This is a blog on Hurricane Katrina, written by Lori Seaborg of the Keeping the Home blog. My family and I wtnessed the hurricane in our home on the Florida-Alabama Gulf Coast. Since my family is safe, and my home is undamaged, it is time to help others. I will keep you up-to-date on local information, and ways that you can specifically help the hurricane victims. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Mon, 30 Jan 2006 00:32:00 -0600 Mon, 30 Jan 2006 00:32:00 -0600 If you lived in the Katrina, Wilma, or Rita disaster areas when the hurricanes struck, you will be happy to know that there are quite a few tax breaks for us:   Katrina Emergency Relief Act of 2005   Hurray for the government helping out the people in these disaster areas.  Life is still not easy for many, including even our family.  It's hard to get caught up.   God Bless,   Lori Seaborg http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/75380/ Mon, 30 Jan 2006 00:32:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/75380/ I am no longer going to post on this blog - as if you hadn't noticed that by now!  When I have news or photos to share, I will post them at our Hurricane Katrina website, http://www.SurvivedKatrina.org .    Right now, there are four pages of great photos of the destruction of Katrina in Mississippi.  The Old Schoolhouse magazine will be publishing two of those photos in the upcoming issue.   A real esate company in California is publishing one of the photos in its upcoming company newsletter.   If you'd like to use any of the photos, please email us.  We'd like to put a little name at the bottom of the photo, and we'd like a clip or copy of where you published it.   Thank you, thank you, to all of you who were so generous with your money, time and donations.  The Gulf Coast is still healing, but it is improving every day.  Thank you for helping!   See you at the website, Survived Katrina! Lori Seaborg Lori Seaborg   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/36671/ Sun, 23 Oct 2005 16:32:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/36671/ Here on the Alabama Gulf Coast, it is still raining and gusting from Rita, even now after 8pm.  We were only in the outer bands of Hurricane Rita, so I wonder how the weather is for those in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas?   Rita is the SIXTH named storm (Ivan, Arlene, Cindy, Dennis, Katrina were the others) to blow through our area in just ONE YEAR AND ONE WEEK.  I still do love a good storm, but we could do without one for quite a while!   Meanwhile...there are 2 tropical waves in the Atlantic.  It seems this hurricane season will never end.   Tim and I are going to see what news comes out of Louisiana from Hurricane Rita.  We may end up going over there to take some of our donations that you sent.   Thank you for helping us help them!   Lori Seaborg http://www.survivedkatrina.org http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/28051/ Sat, 24 Sep 2005 20:20:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/28051/ We are feeling, way over here on the Alabama/Florida border, some wind gusts from Hurricane Rita. It's not a Septembery-wind.  It's pure tropical air, hot and humid.    We are also under Rita's clouds, and under tornado watches.    She's a great big girl, spanning from Florida to Texas.   Unfortunately, the people that we have spent time with in Mississippi, the ones that we deliver your aid to, are going to get a lot of Rita's rain and some wind.  They aren't living in secure homes, and some are under tarps or in tents, so they could do without that rain!   I'll keep you updated from a local perspective.   Meanwhile, thank you for your packages that keep arriving!  We are going to continue to help Katrina's evacuees, and now we will include Rita's evacuees, who are here by the hundreds if not thousands.    Lori Seaborg http://www.survivedkatrina.org (visit here for more photos and news) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KeepingtheHome (my regular blog) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/27761/ Fri, 23 Sep 2005 14:34:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/27761/ Today marks our one-year anniversary since Hurricane Ivan came through our area as a Category 4 storm.  When I visit the Katrina-affected areas, I am reminded of Ivan over and over.  It's pretty much the same devastation, only Katrina's damage is over a much, much larger area.  And houses didn't entirely disappear on the beach with Ivan, as they did in Waveland, Mississippi (Katrina's Ground Zero).    Still, Ivan was and is a big deal to us on the Florida Panhandle and East of Mobile Bay in Alabama.  For this entire past year, I have been able to hear the sounds of the wind and the horizontal rain and the cracking and felling of tree after tree.  And the transformers popping like fireworks.  I still see his destruction every time I look into our back yard and see broken branches dangling high in the cedar trees. I remember him when I walk down to the river in our backyard and see the 20 trees that a tornado spawned by Ivan took out, only a 1/2 acre away from our house where we were with our four children.    Ivan was a huge beast, so we were under his fury for a full 36 hours.  He was America's largest hurricane in size, dwarfed only by Katrina (she was so huge, she made Ivan look somewhat small).  That was a long time to be  under tropical storm and hurricane weather.  Our five-year-old, who was four at the time and slept through the worst of the storm, still wonders if a hurricane is coming every time it is windy.  He's not afraid of it; he just wants to know.    The people of Mississippi and Louisiana have a very long road ahead of them.  I don't think they realize how long, but that is probably for the best.  In Pensacola, Florida, there are still  piles of debris being mulched and trucked out.  Every hotel room is still full of workers, and the houses prices are still at record highs.  Books-a-Million is still closed; one hospital is still not repaired from its 10-stories of windows being blown out; many homes still have blue tarps on them.    But we are healing.  Most stores are now open.  The trees are pruned severely, but are trying to leaf out (Hurricane Dennis came in July 2005, a Cat. 2, and messed things up a bit again).  The mountain (I really do mean "mountain" of debris at the airport is finally almost gone.  The streets are almost cleared of trash and debris.  The beach is partially opened.  Our city is going to be fine.      Tonight, the city of Pensacola is having a "Community Remembers Ivan" service.  There will be several mayors and others from Missisippi who are coming to the service.  They said, "We want to see that there is hope a year later."    Yes, there is hope.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/26694/ Fri, 16 Sep 2005 23:00:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/26694/ September 10, 2005 ~ Camping Out ~ D'Iberville (North Biloxi), Mississippi Photos copyright Tim & Lori Seaborg 09/10/2005 We found many families in D'Iberville camping out in their yards.  We were a little surprised by that, as we thought that everyone was in a shelter or living in their damaged homes.    The man in the center photo was sleeping, along with his grown brother and elderly parents, in the storage shed in their back yard.  They grilled under the white tent. A makeshift shower was created with a garden hose and privacy created by pieces of lumber.    In the left photo, you'll see a tent.  Many families slept in tents, but some were not fortunate enough to have even that, so they slept under a tarp attached to their house, as you can see in the right photo.   These homes all flooded from 5-8', but none were in a flood zone, and it had never flooded there before.   We asked them why they didn't go to the shelters.  There are many shelters available, including one on the Carnival cruise ship in Mobile Bay.  They said, "Well, how would we get there?"  Their cars, most of them, had flooded, too, and weren't working.    One person said, "They've told us to go to Florida, to shelters there, but why would we want to go to Florida? Our jobs are here, we need to be here."  It's just not that easy to uproot somebody, as generous as we'd all like to be to them.  They just want their homes back.   The people in the left and right photos are likely not living on their land anymore, since it was government land, or "the projects," as we call it.  Mississippi came and told them, on a Friday night, that they must be out of the area by Sunday at 5pm, or they'd be arrested and fined.  We met the people on the Saturday between the announcement and the eviction.   The people were the poorest sort, and had no place to go, and no way to get there.  We heard the same story from house to house, all through those projects.  They looked lost.  Many were teary.  One woman pleaded with us to go speak to the mayor.  One man said, "They told me to go to the projects in the next county, but there's drugs there, and crime.  I have a middle school aged daughter.  We're going to be sleeping on the streets of Biloxi tomorrow night, because there is no way I'm taking her over there."  Another man (the one in the striped shirt in the left photo) said, "My daughter moved to Colorado, my wife died two years ago, and now this is happening.  All I have left is my drinking.  I know that's not a good thing, but sometimes it makes things easier."   Their local mayor, Rusty Quaid, had come in on the second day after Hurricane Katrina hit, and gave them all a bag of ice and a water jug, with a promise that he'd be back soon with trailers for living.  He said he'd also bring mattresses.   On the Saturday we visited, almost 2 weeks after the storm, the mayor had not come through with his promises of mattresses or trailers.  We had quite a few questions for that mayor, the most pressing being, "Why aren't you providing transportation to shelters for these people?" but it was a Saturday evening and Mississippi wisely chose Sunday for the eviction.    You can't argue with city hall on a weekend. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/26693/ Mon, 19 Sep 2005 22:57:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/26693/   We drove along the Mississippi Gulf Coast today, and I have to tell you, that the aid is really coming together for the people down there.  There is so much aid, that it is almost too much!  We had three people even ask us not to give them any diapers or toiletries, because they had enough already.    Two weeks ago, nobody would have said that!   We saw aid in all forms, from the local fire department to the Latter Day Saints, to the Red Cross.    We had been giving out your donations in the neighborhoods where people could not get to aid or shelter.  But today, two-and-a-half weeks after the storm, we found that there are not as many people to help anymore.  Most are in shelters, some are getting their FEMA-provided trailers, and some are living in their homes again now that the utilities have been turned on.   We are going to continue traveling into Mississippi and along our own Alabama Gulf Coast with the rest of your donations, and with any that keep coming in.  We continue to offer Family Care Packages, Baby Care Packages, and Kid's Care Packages.  We will still go into the neighborhoods and help those who need your donated items or money.   We will let you know if any future donations are needed.  At this time, we have plenty and can make many care packages with what we have.     In a couple of months, I'd like to do a push for Christmas gifts for the children of the hurricane, so be thinking about that.    Thank you for all of your help! Lori Seaborg http://www.survivedkatrina.org   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/26130/ Sat, 17 Sep 2005 22:54:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/26130/ Photos copyright Tim & Lori Seaborg 09/10/2005   The elderly couple in the photo above somehow found a place in Tim's often cynical heart.  For him to care so much for someone that he only just met, meant there must be a story behind the tree lying across their front lawn.  (I apologize that you can't see the people well in the photo; I was stranded in the van with our baby and couldn't get closer because of the debris).   Sure enough, after spending over a half hour with the couple, Tim had a story to tell. This couple actually rode out the storm in this house.  Like most others in the area, they never believed the storm could reach them, in a place where water is not even visible.  You would never expect a storm surge to get that far.  They stayed in their house, expecting only strong winds, but definitely not as strong of winds as 1969's Camille, America's strongest hurricane.    By Monday morning, the water rose to 5' within their home.  The furniture started to float, and they started to pray as never before.  They were both too weak to climb into the attic, above.  Only prayer mixed with a little hope could keep the water from rising.   Obviously, the couple did make it through the storm.  And they have a lovely but small trailer in their front yard to use, which is much better than the tents and tarps of some of their neighbors.    But life is still not easy for them.   Within a week after the storm, they answered a telephone call from "FEMA."  "We need to get your checking account number," the caller said, "so we can deposit a payment from FEMA into your account.."  Just as she was pulling out her checkbook to give the caller her checking account number, a real FEMA employee knocked at the door.  The scammer on the phone was caught red-tongued.   FEMA did catch the scammer in the act on the phone, but they did not further do our friends justice in their initial visit.  They looked around the house, said furniture and the house damage was considered "personal property," so would fall under homeowner's insurance.  That's a fine thing.  But then FEMA determined whether our friends were eligible for other assistance from FEMA, which usually includes some money to get back on your feet, a bit of compensation for losing freezer food, and other aid.  Our friends were denied by FEMA.  Why?  Well, because they "make too much money."  How much?  Tim did not have to wonder for long, before they said, "Do you think $20,000 a year from our Social Security check is really too much?"   Tim was able to let our new friends know that FEMA is a tough thing to crack, but it is possible with lots of persistence, red tape, and determination.  We have a lot of past hurricane experience and headaches in dealing with FEMA, so Tim gave out a bit of advice.   To add insult to injury, our elderly friends were turned down by their homeowner's insurance for compensation, because all of their damage was due to water.  They did not have flood insurance, because they are not in a flood zone, and it had never flooded there.    They were a discouraged pair, but I think a lot of good will eventually come to them.  The Mississippi Attorney General is suing the insurance companies of Mississippi to pay for storm surge damage as part of the hurricane policy, and FEMA is getting their act together under the scrutiny of America.  But all of that straightening-out takes time.  Lots of time.    There are few short-term comforts for our elderly friends.  We were glad to offer our tiny bit of comfort through a listening ear and a care package, thanks to your donations, support, and prayers.   by Lori Seaborg (please see our website for updated photos and information) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/25938/ Mon, 19 Sep 2005 01:03:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/25938/ The Attic Vent Photos copyright Tim & Lori Seaborg 09/10/2005   We found the gentleman above, sitting on a lawn chair outside a newly parked trailer on his front lawn.  Behind the trailer is his house, a one-story brick ranch-style home.    We had just passed this street, but turned around when I told Tim that I just saw a sign that said: "FEMA Stop Here."  We had been looking for people who might need the items in our care packages (snacks, toiletries, etc.), and we thought that whoever posted the sign may be able to use a box.   Sure enough, the gentleman was waiting on FEMA, who had not yet arrived, and was happy to take a box of our goodies.    As we found throughout the rest of the day, our box of donations opened a door to conversation and our new friend told us this tale of storm survival:   His brother decided to ride out the storm in the house.  Hurricane Camille had only flooded to the street a couple of houses away, after all, and no storm has ever been like Camille, the strongest hurricane in American history.  He said the wind was quite loud, but all was going well, until the water came.  It was a sudden rush of water (storm surge), and before he knew it, he was in the attic, hoping to save his life.    There was only 18" left to breathe in the attic, and the ceiling fell down due to the water, so he stood on the attic rafters and hoped that the water would no longer rise.  He made his way to the end of the attic, on the North side, and found the attic vent.  He started prying open the vent, to see out.  He continued prying open the vent, hoping to get it open enough to be able to slip out of it and swim to safety. Thankfully, the water did not continue to rise.  It remained at that top height for 2 hours or so, then receded rapidly.   Our new friend is hoping that his house is condemned, so he can just start all over.  He says it's too much to think about cleaning up a mess like that.  In the driveway were 2 refrigerators and 1 freezer, all emptied and cleaned, but he said they weren't showing signs of starting up again.   ( Read more about what we are doing at our new website, SurvivedKatrina.org ) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/25456/ Thu, 15 Sep 2005 16:04:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/25456/   Our time in Mississippi was amazing.  We received a few dozen thanks, a couple of hugs, and more than one teary eye for our efforts.  We were very surprised to see that so many families are living in tents or under tarps in their yards, next to their flooded homes.  With all the shelters that are open in the area, we did not expect that.    We handed each family a Family Care Package, full of toiletries, books, pens and paper, a Bible, snacks, candy, gum, Band-Aids, wet wipes, and more.  We gave babies a Baby Care Package with toiletries and a baby toy and bottles and a bib; and we gave each child a Kid's Care Package with activity toys in it.    We saw a lot of aid in the area.  Churches' parking lots were full of boxes of food and items to get; trash bags of clothing were in store parking lots; FEMA had an occasional set-up.    When we drove through the main street, we thought, "Well, they don't really need us, with all the aid that's everywhere."  But then we drove into the neighborhoods, where people are living in or next to their damaged homes.  The people we met did not have transportation out, to go get the available aid.  Their cars, if they had them, were flooded.   The boxes, full of items that would give the families a bit of comfort for a while, were a good thing to give, but I noticed that the people of Mississippi needed something even more than our donations:  they needed a listening ear.    We were happy to give them that.    Thank you all so much for supporting us in this, with your donations and your prayers.  We are going to Mississippi at least twice weekly, until we are no longer needed.   Go to http://www.SurvivedKatrina.org , our new website, for new photos of our trip to Mississippi.    Lori Seaborg http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/25173/ Wed, 14 Sep 2005 18:10:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HurricaneKatrina/25173/