Who Could Have Guessed.

As I look back on the events of the last year and our current problems rebuilding our homes and lives it is hard to recall the great outpouring of assistance every one of us received, mostly from ordinary people, often through their churches with no public assistance.

Our story is typical. In the immediate aftermath of the flood we decided to temporarily reconstitute our business in Atlanta. We intended to keep working in New Orleans and return as quickly as possible. We made arrangements to have people working on the ground in New Orleans.

We asked all our people to report to work in Atlanta, as soon as possible. We also began informing everyone we could think of about our situation and plans. The response from our acquaintances in Atlanta was unexpected and heartening.

One of the organizations She is involved with got together and gathered household goods clothing and other necessities for everyone to set up temporary housekeeping. A national apartment management company offered each employee an apartment for 90 days rent free. A furniture rental company offered deeply discounted apartment furniture.

In short order we had everyone relocated, housed, furnished and clothed. Fortunately no one but She and I suffered severe damage to their home, but they couldn't go home and we couldn't move back into our New Orleans office. The building was severely damaged and closed.

This small example of a relatively few people helped was replicated many times over in many many places. My parents church opened their kitchen and fed people, until hurricane Rita hit them. I also ran into a lady from Cameron Parish who lost a great deal property in Rita who was involved in helping a group of total strangers who ended up in Johnson Bayou, Louisiana.

Some friends of ours in Denver even sent us a "care" package including a couple of bottles of wine, just to let us know they were thing of us.

I think that the efforts of many many people to help in our time need should never be forgotten by any of us.