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 Hurricane Ike Strikes!
On Saturday morning, September 13th, hurricane Ike roared ashore dead on
the San Luis Resort on Galveston Island, which WAS to be the site of the
2008 All South Credit Conference starting on September 21st. Plans
change very quickly!
Thursday evening, the NACM offices were buttoned down and plastic
wrapped, as prepared as we could get. Friday, we closed so staff
could prepare their homes and families for landfall.
Fastforward to Monday, September 15. Galveston is deemed
"uninhabitable." So much for All South! 90% of Houston staff
have no power, 40% no water, and gasoline is a hot commodity...gas pumps
need power to run!
But this group is resilient, if nothing else. With the office
quiet (members were recovering too), we set out to take care of our own
and then to take care of the community. A crew manned a FEMA
POD (Point of Distribution, for the unannointed!) on Thursday, and other
volunteers went out Friday. Staff with trucks picked up and
delivered generators to those without power and with potential health
issues. Departments took turns preparing a hot lunch each day, and
sending some home for families of staff without power, water and food.
While we were still in a fog, care packages started arriving from
partner programs and fellow affiliates. NACM National jumped in to
assist with All South issues, delivering expertise and advise just when
we needed it most. NACM Dallas, NACM New Orleans, NACM
Tampa.....care packages arrived! You've all seen Galveston and
downtown Houston...Here's just a glimpse into NACM Houston post-Ike:
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| NACM staff Rosie Prosser, Deana
Gardner and Maureen Brennan work a FEMA POD (Point of
Distribution). Pallets of ice are stacked behind them. |
Deana Gardner shares a moment with
Houston Mayor, Bill White. |
Maureen Brennan loads up a hurricane victim
with a case of MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). Yummmmm. |
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| Andrew Quill shows up from Ft. Hood
and helps distribute 10 cases of MREs to NACM Houston staff.
Many staff were out of power for up to 14 days, unable to cook,
wash clothes or watch the news. |
Each day, a hot lunch meal was
prepared for staff - in many cases it was the only hot meal they
would have all day for weeks. Spaghetti, Chili....here, Wanda Love
prepares some fine Louisiana seafood gumbo. |
Those who had shared with those who did not.
As fellow affiliates shipped in supplies (batteries,
non-perishable food) staff brought and shared what they had with
each other. |
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| Just when you think that the rest
of the world has moved on, care packages arrive from NACM Dallas
and NACM New Orleans! |
Unpacking the care packages. |
Still unpacking! |
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Steve and Michelle Krischke help distribute food and cleaning
supplies that Michelle brought in from Dallas, where she had
been relocated during the storm with her company's emergency
team. |
Andrew Quill gives staff MRE instructions! Not as easy as
you would think! |
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| Two weeks of sharing a
hot lunch let everyone decompress from their personal
experiences. |
From every one of us to everyone who sent food,
gas cards, money or in any way contributed to our
recovery...heartfelt gratitude and appreciation! |
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