OT: The destruction is unbelieveable...

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:34 pm

I can't believe what my eyes have seen. I haven't been to New Orleans, not even close, but other parts of the state are just as bad.

As some of you know, my wife works for an insurance company and as such is heavily involved in the aftermath of this disaster. Her company has 6900 homeowner's policies in LA, with some in the Garden district of New Orleans, but the vast majority north of NO. The company services the state of LA out of the Houston office and as such they are working to establish a temporary office on the ground somewhere in LA.

This morning my wife (sales manager) and her counterpart (claims manager) along with 3 SR claims adjusters went to their bank to pick up a wire from their home office. Each of them had $20,000 to take with them. They also picked up 2500 Visa gift cards. They then met me at the Sugar Land airport and we flew to LA.

The people insured with my wife's company are getting the Visa gift cards to help them get thru the next few days along with a little cash. The remaining cash is to be distributed to anyone in need. Props to her company for their generosity both to their policy holders, but mostly to those who are not policy holders.

New Orleans is getting most of the press due to the large numbers of poor who either didn't have the means to evacuate or the mental capacity to understand the danger. However, most of the buildings in NO are standing. That isn't the case as you move north and east from there. Out there homes are just gone. These areas are suffering just as is NO. No power, no water, no structures, no food, etc.

Not sure why, but this has hit me much stronger than 9/11 in which I got the news of while I was in the air. If you believe offer up a few prayers for these people. For everyone, contact your local Red Cross or state emergency management association to see what you can do to help.

Houston trolls, there is expected to be 25,000 people at the Astrodome for the next month. There will be plenty of opportunities for us to volunteer our time. If you need help getting in contact with someplace to volunteer, PM me.

God Bless those folks.

buckeye_in_sc · Post by **buckeye_in_sc** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:28 pm

You can call (which I plan on doing tonight)

1-800-Help-Now (American Red Cross)

and

1-800-Sal-Army (Salvation Army)

to donate to the relief cause...both of these along with others were listed on the nightly.msnbc.com webpage as approved...

I figured the least I could do besides pray was at least donate $50 to each and go from there...

prayers and thoughts to clones in NO and their families...

rack Lefty's wife's company...

Nolesy · Post by **Nolesy** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:41 pm

After what we went through last summer( out of power 3 times for 5 day stretches) I thought I had a taste of hurricane psycosis.. I can't even believe the suffering and distruction I'm seeing on t.v.
Seriously thinking about talking to Mrs. Nolesy about going over to the red cross shelter in Tally ( reportedly we have over 80 people who fled the La area living in a shelter here) and bring some of them home to stay alwhile.

What ever you do to the least of my people...........

Nolesy · Post by **Nolesy** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 12:12 am

Proud to announce that I heard on the local radio this eve. That FSU concessions are going to tack on fifty cents to every beverage sold at the Miami game Monday night. The added charge is intended to be used for disaster relief from Katrina.
The student union will also have reps all over the stadium hitting people up for funds for same purpose.

the_ouskull · Post by **the_ouskull** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:26 am

I used to live with my aunt in Slidell...

The same Slidell that is now 90% submerged... Man, I'm not the holiest of guys, but I'll be damned if I'm not the praying type for those that are still down there... good friends of mine in Slidell and Nawlins included...

the_ouskull

Harvdog · Post by **Harvdog** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:37 am

I was in NO last week and left on Friday. I have a ton of business associates that are stuck. I haven't heard from a few of them. It is a tough time. It is good to see the City of Houston and the State of Texas step up and help in a time of need.

God bless the people of NO and the residents of Louisiana.

Vito Corleone · Post by **Vito Corleone** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:55 am

Lets not forget that Mississippi also took it pretty hard. My cousin lives in Biloxi and she has lost everything including her husbands job because the paint factory he worked at is gone.

I have an aunt in New Orleans and we haven't been able to get a hold of her yet either. Things are getting very tense with my family. Most of my dad's family is also in Lousianna with the majority being roughnecks they are going to be without work for a while.

GreginPG · Post by **GreginPG** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 4:17 am

I too know a family in Slidell. They heeded the warning and evacuated Saturday afternoon. I have gotten a couple of text messages so I know they are ok but I have no idea where they went. They have no idea what kind of shape their house is in.

On a sports related thought, I wonder what will become of the Saints and the Hornets. The Sugar Bowl needs to be moved as well. I've heard the possibility of the Saints playing at LSU. I really seriously doubt that either team will play in New Orleans this year at all, if not longer.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 5:04 am

I lived in the 9th Ward for 8 months. I'm sure that the house I lived in is underwater, and that many in the area are dead. While it was always possible that this would happen to a city sitting below sea level in the path of hurricanes aplenty, it's still tough to believe that it actually happened. Thoughts and prayers to the victims.

the_ouskull · Post by **the_ouskull** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:07 pm

[Much-Needed Levity] Well, what will become of the Hornets is that they will likely play better this year 'cause they seem to have more fans OUTSIDE of Louisana anyway... [/Levity]

the_ouskull

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 4:09 pm

I'd just like to restate my deep respect for Left Seater and his wife. "Rack" hardly does it justice, but that's what we do here, so Rack Lefty.