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Other Sites Related to BSL Relief
Katrina Networking Site
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Pearlington
Waveland
Gulf Coast Artist Relief Blog
Gulf Coast Emergency Services Relief Blog
Real People Relief

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Katrina's Angels
For Non-Profits and Municipalities - Reorganized and added to
Assistance For Schools - Reorganized and added to
Grants for Non-Profits
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Citizen Action Team
Community Gardens Effort All 3 installments linked at top
City Action Partnership
Gulf Coast Civic Works Project - please support
MS United Methodist Disaster Response
UMCOR Response
Safety Guidelines For Volunteers

For Individuals
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Churches
Our Lady of The Gulf
St Rose de Lima
Lagniappe Presbyterian
Powerhouse of Deliverance Church

Other Local Agencies
Coastal Family Health Clinics
Foundation Hope
Gulf Coast Recovery Corp

Organizations to Volunteer With
Eight Days of Hope
Impact Ministries
City Team Ministries
Heritage Conservation Network
KenTenn
Mission From Minnesota
Kansas East United Methodist Conference
Port Townsend Sister City
Presbytery Disaster Assistance
HANDS

Helping Without Going Down

A Christmas Story

From Janet

Twists of fate
Tuesday, December 19, 2006 BY ANNE LEVIN
Special to the Times

Andrea and Frank Bridges tried their best to ignore Christmas last year. For the first time in their marriage, the couple didn't put up a tree. There was no Christmas dinner; there were no gifts. The Bridges were staying in Nevada with family members, having been displaced a few months earlier from their Bay St. Louis, Miss., home by the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.
"We were still in shock," says Andrea Bridges, curled up a few weeks ago on the sofa in the tidy home in Ewing where the couple, grateful to be on their own again, now live. "
And to some degree, we still are."
Celebrating Christmas remains low on the Bridges' priority list. But this year, they feel ready to at least acknowledge the holiday in small ways.
They will attend church and have Christmas dinner with friends. They will give gifts on Christmas morning to their two adored pugs, Misha and Pierre.
But they won't put up a tree. "As far as Christmas goes, we have no Christmas," says Andrea Bridges, "but what you have to understand is that we've been sort of having Christmas for a few months, since we moved into this house and got a roof over our heads. "People have been so amazing to us. This has been the most humbling experience. People are so generous and, more than that, they are so loving."
The people she refers to are those she has met through her apprenticeship at the Anthony Rabara Studio for Pilates in Princeton, where she has been studying for certification as a full Pilates instructor since last fall.
Rabara, especially, and his partner Donald Brokate have been "angels," says Bridges, hosting her in their Trenton home and helping her and Frank find the house they are renting today. The Bridges will have Christmas dinner next week at Rabara's and Brokate's and will attend church services for the holiday with them.
Andrea Bridges, 49, is a former ballet dancer who hails from New Orleans. Her husband, Frank, 48, from Ocean Springs, Miss., is a graphic designer and percussionist. Andrea's two grown daughters live in Alabama. The couple met on a blind date 11 years ago and were married soon after. Living in the quaint, seaside town of Bay St. Louis in a house they were renting and about to buy, the Bridges were content. Andrea Bridges had been working as a nail technician for a few years after she stopped dancing, but was thinking about getting back into a field that would make use of her dance experience. She had heard a lot about the Pilates method of physical conditioning a favorite of many dancers -- and was anxious to investigate it as a next step in her career. On the night of Aug. 28, 2005, Frank Bridges was playing a gig in Bay St. Louis when the news came through that the impending storm had been bumped up from a Category 3 to a frightening Category 5 hurricane. Andrea Bridges called him and told him to get home right away. Meanwhile, she went to check on Miss Wilma, their 92-year-old neighbor who had just gotten out of thehospital where she had been treated for an injured hip.
"She refused to leave," says Andrea Bridges. "We wanted to go to a safeplace inland and take her with us, but she absolutely refused to go. So wedecided we had to stay. We couldn't just leave her there all alone."
The Bridges got Miss Wilma, Misha and Pierre into the nearby one-story home of a neighbor who had also elected to stay. They holed up together to wait out the storm. Living on the Gulf Coast, they were used to fierce weather.
But Katrina -- which caused $81 billion in damages and was one of the deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States -- was something none of them had ever experienced.
"We prepared all the hurricane supplies they tell you to get, which for some reason I had gotten together a few days before," says Andrea Bridges. "When it was time to get into a room with no windows, we all huddled into this little foyer. Before long, the water was making itself known. We started loading up the attic with supplies because we figured we'd be up there and maybe out on the roof.
"We got some Styrofoam pieces to put the puppies on. We tied a rope around all of us, because we figured if they find one of us they'll find all ofus." During all of this frantic activity, Andrea Bridges had a moment of realization. "I stopped for a moment and thought, 'This is it. This could really be the end.' But then right away," she says, "I thought, 'No, we're going to survive this.'
We just kicked into gear and we're still in gear, with as much force as a year and a half ago."
As it turned out, the water rushing into the house started receding before it became necessary to climb into the attic. The group began trying to help push the water back out. When they stepped outside the next morning and made their way to their own house, the Bridges found themselves sur ounded by15-foot walls of debris. Frank Bridges, who had driven around townphoto graphing buildings and streets before the storm hit, was stunned to find an almost completely changed landscape.
"We didn't recognize half the places we'd gone to every day," he says. "It looked like Beirut. Houses were cut in half, like doll houses, with the furniture still in them. Asphalt was crumbled up. A big metal food-warmer from a nearby restaurant had floated down and washed up right next to ou rhouse."
It was almost impossible to tell who had survived the storm and who had not.
People were dazed. Historic houses had been washed away. The Bridges' house, though standing, was ruined. A tree had fallen through the roof. There was no electricity, no water.
"It was very hot. The puppies were suffering. I stayed up all night putting batteries into my fans to blow on them and try and keep them cool. We slept on lawn chairs and were happy to have them," Andrea Bridges says.
"You'reso filthy. There was nothing, no civilization. It was such a feeling of helplessness. We were just trying to survive till the government came in to help us. And they never came."
The people who did show up to help were from church groups of many denominations.
"When the government was still sitting there twiddling their thumbs, these church groups were really helping us out," she says. Her husband managed to get a generator going, which eased things a bit.
Nobody's cell phone was getting a signal, but after a few days he noticed a girl standing on a big shard of pavement sticking up in the middle of the main street, talking on her phone.
"You could see she had gotten a signal,"he says. "So people started lining up to stand in that one spot." He got through to his brother, who lives in Red Bank, and was relieved to hear from him.
"We had been on the missing list," he says. "My nephew drove down to get us. It took him five hours to drive here from Mobile (Ala.), a trip that usually takes an hour. "He brought us water, ice and other things. So that's how we got out. We left with him."
The Bridges spent the next several months with relatives in Mississippi and Nevada as well as New Jersey. After a few weeks, Andrea Bridges was able to get to a computer. In between the endless attempts to deal with insurance agencies, which still continues, she began researching the Pilates method.
She spent many sleepless nights combing through the Web sites for training programs, trying to weed out the ones that weren't the real thing. One day, Rabara's site popped up on her screen. "I looked at this picture of Anthony and I just knew, without even reading what it said," she recalls.
"It was something about his face."
After an unsuccessful stint with a training program in California, Bridges decided to follow her instincts. She phoned Rabara and told him she wanted to train with him, and he invited her to come to his studio. For the next eight months, she shuttled between his Hiltonia home and her relatives in Red Bank, learning from Rabara and taking the "True Pilates" certification course in New York. The course normally takes two years; Bridges is trying to finish it in eight months.
"Everything happens for a reason," says Rabara, who didn't know about the Bridges' ordeal until Andrea apprenticed with him for two weeks.
"She didn't tell me about Katrina right away. I had accepted her as an apprentice because I knew right away that she was a very fast study. She seemed well grounded and she is a lovely individual.
"It was not out of any kind of pity that I took her on and asked her to stay at our house. It was because I could see that she was the type of hardworker and generous individual that fits into the ideals of our studio and allows us to maintain the Pilates tradition."
Andrea Bridges reaches for the tissue box on her ottoman as she talks about the job that Rabara has given her and the help he and Brokate gave her in finding a home. Nearly every piece of furniture in the house was given to them, by Rabara and Brokate and other new friends as well. Still sparsely furnished, it is a cheerful house, despite the ordeal its inhabitants have been through.
"I still don't sleep," says Andrea Bridges, "and the dogs have never been the same. They want both of us in the same room at the same time. But though we don't dream, though the dreams are gone, we look at today. We get excited about little things like paper goods. Just to have a roof over our heads, our own place we just sit and cry and feel the love."

http://www.nj.com/living/times/index.ssf?/base/living-0/1166505024101750.xml&coll=5

New Site Being Established

9 Families from Hancock County So Far - 2 from The Bay

Bay St Louis
Pat
http://realpeoplerelief.blogspot.com/2006/12/pat.html
Yvonne
http://realpeoplerelief.blogspot.com/2006/12/yvonne-t.html

Questionnaire For Inclusion On Real People Relief

Information Posted on Your Page
Name: - I would like first and last, but please note what you feel comfortable having posted for all to see.

Email: - only contact information public will have about you. You will decide if you want them to know your full information by emailing them.

Location: - where you were; where you are; where you plan to be in a year.

Number in Household: - Please include pets. First names, sex and age of each person.

Situation: – brief paragraph of what you’ve been through, who you’ve applied for help with, what has happened in the last year.

Current Living Arrangements: - FEMA Trailer, Apartment, House, Tent?

Help: - what help, if any, have you received thus far?

Photos: - Up to current photos – can be rotated through as new images are sent.

Needs: Please list preferences; if you’re going to want, you might as well want what you want! Below are examples and in the categories to be listed under.
Foods – non-perishable only
Paper Products – Napkins, Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, etc.
School Supplies – notebooks, pens, pencils, folders, etc.
Computer Supplies – paper, ink (give specific cartridges)
Clothing – list sizes and style color preference
Cleaning Supplies – Windex, Dishwashing liquid, Laundry detergent, etc.
Household Supplies – light bulbs, kitchen supplies (pans, pots, etc.)
Stores you shop at – for possible gift cards or gift registry

Information Not Posted
Full Name
Mailing Address
Phone Number

What I Need from you
Twice monthly updates: - The more often I can update your information, the more frequently your information will be reviewed. People view blogs like an ongoing story. They get hooked on new little tidbits. If I don’t receive regular updates, the information will be pulled after 8 weeks.

Impact Ministries

IMPACT Ministries 375 Robinson Rd Mooresville, NC 28117 704-507-6579
info@citiimpact.org

12/9 CHRISTMAS in the GULF COAST REGION

Writing to you, I am renewed in my inner being of the vast greatness of the Lord our God.
His mercies truly are new every morning. He is long-suffering and through Jesus full of grace and truth. Let the whole earth sing His praises. Join with us in the Spirit of our Lord and lift Jesus up high during this season in our hearts, our homes, our churches, our communities and across the face of this earth. Joy to the world, the Lord has come!

The Christmas season in the Gulf Region will see thousands of children and their families being ministered to with compassion, counseling, prayers, Bibles, food, and toys.
The various Kingdom strategic partners with IMPACT will be providing these ministries in various sites in Mississippi and Louisiana. Toy for Tots has again generously asked us to serve as a primary distribution agency for their benevolence. We shall do more than just give out toys, though. We are providing a direct pathway to the Hope of the Ages, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords....JESUS. We also have implemented follow-up systems to track the families served with and through various churches.

We'll give you some results of this around the end of this month. Pray with us for the Lord to continue to show HIMSELF mighty and faithful, the Holy One of Israel.

Strategic Partner Progress

Lake Charles, Louisiana Volunteer Center for IMPACT
This is the location one of our newest volunteer center. We are able to house up to 200 people at a time in teams. We provide hot meals, showers, and laundry is available. The strategic partnership there includes local and national ministries and churches. With needs assessments in place, and project coordinators leading work assignments we are able to give teams meaningful experiences as they serve a 5 county (parish) area. There are thousands of people living in FEMA parks, and sub-standard housing. MOST of them have no or little resources to rebuild their lives, much less their houses. We, together, offer them Hope from the giver of all HOPE.

H & R Block Referral Program - Supports IMPACT
Posted to our web site will be link for information, and a download form. This form when filled out and taken to YOUR local H & R Block Income Tax Office for them to do your taxes, will result in IMPACT receiving a $25.00 donation. To qualify the taxpayers only restriction is that the taxpayer did NOT have their taxes prepared by H & R Block for 2005. Please forward this information to everyone you know. This will be an easy way to support the ministry while getting your taxes done!
We'll send some more information on this to you soon, or email us with your questions.

Hancock County, MS- A new Volunteer Center for IMPACT
Announcing the opening of a volunteer center for IMPACT Teams in Hancock County, MS; near Bay St. Louis, Waveland and Pearlington. The site has showers, bunks, a kitchen and convenient access to work sites. Teams serving here have good projects to work on for construction. The needs are assessed and verified and the resources gathered to build and do major repair on 64 houses before July 2007.
Come serve with us!

K-LIFE FM radio,
Christian radio from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara,, California
Watch for the link on our site to listen to music online from this great Christian radio partner from California. Even as I write this, the founders, Dan and Karen Lemburg, are serving with us in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana.
Listen for IMPACT updates there and encouraging information about the Kingdom of God.
In the meantime, you can sign in to listen by clicking here:
K-LIFE FM :: Music :: Listen Online Now!
http://klife.org/music/listen.html

11/24 Impact Ministries Has a Blog for Monthly updates -http://www.citiimpact.blogspot.com/

Friends,

Our family started a new Holiday tradition three years ago. We decided to forego the traditional Christmas letter and instead do a Thanksgiving letter in which we each share the things for which we are thankful. We then have asked friends to mail back the enclosed leaf after writing on it what they are thankful for. We read each leaf with the kids and pray for the family who sent it. The leaves then go on our “Tree of Thanks” to make a beautiful visual reminder of friends and gratitude. Unfortunately, time got away from me this year. Yet, this is the year that we have perhaps learned the most about giving Thanks, not taking things for granted, and appreciating the small things. Although you are not receiving this in the mailbox this year, – we ask that you would still participate with us.

Most of you know that we have been doing disaster relief since Katrina hit fifteen months ago. For those of you who have not been to the Gulf Coast, I cannot adequately describe the suffering that still exists. So many of the modern day conveniences that we have grown to believe are essentials are now nonexistent for these folks. Things such as a warm shower in the morning or a comfortable bed at night are no longer guarantees. Electricity was just restored to most places in St Bernard Parish this August.

Imagine living in a tin box (FEMA trailer) in 99 degree temperatures and no air conditioning. Still both water and electricity are undependable at best. Everyone has to go to the Laundromat. People with doctorate degrees are forced to get food from our distribution tents because their jobs and savings are gone. Nothing is familiar anymore. The storm took it all: landmarks, historical sites, places of worship, grocery stores, schools, neighborhoods, and even neighbors.

As a mother, the most heart wrenching losses are the things that you can’t ever replace: the family photos that have chronicled weddings, births and birthdays, first days of school and simply days when laughter, smiles, and fun were natural. Then there are the piles of artwork made special for mommy with love, usually drawings of their houses and happy family. Now, the children have no place to play. If they get to draw it is often of the wind and flood and the nightmares that won’t end.

Families are cramped together. Few children have their own bed, let alone their own rooms or toys. Everyone knew someone who died and many saw the dead bodies of their friends, family, and neighbors piled in the high school gym as they waited for the waters to recede. It is no wonder that suicide, , divorce, and drug and alcohol abuse are near epidemic.

Yes, this disaster has brought out the worst in some. There are those who have taken advantage of the generosity and kindness of others. Yet, there are many that when they gather with their family this Thanksgiving, they will say, “Thanks”. They are grateful for the thousands who have come to help, with whom some now share life long friendships. They are thankful for their new sense of empathy and an awareness of what is truly important in life and for life itself. They are grateful for the things that no wind can blow away and no flood can drown.

These are amazing people, whose faith has stood. JD and I have had so many tell us, “Thank-you”. Yet, we do not at all feel deserving. First of all, all thanks goes to God for everything comes from Him. Second, we are honored, humbled, and so very thankful to have been able to walk this journey with them and with all who have come to help. We have seen The Church of America unite together like no other time in history. We have met some modern day heroes of Faith as well as some everyday humble folks, who have blessed us more than we could ever bless them.

Those like Nolan and Denise who lost their home, yet were more worried about their neighbors than themselves. Those like Wilbur and Steve who lost their wives yet still find the strength to go on. Those like Alva, Greg, Gabe, Vicky, and Jen who have chosen to live without toilets for more than a year so they could help those with no choice. Those like Sue, Kathy, John and Sandy, and James and Mary who completely uprooted and are willing to live there for as long as is needed. Those with the “Aloha” spirit in Hawaii who just keep on giving. Those who knew God called them to come to help and we saw their Faith soar as He provided. Those like Pastor Randy who drove 90 minutes twice a day for a year to help his community rebuild. Those like Lynn and Russell who despite all kept their dignity. Those who risked their own lives in the flood to save others. Those like Charlie who find no value in the things of this world but just in relationship with others. Those like the sweet little boy at Christmas, who didn’t want anything for himself, just a bike for a family friend so he could get to work. We give thanks for each of them and the countless others who left imprints on our hearts that will last forever.

LITTLE THINGS

Dear Heavenly Father, as I thank You this day
And, humbly, I bow my head to pray
I really must think of Katrina, recanted
And all that, before then, I took for granted
At the end of August, two-thousand and five
The winds and rain, they came alive
Seawater swelled, and it seethed, and roared
Devouring all, with such greedy hoard
And there, in a flash, the world, it was changed
All that we knew was to be rearranged
Lord, We fled in a panic for our very lives
Separated husbands, children, and wives
The winds grew quiet and the water calmed down
Revealing stagnant death that once was our town
Strangers gathered to help us regroup
With love, giving blankets, supplies, and warm soup
At first we were numb, Lord, as we fled to the shelter
When reality struck, it was just helter-skelter
Huddled there with the lost, the sick, and some dying
Kids were screaming, adults were stunned or crying
Before Katrina, Father, I remember the days
With accessible schools, with sports and school plays
Little things in our lives that are now gone for good
A pile of debris where our house once stood
And, no more green grass, where our children once played
Or, pictures, when Grandma and Grandpa once stayed
No mementos to hold, except in our mind
Nothing of Momma’s or Dad’s was I able to find
Lord, please forgive me because I didn’t know
The riches, upon me, you thought to bestow
Little things like a place just to cut my hair
And, a peaceful night’s sleep, without the nightmare
Days where the children don’t fear wind and rain
When loss was much smaller, not connected with pain
I’m sorry I never said thanks for toilets that flush,
Safe water to drink, and my own toothbrush
I see people scurry with cell phones, acting nervous
What a blessing it was to have basic phone service
I never imagined the long lines for groceries and supplies
Or, the unsanitary conditions that burn our eyes
Though I thanked You for food, and that we were able,
I never said thanks, Lord, for us to all sit at the same table
Some day, I pray, that again I can provide
For my family who still stand close by my side
And, Lord though it’s hard to depend upon others
We might not have made it without loving sisters and brothers.
Lord, your work here is not done, for some it’s just started
So please bless the people who still give, open hearted!
Amen
By: Vicky Robbins, 2006

Instead of a leaf on our “Tree of Thanks”, we would like your help this year to grow a whole “Forest of Giving”. Please talk with your family about the “little things” in your lives that you may take for granted but couldn’t imagine living without. Then if you could write it down either as a prayer or as an encouragement to those who have done without this year we will deliver them this Holiday season. In addition, if you are able to include a monetary donation or gift card (Walmart, Home Depot, or Gas cards) we will purchase a supply of these “little things” to give to those in need. If you want to specify what you would like it to be spent on we will honor that the best we can (i.e. toys for kids, ornaments, family photos, construction materials, food, water, etc). For more information on specific needs you can visit our website. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone else that you think would like to participate in the “Forest of Giving”.

May we never again grow complacent about the common, but instead rejoice in the luxury that “little things” bring.

With Thanksgiving,

The Smith Family
JD, Toni, Caleb, and Abigail

IMPACT Ministries
www.citiIMPACT.org
375 Robinson Rd
Mooresville, NC 28117

11/11
hey Leslie,
Hope this is a little encouraging to you.
We shipped 800 frozen turkeys today to 4 places in Mississippi and Louisiana. They will be put together with all the fix-ins and delivered to those in various "food deserts" in those two states. It certainly is not enough to cover everyone, but it will help the ONES it does get.
Be blessed as you continue your service of information to the masses.
Hope deferred is a bad thing. Hope fulfilled is glorious, and HE is!
JD SmithIMPACT Ministries

OCTOBER 29, 2006 – YES, WE ARE STILL HERE . . . YES, WE STILL NEED YOU!

Praise God that He kept away the Hurricanes this year.
The national weather service initially predicted an even stronger Hurricane season than last year. Thankfully and miraculously, NO major hurricane hit the United States this year. This was a relief to the thousands still living in FEMA trailers from Katrina and Rita. However, they still have a long way to go. IMPACT Ministries is committed to helping as much as we can for as long as we can. Of course that means we need your help. We need volunteers, supplies, funding, and of course prayers to continue.

Here are areas of critical need:
1. Volunteers and supplies for Christmas Outreach on Dec. 9th in St. Bernard Parish. See: IMPACT Ministries - Events
2. Construction Supplies and/or Funding to purchase supplies for those who have no insurance to rebuild.
3. Skilled labor
4. Volunteer Teams
5. Construction/Team Coordinator in New Orleans
6. PRAYER

The following are answers to prayer:
1. God’s Katrina Kitchen found a new home in Gulfport, MS. From there we continue to serve the areas of Gulfport, Pass Christian, Waveland, Pearlington and Long Beach.
2. The camp near Hattiesburg, MS, has officially been turned over to IMPACT. We will be announcing ways you can partner with us in providing inner city camps, retreats, family camps and pastoral nurturing through this facility.
3. John Blake (he and his wife, Sandy, moved to MS in May to assist IMPACT Ministries) is recuperating at home after a short hospital stay. This could have been much worse as it turned out John was dangerously close to a heart attack and/or stroke as a result of seriously high blood pressure and severe blockage to an artery. Thankfully, they caught it in time. Please continue to pray for his recovery.
4. Two wonderful ladies from New Hampshire will be moving to the gulf region to help IMPACT with teams, organization, and whatever else God lays on their hearts! We are so thankful for Sue Fish and Kathy Billings and look forward to a fruitful partnership in ministry. Amazingly enough, we have yet to meet these ladies in person. However, the Lord has knit our hearts over the last six months. Pray for them as they make this leap of faith.

In The Works:
1. First Response Initiative to provide local on-site training weekends – We shall go to your communities to help prepare “The Church” in your area how to mobilize and respond to a disaster either locally, nationally, or internationally. Through Katrina we all learned that we should not depend on Red Cross or the government to meet these needs. Rather, it is the call of The Church to take care of the poor and needy. It is also a huge opportunity for us to share the gospel through being His hands and feet. We need to be ready. These trained teams would then be the first groups we would turn to if another 9-11 or Katrina were to hit. Please let us know if your church community is interested and we will get your area on the schedule.
2. Partnership with Habitat for Humanity – IMPACT Ministries and Habitat for Humanity are in the development stages for a strategic partnership in the Gulf region that will facilitate and accelerate the rehabilitation of thousands of homes, the construction of thousands of new homes, and the development of multi-economic communities in some locations. Our partnership will combine resources and volunteers to folks who have been qualified, verified and processed for the need. The desire is to help those who cannot help themselves. The process of restoration is expected to take several years to complete and your continued partnership with IMPACT Ministries will be vital and fruitful.
3. Church Plants – We will be launching some house churches in the Gulf region soon. We shall also launch a church in the French Quarter of New Orleans, and one in Mississippi soon. Over the next few years we expect to partner with others to launch many new churches as we continue to help with existing churches in the recovery and restoration processes. We will keep you posted as these develop. Let us know if you have interest in partnering in anyway. We shall need teams, leaders, and of course much prayer.
4. New Strategic Partnership in Lake Charles, La.-IMPACT Ministries has formed a new partnership with the Long Term Recovery operation in Lake Charles, La. Soon IMPACT Ministries will begin sending volunteer groups there to work along side the Churches and community leaders to help rebuild their communities. The needs are great there even after all these months.
5. Multiple Volunteer Center locations-Over the last year, the local partners of IMPACT Ministries as well as partners from all over America have joined forces to facilitate long term recovery and restoration for the Gulf Coast. As 2007 approaches, thousands of volunteers from across America are continuing to respond to the great legitimate needs of so many people. These volunteers are being scheduled into the region in many places where IMPACT Ministries has strategic partnerships with local churches and other ministries. The people NEED YOU, and we can help you help them. It is our honor to serve you as you serve them. How can we serve you in coming to the region?
**An Easy Way to Help**
Need Your Taxes Done?? H & R Block has made IMPACT Ministries a generous offer for a strategic partnership. For everyone who did not have their taxes done by H & R Block in 2005 and uses H & R Block for 2006 taxes, H & R Block will donate $25 to IMPACT Ministries. We will be sending out more information soon but we wanted to get you thinking about it. Please consider sharing this information with your family members, congregation, neighbors, etc. This could be a way that many people could partner with IMPACT Ministries in a substantial way! All you need to do is take the flyer we will be sending to you to your local H &R block anytime between January 1st and April 15th. It saves you the headache of doing your own returns and benefits the victims of Katrina. Also keep in mind that any contributions made directly to IMPACT Ministries is tax deductible, as IMPACT Ministries is a non-profit 501(c) 3 entity.

With Gratitude,
JD and Toni Smith
IMPACT Ministries

Front Line Sites:
Bourg, LA New Orleans,LA Slidell,LA Bay Saint Louis,MS Diamond Head ,MS Gulfport/Biloxi,MS Lakeshore, MS Long Beach,MS Metairie,MS Pass Christian, MS Pearlington, MS Picayune,MS Waveland, MS
Volunteer Centers:
Gulfport/Biloxi, Pass Christian, Long Beach, New Orleans, Waveland
Distribution Centers:
Gulfport/Biloxi,MS New Orleans, LA Pass Christian, MS

We need both skilled and unskilled people (if they are in good health and able to follow directions). Skilled people in areas of: plumbing, electrical, construction, mechanical, roofers, concrete, painting, big equipment, cooking, counseling, youth, children, business development, administration, fund raising, and grant writing.
With the costs of meals, utilities, gas, insurance, and overhead it costs approximately $25 per person per day to operate the Volunteer center. Any contribution that you, your team or your church can give to help meet this need is appreciated.

We had a team from Oregon and one from California that were combined to work on Lynn and Russell’s house in Waveland. This family survived the storm on top of their roof with their two year old granddaughter. When the water receded they climbed down and scooped the mud out of their car to sleep in. They had no food or water for three days. Their dream house was completely destroyed. They are a very integris couple and hated to ask for help. Yet they knew they couldn’t do the work on their own. They decided to start by converting the garage into an apartment. The team came to help and Russell acted like the general contractor. The team and the family became very close that week. Lynn cooked them lunches most everyday. As the team leader for The Church on The Way, Debra Snell led the team to pray for and with them daily. Lynn and Russell have now said that they would like to house teams at their house! We hope to get some skilled groups in to finish out their home and sample Lynn’s famous cooking! As more is done on it we will be able to house more folks there to reach out to more of the residents.

The Recovery Continues – (despite not keeping up the news page!) Much has gone on in the last few months. Currently, teams are busy trying to get as much done as they can before the 2006 Hurricane season starts on June 1st. Speaking of which we would like to ask you and your church to consider signing up as a “First Response Team” if another disaster of such magnitude hits in the coming years. There needs are still staggering in MS and LA, yet we need to look ahead and prepare. We would like to have teams ready to mobilize quickly. Please email us if you want to form such a team.

The biggest need at this time is Teams of Volunteers. We can use 200 people a day for the next year. Please see "teams" page for more info.

Other Immediate Needs:
****NEW*** - WATER – both in gallons and individual. Also Water Purification Units, and refer trailers
Administrative help (This can be done from your home if you have good computer and communication skills.)
Two 15 person passenger vans or mini-buses to transport teams
Utility Trailer
1 Mini Van
1 One Ton Dually Truck
1 Dump Truck
1 Bobcat
2 Fork Trucks
Gas Cards
Gift Cards (Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, Target)
Air Miles
Contacts with manufacturers and distributors of food, household goods, construction supplies
Funding for Projects and Construction Supplies
On-site supervisors - volunteer month or more at a time
These can be donated outright and IMPACT will provide a Gift-in-Kind receipt. Or you can donate money designated to meet a specific need.
Note: We are no longer advising people to buy items and ship them into the region. We can find almost everything locally (with the exception of drywall). Your funds would be better stewarded if you could just donate them directly to IMPACT. We have found local distribution places where we can leverage the funds greatly. However if you have contacts with businesses or manufacturers who can donate the items we can offer gift-in-kind tax deductible donations.

Coastal Family Health Clinic

www.coastalfamilyhealth.com

1/15 BAY ST. LOUIS CLINIC REBUILDING UPDATE:
After losing a large clinic location, Coastal served the recovering area from trailers and mobile clinic units while searching for potential new locations in the Waveland Bay St. Louis community. Coastal has been operating from a leased 5,000 sq ft medical building since June 2006. Coastal has negotiated a purchase option for the building and is planning to renovate and expand to meet the patient volume of the community. Currently the facility is supporting 3 providers. The renovation project funded by Social Services Block Grant funding will enable the addition of 3 exam rooms and one provider by the end of summer 2007. Located in front of Hancock County General Hospital facing Highway 90, the location is accessible to many of Coastal's pre-Katrina patients and a short drive to Waveland or downtown Bay St. Louis.


CFHC was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and sustained damage to 12 locations, with 3 locations completely destroyed. From the moment that Katrina hit, Coastal has provided and continues to provide essential primary health care for more than 30,000 residents in Coastal Mississippi. Demonstrating a knack for flexibility and creativity, CFHC immediately opened temporary service sites wherever an opportunity arose. Now, Coastal is working on semi- permanent service sites to begin to improve the continuity of quality healthcare for the people of Coastal Mississippi.

Coastal Family Health Center operates community health centers located in communities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Center makes available quality primary health care, dental care, and optical care to residents of this area, especially to those who have limited resources to pay for the care they need. All of our clinics accept Medicaid, Medicare and other health insurance. For patients who do not have health insurance, the Center will adjust their charges based on income level and the number of dependents. Patients are expected to pay on their accounts as they are able, but no one is denied treatment because they have no money at the time they need care. Also, the Center makes an effort to assist with transportation for those patients who do not have other means of getting to a clinic for care.

Of their 12 sites - 2 of which are mobile units - 3 were completely destroyed and only 1 made it through with no damage at all. The one in BSL was completely destroyed, but with the help of Loudoun Medical (who operated the BSL Free Medical Clinic) were able to establish their presence once again far more quickly than otherwise could have happened.

I have an email into them for more information on the need for volunteers, materials, meds, equipment, etc. as well as if people can donate to a specific site.

The woman who has been incredibly instrumental in organizing the clinics since The Storm is Jennifer Knight. WOW - talk about amazing! There is a video clip of an interview of her here:
www.wlox.com go to heros of mississippi.......

9/6 Found on www.WLOX.com

The Coastal Family Health Center opened a new clinic in Pass Christian Wednesday. Medical care close to home will make life a bit easier in the Pass.
"There aren't any medical facilities that we could find. It's a long distance to go to Long Beach or Bay St. Louis. They need something here," said clinic nurse Deborah Flagg.
Clinic clerk Jennifer Stroud echoed her words.
"They lost their houses, they lost their cars, so they can't drive to Long Beach. They can't drive to Bay St. Louis. They can't go anywhere, so they need something here. "
Coastal Family Health will run the clinic, offering basic medical services from a nurse practitioner.
"We'll take care of things like diabetes, blood pressure, asthma, colds, flus, things like that," Flagg said.
The clinic has two exam rooms and a mini medical lab for blood tests and other procedures. Funding for the clinic comes from a grant from AmeriCares. The international relief organization recognized the need for health care in Pass Christian.
"Anybody can come to the clinic whether they have insurance or whether they don't have insurance. It doesn't matter whether they get Medicare, Medicaid, it doesn't matter. Initially we're just going to take walk-ins, and as our clientele builds up and gets to be a heavy patient load, we'll start doing appointments."
Clinic costs are based on income and is open to any Pass Christian resident. The clinic is located on Saucier Avenue behind Our Mother Of Mercy Church. It's open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8am-3:30pm.
AmeriCares is also funding a mobile dental clinic in Pass Christian. It should be open sometime in November.
For more information about the new medical clinic or the dental clinic you can call (228) 861-8834.

6/25
From Direct Relief International

MISSISSIPPI

Coastal Family Health Center Clinicwww.coastalfamilyhealth.com $93,000

Procurement: Clinic supply restockingCoastal Family Health Center Clinic (CFHCC) lost its clinic space at Moss Point during Hurricane Katrina. Direct Relief granted funding to establish a replacement unit and provide necessary equipment and supplies so that it could once again provide healthcare services to its community, which needed its assistance more than ever. Merck Pharmaceuticals agreed to donate the modular building to CFHC and the local county-owned hospital, Singing River Hospital, agreed to pay for its transportation to site.

CFHCC makes available quality primary health care, dental care, and optical care to its community, with an emphasis placed on caring for those who have limited resources to pay for care. The Center also makes an effort to assist their patients with transportation when they lack other means of receiving care.

Our Lady of The Gulf Church

http://www.olgchurch.net/

3/18/07 To volunteer through OLG, go to the site they have set up just for this!
http://www.olgv.org/
Cindy Lederer at 414-828-5905 or
cindy.lederer@gmail.com

Harold Lederer at 414-828-7655 Brian Milner at 228-216-0707 or
brian@olgv.org
Calendar of volunteers:
http://www.olgv.org/index.php?option=com_extcalendar&Itemid=4

Their March '07 Newsletter:
http://www.olgv.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=6

6/28/06 - From the Sea Coast Echo
Our Lady of the Gulf is "Still Crabbin'" – the theme of the 23rd annual Crab Festival, representative of the church's dedication to keep Crab Fest going. It will run June 30-July 2, from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. It will be held at the usual festival grounds on South Beach. Parking will be available at the St. Stanislaus school. Over sixty vendors have already registered, and more are signing up each day, event Chairwoman Pam Metzler said. The festival will feature rides and other attractions, as well as cotton candy, live music and plenty of seafood."It's huge; Crab Fest is one of the biggest outdoor events on the Coast. The food's going to be better than ever."All proceeds will benefit the purchase of new equipment for Our Lady, as all of the equipment it had was lost or destroyed."Any proceeds go to what we have to replace, because we lost all of our equipment," Metzler said. Despite many factors caused by Katrina, Metzler said she has high hopes for the festival's turnout.

5/28 - Our Lady of The Gulf has fully revamped their website! Very cool. The following is a site they made through MyRegistry.com for parishioners' needs to be placed. You can sort by single, married, family, etc. if there is a specific demographic you'd like to assist.
http://www.myregistry.com/katrina/FindFriend.aspx
The following is for Parish Campus - I hope the link comes through ok. It's pretty long...
http://www.myregistry.com/Visitors/welcome.aspx?sid=FFB0260B-9971-43C0-9CEA-E2ABE4C450A7

Needs List

CASH - Cash donations are always accepted. When submitting a cash donation, please let us know what you would like your donation to be used for by selecting an option from the list below.
Tuition assistance for a child.
Putting a new roof on a house.
Other building supplies.
Feeding a family for a week/month.
The OLG parish rebuilding efforts for building/grounds.
Refueling propane tanks for FEMA trailers.
Other _________________________
VEHICLES - Do you have a car sitting around that you no longer need? If so, please consider donating it to a family that no longer has a working vehicle. Pick-up trucks and/or used jeeps are also extremely valuable for hauling debris and rebuilding materials.
HOUSING - Do you have an RV you're not using, a rental unit that is available? Temporary housing is still needed and very much appreciated.
To donate directly to Our Lady of the Gulf parish, contact: Fr. Mike Tracey, Pastor. Email:
mtracey1@bellsouth.net
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it 228-567-0123

Gifts for Parishioners - myregistry.com

You can find out how to help a SPECIFIC family in need. Once you have chosen a family, click on the "Gift List" tab on the top tool bar to view their list.

The Press Release Re: the My Registry Set Up.

MyRegistry.Com Announces Donation Registry for Katrina Victims
Eight Months Later, Help Still Needed to Rebuild Lives

New York, NY (PR WEB) – May 2, 2006 -- Eight months after Katrina, MyRegistry.com, the ultimate global gift registry, announced today a new way to help victims of the storm, who continue to need substantial assistance to rebuild their towns, schools and homes. “The Gift of Hope” Registry (www.MyRegistry.com/Katrina) matches needy individuals and institutions with potential donors using state of the art gift registry technology.

MyRegistry.com formed a partnership with Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church in Mississippi to help those living in the region devastated by Katrina. Together they worked with local volunteers to create registries for victims to inform the public directly of their needs and their personal situations. Through the web site, donors can purchase items directly for those who
need them the most.

Similar to a bridal registry where visitors select a gift from a registry and purchase it online, visitors to “The Gift of Hope” Registry can select a family or person to help, review their registry and purchase a gift online. From mattresses to circular saws, towels, to even refrigerators, the Gift Lists are personalized and needed. Gift Lists also include Parish needs for the Church, the Girls and Boys High Schools, Elementary School and Community Center.

For people that want to help residents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast rebuild and who may not be able to volunteer in person, the site simplifies and personalizes the process of giving. More than 130 families are participating and have created gift list registries.

“I want to thank MyRegistry.com and all the people that enabled this program,” said Fr. Michael Tracey, pastor of Our Lady of the Gulf Church, “starting with Mr. Berkowitz, founder of MyRegistry.com, and the volunteers that spent untold hours registering and helping some people use technology for the first time. This project has been one more example of the
goodness of people, and the work we can do together.”

“I loved this idea from the moment the Parish contacted us,” said MyRegistry’s Founder, Oded Berkowitz. “Gift registries are not just for weddings and baby showers, but for any gift giving occasion. We can tell the world exactly what these families need, and people can help them without a middle man, right at this moment. I think that is the kind of charitable giving that anyone can relate to, and I am happy that MyRegistry.com can participate and help”

About MyRegistry.com

MyRegistry.com is the ultimate online registry for all gift-giving needs, where users can add items to their registry from literally any store in the world. It is ideally suited for weddings, baby showers, graduations, confirmations, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, sweet sixteen parties, or any occasion one can think of! Easy to navigate and fun to use, MyRegistry.com is the perfect way to register for all the important events in your life!

About Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church

Our Lady of the Gulf is a Catholic Community of 2,000 families (pre-Katrina) within the Diocese of Biloxi, with a tradition of faith and endurance since its founding in 1847. Inspired by this heritage, we accept God’s call to grow as a community of faith, love and compassion, modeled on the ministry of Jesus Christ. By caring for the spiritual needs of all parishioners and embracing new members to our Parish family, we endeavor to put our Catholic faith into action through service to each other and our community.

Media Contacts
Our Lady of the Gulf Church
Laura Field
312-961-5054
laurafield@earthlink.net

MyRegistry.com
Oded Berkowitz
Oberkowitz@myregistry.com

Any gift cards to Lowes, Home Depot, etc. will be most appreciated.
Please Mail them to:
228 South Beach Blvd.
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520-4320

If you personally would like assist in the rebuilding of this community, here’s what you do…Contact either:

Dan Quinn at either
danquinn.j@gmail.com
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
or 412-996-9670

Brian Milner at either
brian@olgv.org
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
or 228-216-0707

You’ll need to bring some ‘stuff’ with you.

Clothes: Depending on what time of year you go, it could be shorts and t-shirts, or it could be coats and hats. And be sure to have appropriate working clothes if possible, sturdy shoes, gloves, long pants and raingear.
Food:There are now a few local restaurants open including Sonic, Wendy's, Sicily's pizza Buffet and a few local family restaurants. Please plan for your own meals, we do enjoy some pot lucks when we can! A Wal-mart Express recently opened with the basic food necessities and two convince stores are open.
Camping supplies:There is a large area on the OLG campus that is now barren and can be used for a camping area. There are working restrooms on the grounds, and you’ll be close to where the help is needed.
Personal hygiene:You’ll have access to a shower, but it’s located in the gymnasium of the school. The shower water is no longer ice cold! But you’ll need a towel and soap etc…
Tools:The tools needed depend on what skills you are bringing with you. Dan Quinn, the onsite coordinator, will be able to provide additional insight on what you’ll be working on when you’re down there.
Spirit:A smile and a cheery hello will make someone’s day down at Bay St. Louis. These people have NOTHING to smile about, so give ‘em one of yours!

Our Lady Academy Girls School

www.OurLadyAcademy.com
Photos - you can see the before and after very graphically:
http://www.ourladyacademy.com/main-photos.html

Donations can be made through our website and PayPal or send check or money order to:
OLA Katrina Fund
222 S. Beach Blvd
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520.
Attention: Connie Chevis.

3/18 CHEF’S FEST – SUNDAY, MARCH 25TH! COME ONE, COME ALL!

St. Joseph Hall
We have contacted Guild and Hardy Architects to design St. Joseph Hall. Taylor Guild was the architect for McAuley Hall and his firm has done the drawings for the new OLG Rectory and Parish Offices. Thus, he knows our area and school well. His first task is to complete a site plan, establishing where future construction for Holy Trinity and for OLA will be located, making sure there is room for everything that both schools anticipate needing in the near future. Then, he will begin work on St. Joseph Hall. We hope to be deep into working drawings by the summer. FEMA and MEMA are “on board,” and the Diocese has given its blessing. Let the project
commence!

12/3 December News Letter

DECEMBER 2006 NEWSLETTER FROM SR. JACKIE
Wendy's Heisman Award
It is my pleasure to announce that Victoria Romano has been named a state finalist in the
Wendy's Heisman Scholarship Program. This award is based on athletic prowess,
academic excellence, and exhibited leadership skills. Victoria will attend a dinner in
January in Jackson where those moving on to the next level in the competition will be
announced. Congratulations, Victoria!
National Young Leaders Conference
OLA junior, Emily Vaughn, recently returned from a week in Washington where she
attended the National Young Leaders Conference. She spent some time with Harriet
Miers, President Bush's former Supreme Court nominee. She spent a day in Congress,
sitting in Gene Taylor's seat in the House of Representatives. She also was able to visit
the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial, among others. I think it was a fabulous experience for Emily!
OLA Swimming
Not to be out-done by the OLA state volleyball champions, the OLA swimmers took to
the pool several weeks ago and competed in the state meet. Swimmers, Samantha
McLeod, Madeleine Loftus, Nikki Vaught, and Alyssa Walter set school records in the
200m medley relay and the 200m free relay. Alyssa set a NEW STATE RECORD of
2:08:64 in the 200m Individual Medley. She shaved over 2 seconds off the old state
record, which she also held. Congratulations, Alyssa! Congratulations, swimmers!
Safety and Security
Like you, I have been reading about the recent rash of guns in schools in South
Mississippi. Although I have little fear of such a thing happening at OLA, I think safety
must be uppermost in all our minds. To that end, I have decided to secure all doors in
Mercy and McAuley Halls immediately after school begins in the morning EXCEPT the
front door, by the office. Thus, if you need to come to school, you need to use the Union
Street door, by the main office. Also, the only door to Johnson Hall that will be left open
is the door that leads to the parking lot. I'm afraid that this will inconvenience you some,
but a little inconvenience is a small price to pay for safety.
Mother's Prayer Group
Do you know that we have a group of mothers and teachers that meet to pray for OLA,
SSC, and Holy Trinity on the first Wednesday morning of every month? This month, the
gathering is on Wednesday, December 6th, at 9:30 AM in OLA room 16. Prayer will last
about 40 minutes. Please join us!
Financial Aid Workshop
OLA and SSC will jointly sponsor a college financial aid workshop at 5:30 PM on
Tuesday, December 5th. This is a MUST meeting for all junior and senior parents who
hope to apply for financial aid for their daughter's college education. I attended this
meeting last year and it was full of wonderful hints as you walk with your daughter
through the maze of the college admission and financial aid process. The meeting will be
in the Resource Room at SSC.
Youth Legislature
Twenty-three young ladies from OLA participated in Youth Leg this year. Carly Johnson
was named Outstanding Committee Chair; Ansley Blalock, Ashley Derenbecker and
Carly Johnson were named Outstanding Representatives. OLA had five bills passed:
Emily Vaughn and Lauren Poncet, Kathryn McDonald and Samantha McLeod, Carly
Johnson and Madeline Vosbein, and the combined bills of Amber Favre, Jennifer Roy,
Nikki Vaught, and Kaitlyn Stovall.
Cross Country
The OLA Cross Country team placed third in the state meet. Amelia Simpson and
Lauren Seal received medals for being selected to the All-State Team (the top 14 runners
in the state). The entire team finished in the top 40, out of 89 runners. Congratulations,
Coach Hull. Congratulations, ladies!
MS State Band Clinic
Megan Gargiulo was selected for the MS State Band Clinic. The gathering will be in
Tupelo from December 7-9. She is one of only French Horns selected for this event.
Megan has also been selected for membership in the Long Beach Youth Commission.
This is an advisory board of youth to the city council.

8/5 OLA's summer fundraiser, the Race To Rebuild, was held Saturday morning, July 1st, at 7:00 am in Bay St. Louis, and was very successful! Not only was it a fun event for the community, but the funds raised will support OLA's rebuilding and recovery expenses since Hurricane Katrina.
Thank you to all who did so much work to plan the event, as well as everyone who supported and participated in it. Photographs and more details of the event in action will be posted here shortly. We are especially grateful to OLA Class of '84 Alumna Michelle Van Peski Ridder for serving as the event coordinator, and to Connie Chevis who provided key assistance.
We are also very grateful to our sponsors.
This will be an annual event, so plan to attend next year!

School Update

Textbooks are in - almost $100,000 worth! So.. you will have a great teacher, a room, a blackboard, a textbook, and a roof over your head. You just won't have a desk for the first two days of school; they are scheduled for delivery on August 14th. But.. there will be brand new carpeting in all classrooms; you will survive! The floor isn't so bad! Also, technology will be late in arriving. We are ordering almost $150,000 in computers, servers, printers, copiers, etc. It will be GREAT, but it will arrive LATE. GREAT and LATE - isn't that the story of our lives recently?I just got off the phone with the finance department at Bay-Waveland. The Displaced Student money that we have all been waiting for has been approved in Jackson. Bay-Waveland will approve the disbursement of it at their monthly school board meeting at the end of the month. We should receive a check in the middle of August; Sister Anna Louise will then issue a check to you; you should get it by the end of August. (I was hoping to have it for you at final registration on August 7th, but it looks like it will be a week or so later than that.)

From Jeannine, May 6

Just want to thank you for all the prayers, love and support you have given us at Our Lady Academy this school year. Thanks to your prayers, the grace of God has blessed us abundantly this year.

By the end of January, over 80% of our student body had returned with a promise of more to come in the fall. At the end of May, our students will have completed a full school year in seven months, doubling up on classes every day. Despite living in campers, without computers, libraries, and equipment, they have worked amazingly hard to complete all their assignments in a timely manner and excel in all areas, from academics to sports! One of our seniors has achieved a full ride to Princeton and our sports teams have all made it at lease to district playoffs. Our soccer team came out second in the state (they were state champs six years running) despite the fact that they didn't even have a field to practice on!

Our retreats have been awesome experiences! The retreat team, who puts on retreats for 7th, 8th and 9th grade retreats managed to prepare grace-filled, memorable experiences for all of the students despite the fact that they had little meeting time at school. The leadership that was displayed was awesome! The upperclass retreats were a gift for all of us. Our girls were in the worst of circumstances, sleeping on floors, roofs and walls being put on the buildings we were in (you can't stop volunteers!) and no plumbing and showers in one facility (it was amazing to watch the girls adapt to that!) God was so good to all of us!

We had intramurals, big sister/little sister ceremony and our first talent show. Since there is not much to do for entertainment around here, these activities provided lots of fun for all concerned! The inventiveness and creativity of the girls has been amazing!

Our buildings are coming along. In January we moved into five classrooms in McAuley Hall. There is talk of our science labs being replaced soon. Most recently, a roof went on to Mercy Hall - the most badly damaged building. Volunteers are rebuilding Johnson Hall. Both buildings should be ready by August when we begin a new school year. Our beloved St. Joseph Hall is gone and we are going to take out a loan to replace it, but that is down the road.

People who come to volunteer from all over the world, have been amazed at the joy they see in the faces of our girls! Every volunteer says the devastation is beyond anything they imagined from the pictures they had seen. And, yet, our girls have risen above adversity to live the joy of the Lord. In this Easter Season, we have much to be grateful for knowing our God is leading us to Resurrection here in South Mississippi!

Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for us. Know you and your students remain in our prayers daily. Thanks especially for the prayers, they lift us up each day. Keep them coming, especially over the summer months.

Sincerely,
Jeannine Burch

Any donations would be greatly appreciated.

For More Information and Updates on The Buildings -

http://www.ourladyacademy.com/main-fundraising.html

The greatest is the selection of one of our volunteer groups as an award winner of the “Make a Difference Day” contest. This group has been at OLA from the very beginning and continues to help. We are inspired by their generosity! We also have much to report as our students have jumped into the swing of things and are once again making great accomplishments, we are so proud of them.

“Make a Difference Day”.
In October, 2005, our friends from Pope John Paul II High School of Hendersonville, TN brought down the first “18-Wheeler” filled with equipment and supplies for OLA. They also worked for several days gutting and cleaning one of our teacher’s homes. After returning to JPII, they submitted a recount of how they helped in the efforts to rebuild OLA to the USA Weekend Magazine contest called “Make a Difference Day”. The newspaper was very impressed and selected JPII as a winner. The story will be published on Sunday, April 23, 2006 in USA Weekend or PARADE Magazine.
Check out: http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006603220312.

The award includes a $10,000.00 check which they will donate to the OLA Rebuilding effort. JPII has helped our school so much by sending funds, supplies, materials, volunteers and many prayers. We at OLA are so appreciative of everything they have provided. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

Scholarships.

Margaret Hadden is a finalist for the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation. This award is evaluates academic, community service and school involvement. 75,000 students from across the nation applied and Margaret has made it to the final 250 students. She is guaranteed a $4,000.00 scholarship. She will be flown to Atlanta on April 6 for the final competition. If she is selected as one of the final 50 recipients, she will receive a $20,000.00 scholarship. Let’s keep her in our prayers.

May 28,

I just got word that Margaret received the Coke scholarship! Woo - way to go!

GREATEST NEED. OLA has 2 buildings which still need major repairs (Mercy Hall and Johnson Hall). Through the donations of so many, funding is available to complete the rebuilding of Johnson Hall ($150,000.00) and most of Mercy Hall ($300,000.00). The estimate on rebuilding Mercy Hall is coming in at about $420,000.00. The roof is $64,000.00, the roof decking is $47,000.00, doors are $42,000.00, etc. We still need $150,000 to be able to finish Mercy Hall.

OTHER NEEDS
Tuition assistance. Many of our students lost their homes and their parents are rebuilding their lives, businesses, etc. Some are even paying mortgages on the previous homes which have been reduced to concrete slabs. If anyone is interested in sponsoring a student this is an area of need. Tuition for one student is $4350.00 per year. Of course, partial sponsorship is possible - every little bit counts!

St. Joseph Hall.
St. Joseph Hall was so badly destroyed by Katrina the building had to be bulldozed. This building will need to be replaced. Preliminary estimates are $500,000.00. OLA may have to take out a loan to replace this building. This is a very scary proposition to those making the decisions because we will be burdening future parents with a large financial obligation. OLA has been very, very prudent and frugal and has always operated “in the black”.

Donations can be made through our website and PayPal or send check or money order to:OLA Katrina Fund
222 S. Beach Blvd
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520.
Attention: Connie Chevis.

*Please designate on check if intended for tuition.

Our school is a very special place and “Katrina may have CRUSHED our School but Not our SPIRIT.” Please keep us in your prayers, stop by, visit us and see why we love this school so much.

God Bless you. Thank you for your help and prayers.

Connie Chevis
Teresa Romano
Sr. Jackie Howard

Lagniappe Presbyterian Church

http://www.lagniappechurch.com
http://lagniappechurch.blogspot.com/
http://www.lagniappeinterns.blogspot.com
http://www.drtomarmourblog.blogspot.com - This gent's particular calling is Sheds of Hope. I will be posting regarding his work in the near future. Please visit both his blog and the church's website in the volunteer section to learn more.
3/12
Interns! Interns! Interns! It's that time of year again, Lagniappe church wants college students to start thinking about the summer and coming to serve with us doing summer interships. This is an amazing opportunity to work with teams doing disaster recover and for you to participate in the restoration of the Gulf Coast.
Who? We are looking for 16 college-aged men and women 18+ who are extremely mature and hard-working.
When? We need interns on site from May 23rd through August 19th 2007 If you would like more infomration then follow this link.
If you'd just like more information then e-mail us at: summerinterns@lpcpca.com

Lagniappe Presbyterian Church
P.O. Box 4382
Bay St. Louis, MS 39521

Physical Address:
Lagniappe Presbyterian Church
647 Demontluzin St.
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39520

Bob & Mary Lee Bolitho, (Site manager- April 1 forward)
(864) 879-8449
ptlalways@prodigy.net (Bob)
marylee@wolffind.com (Mary Lee)

lagniappe (lan-yap) n. Chiefly Southern Louisiana and Mississippi 1. A small gift presented by a storeowner to a customer with the customer's purchase. 2. An extra or unexpected gift or benefit. [Louisiana French, from American Spanish - la napa, the gift.] -AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Here's what I consider to be the most well-named church ever. What better gift that the gift of faith? We are often asked if we have needs other than specific financial donations- absolutely!

We will keep this list current but PLEASE call or e-mail before purchasing an item so that we can avoid 'extra' items.

We need Shed assembly kits donated! What a great way for your youth group or children's ministry to get involved with Lagniappe Church! Below is a listing of items which should be in each kit and don't forget they would all need to be in a storage container. Please mark EVERYTHING with the letters LPC and put it in the kit and ship to us.

Drill (plug in or cordless but the cordless seem to run out of juice so either extra batteries or one of each- 18v minimum)
Several phillips head replacement bits
Skill saw
Speed square
50 foot extension cord
2 utility knives (straight and hook blades)
hammers (3 or more)
chalk line
tin snips
nail pouch
tape measure
Square
3' level
storage container for all of it
bucket with organizer (outside pockets or slide in totes for organization of needed extra nails and screws)

Relief & Work Site Supplies

Enclosed pull behind trailer to use for supplies at worksites (received!)
Open trailers to use for delivering storage sheds (Received!)
LARGE storgage building built to keep supplies in 10x20 minimum (needs to be non-permanent to avoid code issues)
Pickup truck for mission groups to use (Received!)
Bracket and Winch for Dodge Pickup- removable and hitch mountable
Sheetrock
30 year architectural grade shingles
Roofing felt
DRILLS! Cordless and Corded
Extension cords
Nail guns
Home Depot gift cards
Lowes gift cards
Nail gun nails
Sawhorses
Trailers for supplies Plywood (treated & untreated)
Nail aprons

Equipment
Digital camera, 5.1 mpxl or greater (Received!)
Sony Cybershot 256 mb Memory stick cards (Received!)
Rechargable Batteries for camera (Received!)
Office Depot/Office Max gift cards
Vent-A-Hood for Kitchen 8,000.00 (Received)
Microwave Ovens (4) $1,000.00 (Received)
Janitorial (mops and buckets etc) $500.00 (Received)
LCD projectors $2,500.00
Motorized Dropdown Screens $1,000.00
Flat Panel Monitors $700.00
Sound System for sancuary $25,000.00 (Received)
Gravel $5,000.00 (Received)
Outdoor Lighting $3,000.00 (Received)
Chain-Link Fencing and Gate $11,000.00
9000 sq feet of VCT floor $8,000.00
HVAC for office space (including installation) $5,000.00
Flooring for batchroom $6,000.00 (Received)
outdoor basketball goals $500.00 (Received)
Picnic tables & outdoor furniture $250.00
Misc Kitchen Equipment $2,500.00 (Received)
Kitchen Refrigeration Repair $2,599.00 (Received)
Insulate and Panel Walls in Building $25,000.00
Plywood and Panelling for offices etc $15,000.00 (Received)
Roof Installation $15,999.00 (Received)
Copy Machine Lease $3,600.00
Computers $700.00 each (15 needed)
Computer Installation $3,000.00
Phone System Installation $3,000.00 (Received)
Outdoor Signage $5,000.00 (Received)
Server for computer system $2,999.00
Fuel Costs (Shell and Chevron fuel cards) $2,500.00
Building Maintenance Equipment (mowers etc) $1,200.00
Office Depot Gift Cards for office supplies $50.00
Domino's pizza Gift Cards $20.00
Delta or Northwest Airline Miles (intern trips home, and travel)
A/C for Jetta $1,200.00
Windows for Jetta $200.00
Compressor for Astro Van A/C $1,200.00
Sams Wholesale gift cards $20.00
Temorary Office Building $3,999.00 (Received)
Carpet in New Office $3,500
Handicapped Bathroom finishing $4,000.00 (Received)
Finishing out Offices (pastors study) / Bookshelves etc $5,000.00
Scaffolding $3,000.00
Laser Level $1,300.00
Lighting & Fixtures for offices $3,000.00
Parking Lot improvements $1,000.00
Software $2,900.00 (Received)
Postage Meter $300.00
Printing Supplies and costs $5,000.00
Outdoor Garbage Cans $1,000.00
fire extinquishers $3,000.00 (Received)
travel trailers $27,000.00

9/10 Update From Andy
Things are good in the Bay at Lagniappe. We have no volunteers right now (by design) but will start to ramp back up by next week. We'll be getting some volunteers in later this month, and will be close to capacity (300) in October. We have around 160 for the week of Thanksgiving, but we do need more volunteer groups to be here to help.
We have been housing some Habitat Groups and they have gone out and built houses, but there are so many houses that need repair, not just new housing.
What do we need? Obviously money -- for long term sustanance. It takes a lot of staff, to be able to provide the food, housing, work orders, scheduling, logistics, and the social work / case management... Not to mention the "church" part of the staff. We need to raise money to continue being able to keep the staff that we have, and we need groups to come to help rebuild with us.
We can also house and feed groups from other organizations for them ( if they don't have housing). We have a great commercial kitchen/with staff and have bunkhouses with A/C and hot showers and nice facilities for folks to stay with us.

Foundation Hope

Tricia@Foundation-Hope.org
12/23
Below you will find a link to a website that we have created for our Hurricane Katrina T-Shirt Fundraiser. Brett & Deanna Favre and their foundations, along with Foundation Hope, Inc. are trying to bring awareness and support back to those along the MS Gulf Coast who were so adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina. AND WE NEED YOUR HELP!
We know the power of one individual to make a difference in the lives of others. So, we ask you to please consider supporting this effort AND please forward this message with the link to as many people as you can and encourage them to give a HAND UP to those on the MS Gulf coast in rebuilding their lives, homes and communities. So many resident's are losing HOPE; especially during this holiday season. You can give the greatest Christmas gift ever by giving the gift of HOPE to these families through supporting this effort.
Foundation Hope, Inc. has currently completed 15 homes and with your support we can do so much more. We realize that many people across this nation cannot physically come and volunteer, BUT YOU CAN give and have a GREATER impact in a life. The purchase of one T-shirt can support (3) licensed and skilled laborers DAILY to work on the homes in our program. Foundation Hope, Inc. can complete a new construction or repair project in an average of 7-10 days. Imagine the impact YOU CAN have by supporting (3) laborers DAILY...... WWW.FOUNDATION-HOPEGEAR.ORG
Please visit the website and make a difference this Christmas in the life of one who greatly needs you and your support. For more information concerning our efforts, please contact the FoundationHope, Inc. offices at (228) 255-0244.
The Foundation Hope, Inc. website is currently under construction, but please revisit our website at

This is the house we built from scratch.....1204 sq ft. on 14 ft. pilings for less than $25,000. Finally found the builder and the person to agree with me that it could be done.

9 months of much prayer and much persistence paid off! Finally.

This is our second one and the third is going up Aug. 10th.


(Their first one was a total rebuild for a leukemia child's family)

We are Foundation Hope, Inc. a non-profit organization providing disaster relief to the residents of the MS Gulf Coast. This is my hometown. I have lived north of the coast in Hattiesburg for the last 11 years, but my mom, uncles, aunts, brothers, bets friends, etc. all still live on the coast.
I made my way with my friends back to the coast via vehicle and ATV to start distributing supplies that my friends and relatives from across the country started sending to us. With the help of our friends at the Air McNair Foundation and The Brett Favre Fourward Foundation and the personal assistance of their volunteer-extraordinaire, Rick Maddox, we started the Point of Distribution (POD).

This turned into what is now known as Foundation Hope, Inc. Since, we have been granted a 5 million dollar In-Kind donation from The People of Saudi Arabia to rebuild damaged homes. We started this effort February 13.

Shipping Address:
Foundation Hope
414 Highway 90
Bay St Louis, MS 39520-3531

Monetary Donations to:
P.O. Box 3324
Bay St Louis, MS 39521

Skilled Labor
GENERAL CONTRACTORS
ELECTRICIANS
PLUMBERS
SHEETROCK HANGERS & FINISHERS
PAINTERS
CARPENTERS
ROOFERS
CERAMIC TILE INSTALLERS
APPLIANCE INSTALLERS (ALL KINDS)
LANDSCAPERS
SURVEYORS‘ELEVATION CREWS’

Gas Powered Items
GENERATORS
PAINT SPRAYER
CHAINSAWS & CHAINS
PORTABLE CEMENT MIXER
LEAF BLOWERS
TRENCHER
STUMP GRINDERWOOD
CHIPPER
TILLERS
WEEDEATER/EDGERS
LAWN
MOWERS
TRACTOR
FORKLIFT
BOBCAT

Power Tools
DRILLS
ROTOZIPS
CIRCULAR SAWS
WET SAWS
PORTABLE POWERED TABLE SAW
NAIL GUNS (AIR COMPRESSED BRAD NAILER COMBO KIT WITH THREE GUNS INCLUDED)
SAW HORSES
TEXTURIZING KIT/SPRAYER
FLOOD LIGHTS
ANY CORDLESS EQUIPMENT
CUTTING TORCH
WELDER HEAVY DUTY
DRYWALL
SCREW DRIVER
RYOBI RECIPROCATING SAW
ROOFING GUN
COMPOUND SAWS
BLOW TORCHES
SANDER-ORBITAL, HAND, BELT
INDUSTRIAL SIZE FANS
SHOP VACS (LARGE & SMALL)
WET/DRY VACS

Tools
HAMMERS
SCREWDRIVERS (ELECTRIC AND MANUAL)
MECHANICS TOOL SETS
SAWSGANG BOXES
STAPLE GUNS
WRENCHES
BROOMS-REGULAR & INDUSTRIAL
PAINT BRUSHES & ROLLERS
PAINT EDGERS
PAINT SPONGE BRUSHES
TROWELS
PUTTY KNIVES
EXTENSION CORDS
SCRUB BRUSHES
DOLLIES
PALLETT JACKS
PIPE WRENCHES
PIPE BENDER
CROW BARS
TAPE MEASURES
SAFETY GOGGLES
MOPS
MOP BUCKETS-INDUSTRIAL
RUBBER MALLET
CHISELS
CAULKING GUNS
LAMPS
UTILITY TABLES
SPRAY BOTTLES
WIRE STRIPPERS
WIRE CUTTERS
LEVELS
CHALK LINES
CARPENTERS PENCILS
T-SQUARES
PLUMBING INSTALLATION KITS

Outdoor Tools
SHOVELS
RAKES
LADDERS
SCAFFOLDING
WHEELBARROWS
TRAILER (COVERED & UNCOVERED)
SPADE
PICK AXES
ROCK RAKE
SLEDGE HAMMERS
AUGER
POST HOLE DIGGERS
WEDGES

Outdoor Supplies
FILL DIRT-----THEY ARE CHARGING WAY TOO MUCH
PESTICIDE
FOGGERS-BUGS
BUG LIGHTS
SCREENS
FENCES
MAILBOXES
HOUSE NUMBERS
STORAGE SHEDS

Supplies
SANDPAPER
EXTENSION HOSES FOR AIR COMPRESSOR
PAINT PANS
DROP CLOTHS
BUCKETS
SPONGES
GLOVES
MASKS
WATER HOSES
CARGO NETS
BUNGEE CORD/TIE DOWN STRAPS
NAILS-ASSORTED
SCREWS-ASSORTED
PAINTERS TAPE
PRIMER
PAINT
PAINT THINNER
TRASH BAGS
CLEANING SUPPLIES
ROMEX WIRE
ELECTRICAL OUTLETS
ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
OUTLET COVER PLATES
SWITCH COVER PLATES
PVC PIPE
STORAGE SHELVES
INVENTORY SOFTWARE & MARKING KIT
CAULK
TUB & TILE CAULK
GROUT
GORILLA GLUE
WOOD GLUE

Building Materials
SHEETROCK
SHEETROCK MUD
SHEERTOCK TAPE
CORNER BEAD
SHEETROCK NAILS/SCREWS
LUMBER – ALL KINDS
SHINGLES
FELT
ROOFING NAILS
TOILETS
SINKS
PLYWOOD
DOORS
WINDOWS
INSULATION
CEILING TILES
ALL TYPES OF FLOORING
LIGHT FIXTURES
CEILING FANS
OUTDOORS LIGHTS
SIDING
BRICK
DRIP EDGE
RIDGE VENT
SOFFIT
FASCIA
FAUCETS
MOLDING

Home Owner Needs
HOT WATER HEATERS
A/C UNITS
APPLIANCES
SMOKE DETECTORS
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
DOOR KNOBS
SINKS
METAL ROOFING & CEMENT