarah. We Americans know we can
> depend on the Brits and the Japanese for help while the rest of the
> world sits on their thumbs and gloats at our bad luck.
>
> Anyone who wants to help with donations can send them to the American
> Red Cross (address on the web) marked "Katrina." Money is best as the
> Red Cross can then purchase what is actually needed. The Salvation Army
> is also a good place to put your money. I've already sent one check to
> the Red Cross and the wife is going by the local Salvation Army center
> this afternoon to leave another. We're a bit long in the tooth to go
> down there and do physical worth but we're thinking about taking in a
> couple of refugees for our spare room. Several of our neighbors are
> doing the same.
>
> Our civic center in nearby Lake Charles has more than 2000 refugees in
> it and they're looking for additional space for more. All the fast food
> joints are crowded with refugees this morning, particularly the
> McDonald's, which, around here have wireless computer service for free.
> Stopped at the one near home this morning and a dozen people were
> standing around the two computers there looking for someplace to stay
> long term. I went out to my car and got my laptop and set it up on a
> table and helped them surf. Some motels in the area have been raising
> their prices because people are desparate and the state police have been
> arresting them for "gouging." Many local churches are opening up their
> church halls, school buildings, parsonages, etc and taking in refugees.
> Some of these folks have no other place to go, no funds for renting
> rooms or houses and some don't even have money for gas to go home if
> they could.
>
> Many people don't realize that a third of New Orleans population
> consists of the poorest of the poor and that's who is doing the looting
> in the main.
>
> God Bless them all.
>
> George
>

I copied and pasted this post to my Mom. She, like me, and you, are moved
to tears when seeing and hearing the stories. We Canadians too want to
help. This is what she had to say (to me) about this post:

Hi Kathi:

It was touching to read those excerpts from your preserving group.

I wish you would post something to say that the Canadian Red Cross was
asked to wait until the American Red Cross got organized to know how to
best help their desperate situation, and then sent, this morning, hundreds
of screened, specially trained, and ambitious Canadian volunteers. More
people signed up than were chosen, because a catastrophe like this has not
been dealt with before, and experts of all kinds are needed first, thus
the screening. More will go when required.

Canadians are very concerned and wanting to help in any way they can, says
our media. But it's donations to the Red Cross that are most important
now.

Thanks for sharing this with me, Kathi. I do hope you post something, so
that people know Canadians and the Brits and the Japanese are supportive!

PS - Believe it or not, I was thinking of the two spare rooms I have in the
basement, and one upstairs that could take a few refugees, but the
logistics just aren't there.