Red Cross Deployment

[marathoner452]

Where do I begin? I've been ERV-surfing in the Lower Ninth Ward. I've caught the "Katrina crudt" from breathing in mold and who knows what else all day. I serve hot food out of the back of a hot ERV while ERV-surfing over piles of debris. I spend 12 hours out of my day either on the road serving hot meals and snacks or scrubbing down the ERV and I haven't made a cent beyond my Red Cross stipend for food and medicine to treat the "Katrina crudt."

The amazing thing is that I'm having the time of my life. I'm meeting so many cool volunteers from all over the country, enjoying the 75* midwinter weather, and eating in a bunch of cool restaurants. I bought my own hurricane glass-my new favorite drink which one of the volunteers is going to give me the recipe for so I can order it back in Maryland-and filled it with beads that another volunteer gave me. We spend the evenings soaking in the hot tub and alternately relaxing and sharing our Katrina stories.

The best part is that I'm falling in love with the people of New Orleans. I've never met a more appreciative, more open-hearted, more hard-working group of people in my life. I just wish I could do so much more for them than give them a hot meal-I want to fix up their houses and look after their kids and give them a reason why the rest of the city is well on its way to recovery while they don't even have electricity and there are houses in the middle of the road. It's not just sad, it's criminal.

I knew it was bad down here, but I couldn't imagine anything like this. As one of the houses in Arabi (another neighborhood) said, "Thank You Katrina."

~Bethany

EDIT: An ERV is an emergency response vehicle, the big boxy thing we all serve food out of.

Comments

Re: Hey Marathoner

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

One correction-it's not medical care we're providing, other than a band-aid or two. We're out there feeding people. And it's not just the ninth ward I'm in, but there are plenty of areas just as bad that I've been serving.

I'll definitely post there when I get home. The more I can do to improve the situation of those people, the better.

~Bethany

Re: Hey Marathoner

[nonpartisan1984.livejournal.com]

Good deal. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that at this place you have to be registered for a week before you can post a diary.

There are some other sites I'd point you to as well, if you've got the time. They're slightly smaller than Daily Kos, but all you'd have to do is cut and paste from one page to another.