Lafayette Hart Park Civic Association

Help did Arrive

Oct 09, 2005

I wanted to tell you that the Katrina relief supplies we collected at the African-American Library ALL got to Louisiana.

Help did arrive!

Thanks to Sallie Tillman-Watson and Phyllis Hope for coordinating this effort (see below).

But first, I want to remind you to RSVP early to attend the GRASSROOTS PATRIOTS Conference for Saturday, October 8, 2005, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m., at Jim Ward Community Center, 301 NW 46th Ave., Plantation, FL 33317. A $5 contribution by check is suggested which can be collected when you arrive at the door.

A printable, downloadable brochure of the program is available here:
http://grassrootspatriots.org/riseup/getup.doc
Or you can just go to http://grassrootspatriots.org/riseup/
and when you see the icon for the file "getup.doc", right-mouse click it and save it to your harddrive, from where you can find it for printing purposes.

Our purpose is to organize and train to elect Democrats in 2006 and beyond.

You can RSVP by Fax 954-474-7502, or email me, or call me at 954-579-3932.
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Yes, our hurricane supplies got to Louisiana, in one trip by Lear Jet, and a second trip by truck. According to Lisa, who works for M & R Drywall Co. in Pompano Beach, their Lear jet left Tuesday, September 13th, with about 1/4 of the total volume of supplies, as much as they could carry, the lighter supplies such as pampers and clothing, and took them to the Grace Memorial Church, Pastor Paul Harris.

Because your outpouring of love and carefully selected food, school bags, clothing, pampers, water, and other hurricane supplies was so overwhelming, Mr. Lacerte still had an enormous pile of boxes that we left in his office, packed almost to the ceiling, and several times more than he could put in the Lear jet. So he rented a truck and his staff drove the truck with your supplies, directly to New Orleans, the following weekend.

Communications were very difficult, and the driver and his partner were directed to place the boxed supplies in an open field area (see top photo) which they felt was unsuitable. People were just helping themselves to as much as anything that they wanted, with total disorganization, and the stuff would have been left sitting out in the rain.

So after much searching and difficulty with telephones and communications from Linda in Florida, they were able to find a gymnasium that was managed by the American Red Cross. There the driver and his partner helped unload the truck, and you can see the back of the M. & R. Drywall truck, and the interior of the gymnasium, where more volunteers like yourselves sorted the supplies into areas.

All the supplies were very appreciated by the Red Cross and by the local New Orleans volunteers. They were particularly touched by the colorful school bags with crayons and supplies that one of you put together.

If you want to write a letter to thank you to Mr. Marc Lacerte and M & R Drywall, you can write to him at 2660 N.E. 7th Ave., Pompano Beach, FL 33064.

More Help is on the Way,