Auto Break Ins On Rise
Car burglars hit Hancock County
Many residents still leaving autos unlocked, police sayBy J.R. WELSH
baybureau@aol.com
HANCOCK COUNTY --
Law enforcement agencies countywide are investigating a rash of auto burglaries in which thieves are stealing cash, guns, cameras, jewelry and other valuables from vehicles that often have been left unlocked.
The burglars are indiscriminate about jurisdictional lines. Thefts have occurred in Waveland and Bay St. Louis, and an especially large number of cases has been reported in unincorporated Diamondhead.
"We've had 35 cases in Diamondhead in the last two weeks," Kenny Hurt, chief investigator for the Hancock County Sheriff's Department, said Monday. He said that 11 suspects - all under the age of 16 - have thus far been arrested, but burglaries continue.
In one Diamondhead case, thieves removed a digital camera from a car, took pornographic photos of themselves, then put the camera back in the car, Hurt said.
"There has been a rash of car burglaries all over the county and both cities," said Waveland Police Chief James Varnell. He said Waveland had seven car burglary reports recently, with five occurring in the past week.
In one Waveland case, he said, a man went outside about 1:35 a.m. after hearing his car's burglar alarm go off at his Sharon Street home. Thieves had smashed a rear window to enter the car and the owner found a front door standing open.
The burglars stole two guns - a two-shot Derringer and a .40-caliber Glock handgun - as well as $15,300 in cash. The burglars also stole a 14-carat gold bracelet with tiger stones from the same car, Varnell said.
Since Mississippi law treats someone's car as an extension of the home, it is not illegal for citizens to have guns in their cars.
The thefts are not being limited to auto contents, however. In another case, a Bay St. Louis resident reported seeing a four-wheeler being stolen from his house off Main Street. The man went outside just in time to see the four-wheeler being loaded into a white van with a ramp and being driven away.
Interim Bay St. Louis Police Chief Tom Burleson could not be reached for comment Monday.
In a Waveland neighborhood off Beach Boulevard, at least two other thefts occurred. One resident reported seeing a red pickup leave the area immediately after a car burglary.
Diamondhead resident Katie Breath, another burglary victim, said a purse containing identification, cash and a digital camera was stolen from her car after the lock had apparently been jimmied open. When she called Diamondhead security, she said, "They told me I was the seventh car burglary call that day."
Breath said such cases seem almost epidemic. "Every time I talk to someone, they have a similar story," she said Monday. "I talked with three others just last weekend."
Police are warning people to park their vehicles as close to their homes as possible in well-lighted spaces, and to make certain their cars are locked.
"They have been taking anything and everything," Hurt said. "And in 99 percent of all these burglaries, the vehicles were left unlocked."
Varnell also recommends that residents be watchful. "If you spot suspicious cars or persons in your neighborhood, call 911 immediately," he said.
Labels: Article, hancock county, katrina, ms, recovery, relief
Feb/07 The Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute has completed installation of new fixed equipment for playgrounds at 43 child care facilities in the Hurricane Katrina region of Mississippi, thanks to federal funds allocated by the Office for Children and Youth of the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The funds are from the federal Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) to the State of Mississippi.
The institute will provide fixed equipment or outdoor play materials to a total of 137 child care facilities in 15 counties and 29 communities. The facilities have a maximum capacity of 8796 children. (See table.)
Facilities that lost entire playgrounds to the hurricane received new fixed playground equipment as well as outdoor learning materials such as easels, sandboxes, and puppet theaters. Facilities that had partial damages will receive the outdoor learning materials. The fixed equipment meets Mississippi Department of Health licensure standards for equipment.
Connie Clay of the MSU Early Childhood Institute is director of the institute’s Rebuilding After Katrina Initiative. Johnson, Bailey, Henderson, McNeel PA of Jackson, Miss., designed the installations of fixed equipment and Kenneth R. Thompson, Jr., Builder, Inc., of Greenwood, Miss., was the general contractor for the project. Both firms were low bidders in competitive bidding.
The Mississippi State University Extension Service also is helping child care providers in the Katrina region to resume offering safe, developmentally appropriate outdoor play opportunities to young children. The Nurturing Homes Initiative of the MSU Extension Service is providing technical assistance to license-exempt child care providers who care for children in their homes. The Extension Service received a separate contract from the Office for Children and Youth of the Mississippi Department of Human Services to assist family child care providers.
http://earlychildhood.msstate.edu/news/images/playground-table.pdfThis shows that Hancock County has only 4 registered child care facilities with a total capacity of 200 children.
In March, this was increased by 1 and 100 respectively with the opening of the facility by Bucks Mont Katrina Project.
Labels: Article, Children, hancock county, katrina, ms
Diamond Kids Project
This project is being headed up by a gentleman not living in Hancock County, but obviously someone who cares a great deal about what happens there. I made contact with him through the Mommy 101 project, currently taking place in Waveland.
The following are excerpts from our email conversation. If you wish to assist, please email or phone him. Note - the website for his business does not have information re: this project...
I have had some serious conversations with the ECI, (early childhook institute -
http://earlychildhood.msstate.edu/) out of Ms State concerning the need for a child care center in DH.
I have also had conversations with the inspector for Hancock County with the Health Dept. who is also supportive of the project.
The biggest problem at present is the need for a qualified child care director for the center. I am sending this out to your friends to see if ther might be some names in the DH
(diamond head) area interested in the position.
Let me know.
Thanks,
Bert A. Welch III, M.D.
President/Owner
Med One, LLC
397 Kingsbridge Road
Madison, MS 39110
601-853-1360
bwelch@themed1.comwww.themed1.comAfter the Buck Mont Child development center was opened for the 100 slots, a waiting list was started. I have heard that the waiting list has 125 kids on that list. There are only about 4-5 child care centers in Hancock County
(confirmed *4*). I recently finished building a 6000 sf office building that I designed and built to 2003 IBC code. This building is built to sustain 140 mph winds. Complete with 5 offices, showers in the handicap bathrooms, small kitchenettes, hardwired for cable, computer and a security system, this building is set up for a child care facility.
I am working with the administrator of the Buck Mont Child Care Center along with the regional director for the State Health Department and the exec director of the Early Childhood Institute from Miss State University. All of these women are working to see if this facility could be used for child care, after school care, and psycho social counseling.
The director for the Buck Mont Child care has told me today that a director for the facility in diamondhead could be achieved without much trouble. By the way, Diamondhead is north of I 10 and has been a quaint retirement center for many years. After the storm, many of the older residents left the area and the homes were filled with younger parents. Of all Hancock County, this area is considered to be the wealthiest.
By placing the facility in a 501(c)3 not for profit entity, I believe that there is some grant money available to help with start up costs,and furnish the facility with toys , books, and a playground.
I approach my projects with the three "E's". Envision, Engineer, and Excitement. The children have been left behind and hopefully, we all can contribute to help restore their lives.
Thank you for your interest, I am fast tracking this project and hopefully we can get this project going before summer break. I welcome any suggestions or comments.
Sincerely,
Bert
Labels: Children, day care, hancock county, katrina, ms
Trauma Counselors
Hi all. There will be a team of four trauma counselors (and two of us are art therapists too) from Canada visiting and doing workshops in schools in
Ocean Springs, Gulfport, Biloxi and Waveland starting March 9th for a week. If you are still struggling and want a chance to tell your story and have a pastoral visit, please leave me a message.
While we will be busy in schools, we always have time to meet with someone who would like a chance just to talk.
This will be my fourth trip to the area. We are sending only our best to our American friends in the south.
Barb email:
barbdorrington@gmail.comLabels: dated material, emotional assistance, hancock county, katrina, ms, volunteer
*
Calvary Chapel Kitchen228-467-9629
www.calvarychapelrelief.orgRecently we were able to purchase a 3800 square foot building on a one acre parcel on Reese Street in the heart of BSL. The building has been fully renovated and is now being used for many long term purposes.
Housing TeamsBeginning September 1, 2006, we will only be receiving teams on the
last week of each month. The new property can accommodate up to 50 at a time. For the next few months the primary focus of the teams will be to assist in the development of the new property, the establishing of the church and the assisting to the immediate needs of the locals who are now attending the church.
Youth CenterAlong with the cafe the new facility will offer an outside basket ball court, ping pong tables - foos ball tables / games and computors. Our goal is to give the youth of BSL a place to go and call their own.
CafeWe are looking to develop a Cafe environment that will provide the community with a place to drop in and get loved on through out each day of the week. We have put a commercial kitchen inside the facility and have poured a patio that will accommodate outside seating. We will be looking for couples / families to help host the property for 1 month at a time. They will basically be responsible for running the small café in the new building.
Community work day Saturday's 9 AM - 2 PMThis is for those who reside in BSL who want to be involved in assisting the ongoing work through CCR.
Worship services:As most of you know the relief camp on the baseball field drew many from the community with many different needs. One of the greatest needs was the spiritual need, a need to be prayed for and encouraged in God's word. That demand led to the development of regular worship services. On Sundays and Wednesdays a solid group of 30-40 locals now attend the worship services at the new location. Frank Griffin from Baton Rouge is faithfully showing up to shepherd the work. Here is a look at the weekly Bible studies at the camp:
Sunday 10am Frank Griffin - Book of Philippians
Tuesday 7pm Glenn Nelson - New Believers class
Outreach
The last Sunday of each month we will focus on outreach. We will use future teams to go out and get the word out. Our goal is to provide special music and food to follow on these Sundays.
Long term involvement:For you that feel called to this work for more of a long term commitment, we would love to hear from you. We are currently setting a schedule for host, worship leaders , grounds keepers, and Cafe workers for the next 6 months.
Support:Many churches have inquired about the opportunity of financially assisting this work in the future. It will take some time for this work to stand on its own financially. A large part of the community that make up the small congregation have lost most or all of their property. We have set up a special account for those church's and individuals who feel the burden to continue supporting BSL financially. You can contact Keri Whitely for more details at calvaryrt@aol.com.
Prayer:
We are encouraging everyone we know to keep this now established work in prayer.
"...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." Eph 6:18
Labels: bay st louis, donate, hancock county, katrina, kitchen, Long Term Volunteer, ms, recovery, relief, volunteer agency
The Mississippi Renaissance Garden Program DescriptionMartha S. BoyceFounder and Executive Director
The Mississippi Renaissance Garden Foundation, Inc.
(228) 388-2622 or e-mail me at
msbkt@aol.com(view a letter, along with a note from Martha, that you can send to local organizations to assist in this vital aspect of the recovery)MissionOur mission is to establish The Mississippi Renaissance Garden on the Mississippi Gulf Coast to not only provide places for people to reconnect with the beauty of their environment, commemorate the Renaissance of the state of Mississippi and continually renew the spirit of the Mississippi people, but also to. recognize the respect, compassion, generosity and love of the many volunteers from all cultures who are making the Renaissance possible. Through our “Horticulture for Humanity” mission, The MRG will become an example of a pathway to cultural understanding and respect for all countries around the world that come to the aid of others in their time of need.
Objectives:· To provide non-profit horticultural and therapeutic gardens for the survivors and volunteers of Hurricane Katrina consisting of various themed gardens such as a Memorial Garden, a Therapeutic Inspirational Garden, a Children’s Plant and Play Garden, a Sensory Garden, an Enabling Garden, a Cultural Garden and a Community Garden.
· To promote the spirit of the people of Mississippi in overcoming devastation by the planting and maintenance of these gardens as a symbol of their respect, strength, determination and love for their family, community, state, country and world.
· To develop a base garden and Horticultural Center with satellite gardens maintained by communities throughout the coastal area.
· To provide an area in the base Garden and Horticultural Center dedicated to the generosity and the recognition of individuals and groups from all over the world that are assisting in the recovery, rebuilding and the renewal of Mississippi as well as the development of The Mississippi Renaissance Gardens.
· To offer opportunities for the volunteers to continue their involvement with the gardens through the Garden Angel Sponsorship Program and assist in securing resources from their own local, national or international sources.
· To provide locals and tourists an opportunity to enjoy Mississippi’s beauty and educational opportunities as well as the Renaissance of its southern landscapes.
· To encourage business, civic, casino, school, church, club organizations and individuals to contribute their time, labor, expertise, materials, plants, and financial support to construct and maintain the Gardens and Horticultural Center.
· To allow accessible participation throughout the gardens and center for people of all ages and abilities.
· To educate local officials, residents and communities to work towards creating and preserving green spaces within our communities, and to encourage beautification of existing commercial, neighborhood and city green spaces by offering incentives such as award certificates, site plaques and recognition in local media and on the MRG web site.
· To encourage the transport of visitors to the Gardens and Horticultural Center utilizing public and casino buses and trolleys.
· To offer local educational programs such as horticultural therapy, garden planning as well as environmental conservation taught by experienced volunteers to school students, groups and individuals.
· To provide places for art, photography, plant and environmental exhibits, festivals, concerts, theater, and community celebrations with a commission of any sales going to maintenance of the gardens.
· To develop a resource library of volunteers and businesses to provide information, assistance and materials to individuals and groups wishing to develop neighborhood and home gardens.
Description:The Mississippi Renaissance Garden Foundation, Inc. is not only providing the people of Mississippi and its visitors places to reconnect with the beauty of coastal environments, but also places to celebrate the spirit of the people who are making the renewal possible. As a community outreach program, The MRG is working closely with public schools, colleges, civic and private organizations, businesses, local citizens and tourists to promote humanitarian and environmental respect, productivity and responsibility in safe, peaceful, therapeutic and beautiful coastal environments. It is a non-profit organization funded entirely from grants, trusts, sponsorships and visitor donations. All Mississippi Renaissance Gardens will be open and accessible to the public at no charge. The staff will consist of paid and volunteer personnel.
A Horticultural Center is being planned with classrooms available for community meetings, educational seminars and workshops. A gift shop will sell items such as gardening books, seeds, nature related items, photographs, artwork and plants grown in the Garden. An area will be provided for local artists to exhibit nature-related works with a commission of the sales going to the MRG.
Areas will be available for indoor and outdoor exhibits, art, photography, concerts, festivals, and theater with commissions going to the MRG. Sculptures, donated from throughout the country, will be displayed.
Mississippi is setting a precedent to allow future generations to observe and experience the true meaning of respect, resiliency, generosity, gratitude, hope, determination, southern hospitality and pride in the midst of devastation.
The Mississippi Renaissance Garden Foundation, Inc.is initiating the development of a “Horticulture for Humanity” movement to help return green spaces to areas of the world that are destroyed by natural disasters.
MRG Board Members:
The Mississippi Renaissance Garden will be under the guidance of:
Founder/Executive Director: Martha Sanderson Boyce
Board of Directors: Cassandra Griswold, Amy Nichols LeMein, Lynn McLean, Linda Saxon Nix, Wendy Barthe Peavy, Rose Russell, Cindy Simmons
Board of Advisors: Sherry Bell, Dr. Bob Brzuszek, Arlene Caanan, Dr. Christine Coker, Lucy Denton, Dr. John Guyton, Susan Hunt, Connie Rocko, Dannette Shaw
2/18 The following activities have begun or have been completed:· A site for a model garden has been approved at Hiller Park in Biloxi, MS
· The MRG has been asked to help develop the base garden or a satellite garden in D’Iberville and Diamondhead, Mississippi.
· The MRG has distributed seeds donated by America Responds With Love and soil and cups donated by Wal-Mart to the Biloxi Public Schools on May 15, 2006. Future joint projects are planned.
· Hands On Gulf Coast is helping with site preparation, recruiting, training and coordinating volunteers. Future joint projects are planned.
· The Mississippi Urban Forest Council donated over 300 trees to the MRG for planting in neighborhoods, parks and for individuals.
· COMVEST Prosperities donated $1000 toward the start-up expense of The MRG.
· The process of becoming a non-profit foundation has been initiated.
· Grant applications have been sent to prospective funding sources.
· A professional landscape architect is currently designing garden areas.
· A MRG Demonstration Garden has been planted in the John Henry Beck Park Community Garden in east Biloxi.
· The Tzu Chi Foundation of Atlanta GA planted the first 12 foot Live Oak tree dedicated as The Tzu Chi Recovery Oak Tree on the Playground of the Biloxi Margaret Sherry Library on July 29, 2006 and donated $1000, along with a donation of $196 from their students, to the Mississippi Renaissance Foundation. The tree was donated by Frasier’s Nursery.
· A MRG Bring Back the Beauty Program and a We Care Anti-litter Program are being developed and will be offered to coastal cities.
· The MRG, along with local arborists, Harrison County Beautification Department, Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Main Street Biloxi, Biloxi Parks and Recreation Department are collaborating to restore damaged live oaks on HWY 90 and enhance the entrances to the city of Biloxi.
· Local, state, national and international merchants, organizations, city and county governments have donated funds, items and services toward the development of The Mississippi Renaissance Gardens.
· Book containing information and excerpts from the many recovery workers will be published with proceeds going to The MRG Foundation.
· Community Educational Outreach Programs have begun and volunteer recruitment and training sessions are being conducted throughout the coastal areas.
Labels: green space gardens, katrina, master gardeners, ms
6/30 Bay to benefit with merger of city, volunteer fire departmentsBy J.R. WELSH
HANCOCK COUNTY --
Bay St. Louis is expected to inherit an additional firefighting operation to serve part of the city's newly annexed area under an agreement pending with the county.
Both governments agreed in principle to merge operations of the East Hancock Volunteer Fire District with the Bay St. Louis Fire Department. The East Hancock department is located near the intersection of Washington Street and Chapman Drive.
The deal would be a windfall for Bay St. Louis. Until now, the East Hancock department has collected a 4-mill tax from homeowners and businesses in the area, and reportedly has more than $400,000 in cash that would go to the city. The department's separate millage collection should cease once the department becomes part of the city, said Hancock County Assessor/Collector Jimmie Ladner Jr.
The department also has three fire trucks and property for a new station planned on Highway 603.
The East Hancock department has 23 firefighters, all volunteers. Although city councilmen and county supervisors apparently favor the merger, the district's top firefighter said the department was unaware of the agreement.
"This was a big surprise to us," East Hancock Fire Chief A.J. Arceneaux said Wednesday.
He said the fire district had considered using its cash surplus to operate the department another two or three years.
The department provides fire protection to an area running north to the Bayou La Croix bridge. Formerly under county jurisdiction, the area has since been annexed. The exact number of residents living there since Hurricane Katrina is not known.
Attorneys are now beginning work on a merger agreement. "We're just starting the process," said Hancock County Attorney Ronnie Artigues. "So far, all the communication has been between the fire department and the city of Bay St. Louis."
The merger comes at a time of top leadership dearth for the Bay St. Louis Fire Department.
Fire Chief Robert Gavagnie recently announced his retirement and no recommendation for a replacement has come before the City Council.
Details also remain sketchy on staffing the city's new operation once the merger occurs. It's unclear whether some of the volunteer department members will be rolled into the city department.
The county previously made a parcel of land available for the East Hancock department to build a new fire station on Highway 603, near the county Child Development Center. That property also would become part of the merger.
"There was a plan to put the station in," Arceneaux said. "All we're going to do now is give them the blueprints, I imagine."
6/27 A note from their Chief:Just a note to give you the bad news... The East Hancock FD will be shutting down operations on 01 September 2007, having served continously since 1978. All services are to be supplied by the City of Bay St. Louis from that point on.
Many of our members will continue to serve the communities with the Bayside, Clermont Harbor and West Hancock Departments.
I thank you for your support since the storm and for your heartfelt service and dedication to the people of Hancock County. Please know that you have made a major and lasting difference in many lives!
Thanks again,
Bob
Come by our temporary station at 10316 Chapman Road, Bay St. Louis, call 228-466-3932 or email
admin@east-hancock-fd.comEast Hancock Fire Department is a MS Insurance Comission Class "8" rated district, the highest rating an all volunteer department can attain.
Our personnel are constantly striving to further their knowledge and training as well as obtaining state of the art equipment to better serve our community and neighbors. Our people come from all walks of life and believe in "giving back to the community".
Our Department provides 1st out Mutual Aid to the Bayside, Cleremont Harbor and West Hancock Fire Departments, as well as the Cities of Bay St. Louis and Waveland.
3/6 New From Bob - A Plea For His County:
Now imagine going through your own town... and nothing is, as you knew it was yesterday. You have no grocery stores. They all closed overnight. IF you want groceries, get on the interstate and drive 20 miles. Restaurants? Yep they're out there. But they've had to raise their prices drastically. Remember your 250% insurance increase? Business' insurance rose almost 1500%! Not to mention that the labor pool has diminished. Oh ya, we have all kinds of people here now, but few actually lived here prior to the storm. There’s all kinds of panhandlers, fly by night contractors, drug dealers from the northern reaches that relocated to the land of opportunity... Can you imagine McDonald's paying a $500 sign on bonus and $200 per week bonus for staying with them? And they still have trouble hiring! All the local folk who can and want to work are. Many of the people in my town claiming "no jobs" aren't from here. That's another part that's eating people up... what little is left of the town that we knew is being scooped up by out-of-towners for condos, casinos and "high end" use. Locals are being priced out of what's left of their ancestral homes.
So yes, depression and despair is still a problem. People are tired of others trying to take advantage of their situation, and being screwed by the system. Quite a few have smoked gun barrels. Others have just given up and died. Others still have aged 20 years in less than a year and a half.
Fire companies from all over have done admirable work in Harrison County, to the point of helping members of full time Departments rebuild their homes. But this hasn't spread into the volunteer community. We've been pretty much left out of the loop for government and private assistance other than what HOO did (when it was really HOO) and the "Adopt a Firehouse Program". The full time departments in Hancock County (all 3) received cash grants from DuPont and a few other corporations. The 9 volunteer Departments did not.
I am not complaining, by any means. The kindness shown by the organizations that have helped us out is phenomenal and I am extremely grateful that they found a place in their hearts for us. The need is still there, and that's the point that needs to be made.
New Orleans ain't the only place hurting!
From Florida all the way through Texas, Katrina and Rita killed maimed and ruined people. Homes, Towns and Families will NEVER be the same again. Even in my own state, the attitude in the northern end, with the exception of those who came here and saw firsthand, is "get on with your life; it's been a year and a half". Sure.... glad to... show me how.
First, let me say that I personally am in good shape. I just need to be able to talk about things to keep my sanity levels on an even keel. As far as the Departments go, I can give a reasonable breakdown of the ones in the southern (below Interstate 10). In the Northern end, they’re in pretty good shape to the best of my knowledge, and their names are also listed in here. I can’t say enough about the offers your making, and what they mean to me.
SOUTHERN HANCOCK COUNTY:-
West Hancock Fire Protection District – Their station is unusable. They have a pole barn (a lean-to made from light poles and corrugated tin) to shelter the apparatus. Their Apparatus is in good shape, and I believe their main need is in general operating costs i.e. fuel etc.
- Claremont Harbor – They lost it all, with the exception of 1 engine. They have 2 donated engines, no station and are basically working out of the Chief’s house. Manning is the biggest problem in their area, and operating costs. Their station was washed out to sea.
- Bayside Volunteer Fire Dept. – They’re in good shape. Rockaway Beach FD (NY) has donated a pumper and tanker to them, and their station is rebuilt. Their biggest problem now is that they’re damn near broke.
- East Hancock Fire Protection District – We have our original engines, but they’re plagued with “Katrina-itis”. They took 4 feet of salt water and the electronic controls for the pumps and transmissions are temperamental at best. We did have a great pumper from CT that was our mainstay, but it was wrecked in a response. The insurance settlement went into replacing other gear we needed. On loan from West Hancock are our Snorkel and an ambulance that we’ve converted into a rescue/command/rehab unit. We could surely use a surplus pumper with at least 1000 gpm and 750 gal tank capacity that has some life left in it. Our station was washed away, and we’re working out of a Corps of Engineers trailer. (Pics are in my “Katrina” folder here)
- Bay St. Louis FD (Municipal) – They have 3 working pumpers, a rescue and are moving into a new house. Individual aid to the members can be used however. Chief Bobby Gavigne can give better details than I can.
- Waveland FD (Municipal) – Received 4 new pumpers and have 2 donated. No stations yet that I’ve heard of and are working out of temporary digs. Needs no known.
In the north end of the county, they lost no equipment that I’m aware of, and have received donations of equipment and supplies. Here they are;
- Diamondhead Fire Dept. (combination)
- Fenton Fire District
- Kiln Fire District
- Post 58 Fire District
- Leetown Fire District
If you can help, please contact the chiefs - they're listed below:
EHFD, Chief Alan Sekinger, Asst. Chief Zeke Hall, 228-466-3932
Bay St. Louis FD, Chief Bobby Gavigne, 228-467-4736
Bayside FD, Asst. Chief Billy Mooneyham, 228-467-5020
West Hancock Fire & Rescue, Chief Kim Jones, 228-533-7847
If any agency is willing to adopt a firehouse, please feel free to get hold of one that I’ve listed, I know they’d appreciate the support.
My main
fear this year is in the wildland areas. The timber that cmae down in the county has been curing for better than a year. Some areas are damn near impenetrable as it's stacked so deep. With the fire history of the last 18 months, it could get extremely interesting this spring and summer. We've had to use 90% of the assets in the southern end of this county on just ONE fire. I posted about that on the old site.
Don’t underestimate my appreciation for your support and concern. Being able to talk here has been a mainstay in my dealing with both the storm and its aftereffects. Seeing so much disappear, and so many deaths is less than a 12 hour span, as well as seeing all the lingering effects doing so much to my friends and neighbors is taking a toll. I had very little gray hair before the storm. It’s almost white now.
I’m going to make it. I’m too damn stubborn not to. I have, very probably, the finest available support group and corps of concerned friends and family that anyone can ask for. All of you.
Thank you for that.
Bob.
2/17 From Bob himself! He sounds like a very nice man...
Our main needs right now are for a decent pumper truck, with a 750 to 1000 gallon tank. Age is unimportant. We had a wonderful unit from CT that unfortunately was involved in an accident and was totaled out by the insurance people. The bucks from that went to our Board of Commissioners, and it's gone into other equipment. Our older units were nickel and dimeing us to death, and were taken over by a small Arkansas department that literally had nothing to work with. Kim Jones (Chief, West Hancock FD) has allowed us the use of
Tower 1, and another ambulance for use as a
rescue unit.
Fuel - 1000 gal/mo.Administrative items (you know the drill)Donations for a new "real" station house.Our people are getting back on their feet, and household items are in reasonably good supply. There's still many needy people that can use them, and the collection units that you've seen to date, as well as the Hancock County food pantry would welcome them.
I actually found your site by accident, while scanning through looking for pictures other than what I already had. I rode the storm out in my house, and was swimming in my living room (7 feet of water) trying to keep our 4 German Shepherds alive. We took the wind fine ( the house also made it through Camille) but never in our lives expected a 40 foot wall of water to smack our town. As far as the immediate aftermath, our people were doing whatever they could, to the point of giving away our own medications to those that needed the same meds and dosages. After 3 weeks, I finally evacuated with my wife and critters, only to take sick with over 20 staph infections, all antibiotic resistant. Fun, fun, fun...
I just got back into my house 2 days before Christmas. The workmanship was terrible, and we got shafted by our contractor as so many down here have been. But life goes on, and it's improving slowly but surely.
This well known photo shows a rescue that occured during the height of Hurricane KATRINA,
directly accross US Highway 90, from the Hancock County E.O.C. located at the courthouse annex.
Amoung the rescuers in this photo are, Former Asst. Chief Billy Mooneyham, then Captain Steve
LaRocque, and Firefighter Wade Hicks of the EHFD. Also amoung the rescuers were members of
the Bayside Fire District, Bay St. Louis Police Department, and the Hancock County Sheriff's Office
Labels: bay st louis, hancock county, katrina, ms, volunteer fire, waveland
MDOT Faces Serious Manpower ShortageThis week, one road crew is tackling a major project in Jackson County. The workers are clearing the shoulders along Highway 63. But since the maintenance team has lost half its staff, it had to scramble to scrape up enough workers.
"We have eight people in Jackson County, plus three floating crews," said Tracy Woods, MDOT Area Superintendent for Jackson, George and Stone Counties. "We have to combine them, floating crews, and some other counties to have enough personnel to complete the job."
"We're shorthanded and it's giving us a problem," said Wayne Brown, Southern District Transportation Commissioner.
Brown says the manpower shortage is a growing problem across South Mississippi.
"In Hancock County, we have eight positions, but we have four employees, " Brown said.
Brown blames the problem on wages that he says are not very competitive, especially after Katrina.
"It's because of primarily of pay," Brown said. "They can go do hurricane relief, repairs and make more money. The construction industry down here is booming. You see signs all over the coast looking for help. We've always had a problem, but it's especially crucial now."
Brown says until the pay goes up and his maintenance jobs are filled, people will have to put up with the messy roadways.
"You'll see a pothole that may stay there a little longer, a downed sign may take a little longer being put back, a little more debris out there on the road," said Brown. "It's those things that really affect how we perceive our highways."
"It's like trying to put a Band-Aid on a cut," said Tracy Woods. "We're just doing what we can with what we have."
Wayne Brown says his maintenance employees currently make a little more than $8.00 an hour. This year, he's asking the State Legislature and Department of Finance to allow him to pay his staff an additional $2,000 to $3,000 a year.
Labels: Article, hancock county, jobs, ms
More on HC Skin Infections
POSTED: 6:03 pm CST January 18, 2007
BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. -- State Department of Health officials are investigating bizarre skin lesions and blisters reported by many storm-relief volunteers working in Hancock County.
The department's district medical director, Robert Travnivcek, said for the past several months, health officials have collected evidence and interviewed workers.
Travnivcek said epidemiologists will determine whether the lesions are part of a disease outbreak, a rise in a common infection or simply a coincidence involving unrelated volunteers, who are all working in Hancock County and bothered by similar afflictions.
A nurse practitioner in the emergency room at Hancock Medical Center, Shana Blakeny, said they've been seeing patients with rashes and sores for a long time.
Blakeny said some sores have been large enough to ooze fluid, that is then collected and tested in a local lab.
She said often the results have shown a Staph infection, which can range from a minor skin lesion to life-threatening bloodstream disorders.
The cause of Staph infections is a common bacterium that usually lives on the skin or in the nose. The bacterium gets into the body through a cut or medical incision.
She said the county has dealt with this for about five years but the situation has gotten worse since Hurricane Katrina.
Blakeny said it's likely locals are suffering from the same type of lesions, but have become more accustomed to the infection.
Labels: Article, hancock county, infections, ms, staph
MS Home of Your Own
Mississippi Home of Your Own (HOYO), an award-winning program of the University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies, will sponsor a free, one-day home buyer education workshop
Jan. 27 for residents with or without disabilities in Hancock and surrounding counties.
The workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hancock County Housing Resource One Stop Center at 640 U.S. 90 in Waveland. HOYO focuses on creating a support system that identifies potential homebuyers, analyzes their housing needs and financial capacity and prepares them for home ownership.
Applicants of the HOYO program must attend homebuyer education seminars to be considered for financial assistance in buying a home. For more information or to preregister for the free home buyer education seminar, call the Hattiesburg office of the Institute for Disability Studies toll free at (888) 671-0051.
Labels: hancock county, homebuyer, ms, waveland
Gang Activity Increasing
From Jenni
Gang activity contributing to increased Hancock crime rateBy DWAYNE BREMER
You may have never heard of the Gangsta Disciples, Crips, Simon City Royals, or Latin Kings, but these and other street gangs have caught the attention of law enforcement officials in Hancock County.Over the past year, gang activity has been suspected in numerous crimes in the county, including drive-by-shootings, burglaries, armed robberies, and drug activity, officials said.
"The federal government says any group of more than three is a gang," Chief Investigator Kenny Hurt said Thursday. While most officials do not consider the gang problem in the county a major problem, it is becoming a growing epidemic among the area's youth.
"The Youth Court has had numerous referrals on juveniles who are involved in gangs," Youth Court Administrator Chere Hayward said Thursday. "I believe parents need to be aware that there are actual gangs in our county."
Hayward said there are several signs parents can look for to see if their child is possibly involved in gang activity. She said items such as adding or deleting a primary color in a youth wardrobe, drawing signs or symbols on books or in their room, signs of drug abuse, and increased amounts of money or material possessions without any explanation, could all point to possible gang activity.
Currently, there is a feud between rival gang members in the Lakeshore and Shoreline communities, officials said.
The Shoreline group goes by the nickname "The Shoreline Soldiers," and the Lakeshore group is known as "The Posse," one youth told the Echo.
Both of the group are affiliated with major street gangs such as the "Simon City Royals," (SCR), a gang formed in the streets of Chicago decades ago.
Members of the SCR wear blue, a similar color to the "Crips" a street gang formed in California.
"Monitoring gangs is difficult," Hurt said. "The gangs are the cause of a lot of fights, and trouble making. Most of it is small groups who want to do some dirt."
Hayward warned that even though some consider gang members here may be considered "wanta-bees" they are still capable of causing considerable problems."If someone says they are in a gang, then the gang is here," she said.Gang activity has also been suspected in jail violence. Officials at the Pearl River County Jail said this week that some accusations of officers assaulting inmates are really related to violence among inmates themselves.
"There is intimidation going on between the inmates," Pearl River Chief Deputy Julie Flowers said Thursday. "It is not necessarily gang-related, although some of the members are in gangs. Some of the stronger inmates try to take over the cell, and they have to be placed in lock down."
She said separating the inmates has caused a dramatic drop in the violence.
Officials said the same principal may be true among gangs on the street, as arrests may cut the leadership of the gangs.
Hurt believes the current conditions in the county may be causing more youths to turn towards the gangs.
Hayward urges parents to get more involved.
"There are a number of websites that can provide parents information," she said. "The most important thing a parent can do is get involved in your child's life, make them feel loved and give them a sense of belonging so they don't seek it elsewhere."
Labels: Article, gang violence, hancock county, katrina, ms
P. O. Box 455 Bryn Athyn, PA 19009-0455Charity In Action is a humanitarian and emergency services collaborative. It was founded as a grass-roots response to Hurricane Katrina. Conceived as a way to combine and leverage the commitment of many individual volunteers in coordination with established aid agencies as well as state and local governments, its goal has been to bring rapid relief to areas where there is unmet need, and to continue assistance into the recovery and rebuilding phases.
Charity In Action seeks to identify the greatest needs and to respond. We provide volunteer service work and necessary goods. We do not offer financial grants.
We try to maximize our effectiveness and conserve resources by:communicating needs to a broad base of supporters
organizing donation drives and packing and transporting donated goods
contacting potential partners to solicit direct donations of goods or services to our beneficiaries
raising funds, and seeking discounted rates through competitive bids on goods and services we must purchase
using volunteer labor whenever possible.
Charity In Action is run by an all-volunteer staff and board.Donate:By check or money order:
Donations may be mailed to:
Charity In Action
P. O. Box 455
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009-0455
Your donation is federal income tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Please include your name and address if you would like a receipt. You may also donate (securely) through the website.
Joining Our List of Volunteers:If you are interested in doing volunteer work for Charity In Action, please send an email to
Volunteers and you will be contacted for further information.
Becoming a Partner:We welcome other businesses and non-profits that would like to work together and share in our mission. If your organization can donate goods or services directly to our beneficiaries, or offer special discounts to us when we purchase items for them, please contact the Director, Frank Vagnone, at
frank.vagnone.
Thank You!
1/30Charity In Action is sponsoring a service trip by Bryn Athyn College of the New Church to help with Hurricane Katrina recovery. 14 students and 4 adults will go to Pearlington, MS in late February 2007 to spend a week working on the rebuilding effort.While CiA is subsidizing a large portion of the cost per student, as well as paying for tools and supplies for the rebuilding projects, the students are working hard on raising additional funds themselves.
Their main fundraiser is a raffle. If you would like to support the students making this trip, and you live close enough to Bryn Athyn, PA to enjoy the prize, please consider
purchasing raffle tickets from them.
Prize: Dinner for four in the tower at Glencairn Museum (fully catered, five-course dinner), as well as a private behind-the-scenes tour of Glencairn with Museum Director Stephen Morley
Ticket Price: $10 Drawing: May 5, 2007 (at Bryn Athyn College Fun Fair)
Benefits: 85% of proceeds go to C.A.R.E., the Bryn Athyn College community service organization, to support service trips.
15% goes to the Glencairn Museum Fund to help subsidize the cost of educational trips to the museum.
To purchase tickets,
contact Hannah Simons at 267-502-2829 or email hannah.simons@brynathyn.edu.
To see more about Pearlington, MS, visit
http://www.prcvolunteers.blogspot.com/or read a recent Washington Post article at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/27/AR2007012701154.htmlFor more information on Bryn Athyn College see
http://www.brynathyn.edu/To learn more about Glencairn Museum visit
http://www.glencairnmuseum.org/.
12/5
We have continued to supply needed items for the Hancock County Distribution Warehouse. In September we purchased a truckload of bottled water – a total of 36,480 ½-liter bottles! These are used both for volunteer workers and for residents whose well water is unfit to drink. In October we bought 400 sheets of drywall with jointing compound and tape, 37 doors, and 30 insulated windows. These are distributed to people trying to rebuild their homes. Case managers coordinate the process, examining the circumstances of individuals and deciding where the need is greatest.
Unfortunately the Warehouse has lost its government funding and has to close in December, which puts some of the people who worked there out of a job. Several of these people plan to transfer their center of operations to the PowerHouse of Deliverance Ministry in Bay St. Louis, so that they can keep up the good work.
Charity In Action’s newest project for the future is helping young people to get involved in service. For the next three years we plan to support Bryn Athyn College in sending student service trips to work in the hurricane-damaged area. The next trip will be in spring 2007, and Charity In Action has pledged to subsidize a large portion of the cost per student and to give additional funds for building materials.
Charity In Action remains an all-volunteer organization. In this way we minimize our operating costs although we must still cover legal, tax accounting, insurance, information technology, and miscellaneous expenses. By maintaining our structure we can be ready to mobilize and respond quickly in the event of another major disaster.
Our donors and our volunteers make this possible. Thank you!
Labels: charity in action, donate, hancock county, katrina, ms, recovery, relief, volunteer
Donations to Katrina relief are tax deductible. Make checks payable to "LSSDR." Donations are used to purchase building materials, tools and supplies as well as donations that directly benefit those displaced by the storm.
Mail To:Camp Victor
Attention: Jon Biggs
1515 Government Street.
Ocean Springs, MS 39564-3825
Christus Victor Church, located in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, became a hurricane disaster response center for communities along the Gulf Coast from Pascagoula to Ocean Springs to Biloxi within days of Hurricane Katrina making landfall in August 2005. The hurricane caused damage to thousands of homes along the Mississippi coast. They were damaged, destroyed or made uninhabitable. There continues to be a great need to provide interim services to hurricane victims (food and supplies) and to aid in the clean-up, repair, and re-construction of damaged homes.
During the months that followed Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the church's walls were stretched trying to accommodate the regular church services and activities, as providing office space for case management and housing and feeding thousands of volunteers.
In June 2006, we moved our operations to Camp Victor, a new facility inside a former factory. The larger space allowed us to consolidate all our departments under one roof.
Camp Victor is a ministry of Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response and Lutheran Disaster Response.
Camp Victor (a ministry of Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response) has a number of services to help those displaced or otherwise effected by Hurricane Katrina. If you have specific needs, come talk to one of our case workers, who will attempt to help you in whatever manner we can. We also have a number of more general services, including:
Distribution of Food and SuppliesHouse and Yard Cleanup, Drywall Installation, RepairsOur Distribution Center provides supplies to about one hundred and fifty families per day, with an expenditure averaging $10,000 per day. If you are able to help with this cost, please see our
current needs page for information on donations.
For donations of physical goods contact Bob Montgomery in the Distribution Center at 228-860-7266, or
bbmonty@mindspring.comFood Kits
With the following items, you can create food kits that will feed a family of 4 for 3 days. Items not currently listed here are already well-stocked (cereal, cookies, peanut butter, box milk). We will add these items to your food boxes
• oatmeal (1 med canister)
• breakfast bars 2 boxes
• juice: 2 ea 46 oz. jugs or 10 pack of juice boxes
• 4 cans canned fruit
• 4 cans/packs chicken
• 2 cans meat
• 1 bottle grape jelly/strawberry jam
• 2 boxes pasta
• 1 bag rice
• Mac & cheese
• rice mixes
• canned meals (i.e., Chef Boyardee)
• 4 cans soup
• 6 cans vegetables
• 2 cans baked beans
• snacks: box of bars, crackers, puddings, etc.
First Aid Kits
• adhesive bandages
• antiseptic ointments
• cortisone cream
• OTC medications
• triple antibiotic cream
• aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen
• tweezers
• adhesive tape
• gauze pads
Hygiene Kits - Adult• deodorant
• shampoo
• razors
• shaving gel/cream for men and women
• liquid hand soap
• hand & bath soap
• feminine hygiene products
• hand sanitizer
Hygiene Kits - Infant
• diaper wipes
• baby shampoo
• diaper rash cream
• baby wash
• baby lotion
• baby powder
• Vaseline jelly
Other Needs• face, hand & bath towels
• disposable tissues
• paper towels
• toilet paper
• insect repellant
• sun block
• 1/2 liter bottled water (for volunteer work crews)
• cleaning supplies - bleach, laundry detergent, liquid dish soap, cleanser, all purpose cleaners
Labels: camp victor, donate, katrina, ms, recovery, relief, volunteer
Buy A Cotton Throw
Found by Karen
Eight years ago, artist in residence, Henry Gonzales created a drawing that captured the beauty and magic of Bay St. Louis. That drawing was put on a beautiful blanket that immediately became popular with locals and visitors alike. The late artist and his widow, Yvette, graciously donated the rights to his artwork to Hope Haven Shelter (
http://www.hopehavenshelter.org/annual.html - scroll down)
to be used as a means to raise money for the shelter. Hundreds of throws were sold when they first came out, maybe as many as 3,000 between 1998 and 2002. We stopped ordering them in 2003 because the sales fell and the price for a minimum order was several thousands of dollars, and we just couldn't justify tying that much money up. But now, because of Katrina, we have tested the waters once again with a small order, and found that people love them as much as they did before. So many of the people who owned them before had lost them in the storm and were thrilled to learn they could replace them.
The throws come in three colors, red, hunter green and deep blue and have scenes from all around the Bay: sadly, some that no longer exist except in our memories. They are a good size and 100% cotton and make wonderful Christmas gifts or gifts for the volunteers who come to help rebuild. Throws are available for purchase at C.J.s. restaurant in the historic Depot District or you may contact us directly. The total price is $45.00 each or $40.00 on multiple orders. I have several that I purchased when they first came out and I still use them to cuddle up with while watching TV. (from Terry)
They really are great and they honor a city that is "A Place Apart"…
Contact Hope Haven Shelter at:
PO Box 3777Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39521
228-466-6395
Email:
Children@hopehavenshelter.org1/14 - yes, Terry said people can order through the Pay Pal Account online. $45 + 10 in shipping. I emailed Terry to see if folks could order these through Hope Havens existing Pay Pal account. Will let you know when I know!LLabels: afghan, bay st louis, buy an item, donate, katrina, ms
Lakeshore and Clermont Harbor eye incorporation
By DWAYNE BREMERDec 1, 2006, 17:36
Residents of the Lakeshore and Clermont Harbor communities met Tuesday evening to discuss the incorporation issue at a town hall meeting held in the garage of the Lakeshore Body Shop.
The meeting was run by Attorney Donald Rafferty who gave a presentation and answered questions from the crowd of about 150 residents.
Rafferty is a defense attorney and the city attorney for the city of Bay St. Louis. He has also represented the Paradise Property group which wants to develop high-rise condos in the Lakeshore area. He said Tuesday he has been working with a group of residents from the Lakeshore and Clermont area about the possibility of the two communities becoming one city.
"We are here to see if we have enough interest to form another city on the west end of Hancock County," he said. "So many people have wanted to get involved in this so far."
He explained that before the idea of becoming a city could even get off the ground a petition must be signed by at least two thirds of the registered voters of the area.
He said election rolls show there are about 1,400 voters in the Lakeshore, Clermont, and Ansley areas.Former Supervisor Jerry Ladner said about 500 signatures have been obtained so far, and he believes the two-thirds number can be reached.
"We have to find out where these people are," Ladner said. "Once we do that I think we can get the signatures. Me personally, I would like to leave everything the same, but we can't do that. If we do not do this, then Waveland will annex us."
Despite several attempts by Rafferty and Ladner to convince residents that an annexation from Waveland is imminent, some residents did not understand the reasons behind incorporation.
"Why do we need all this stuff," Wilbur Lafleur asked. "Are we not living the life we want? I ain't signing no petition."
Resident Russell Lafontaine responded by repeating the theme of the evening.
"If we do not form our own city, we are going to be a part of Waveland."
Rafferty said he has gotten assurances from Waveland officials that the city is not looking to take over the area; however, he said the city's actions point to a different story.
He said the new Silver Slipper Casino would be attractive to a city and he said Waveland has been putting gas and water lines in the Lakeshore and Clermont areas to provide utility services
."We need to ask ourselves now, do we want to be our own city or reach into our pockets to fight them (Waveland) or just let them take it?" he asked.
Waveland Mayor Tommy Longo said Wednesday his city is not looking at annexing the Lakeshore and Clermont areas right now, and that leaders of the area are using "scare tactics" to try to convince the residents to incorporate.
"We have never been invited to one of these meetings," Longo said. "We have not had the chance to respond. We just got a whole bunch of property. We want to help the people of Lakeshore and Clermont out, but we have our hands full right now." He said the decision to put gas and utility services in the area was on request of the casino and was a prudent decision.
"The casino is our first customer," he said. "We got our certification just prior to the storm. They are in bad shape in Clermont and Lakeshore and we are just trying to help them out."
Rafferty said the area would greatly benefit from being incorporated into a city.
He said the area would receive 18.5 percent of the sales tax generated in the area, would be eligible for tidelands and road grants, and residents would see a dramatic drop in fire insurance rates.
He said if the signatures were obtained then it may costs between $30,000 to $75,000 to fund the tasks of becoming a city.
"It is going to cost money to hire a planner, an expert witness, and cost costs," he said. "If you have to fight an annexation battle, it is going to cost a lot more."
He said the community could raise the necessary money through private and corporate donations, as well as possibly having fundraisers.
One citizen asked if the area would lose county services if it were to incorporate.
Rafferty said the county is still obligated to provide services if it is requested and he pointed to D'Iberville as an example of a city with county services.
"D'Iberville incorporated in 1988," he said. "Today it is a thriving city. They contract the police service to the sheriff's department."
Rafferty also said city's are given road and bridge money from the county, as well.
Labels: Article, claremont harbor, hancock county, katrina, ms
Flu Shots and Health Screening
Adult Screenings Offered:
Cholesterol
Blood Pressure
Glucose(for those adults who have fasted)
Adult screening are offered once a month for Foot Sensation and Stroke screening
IMMUNIZATIONS FOR CHILDREN UP TO AND INCLUDING AGE 18:DTP
Hepatitis B
Hib
MMR
Polio
Meningitis
Varicella*
Pediatric DT
Influenza (seasonal)
Prevnar
Tetanus
* We administer the Varicella (chicken pox) vaccine at the hospital due to the necessity of refrigeration limitations.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:228-867-4246
228-867-5210
Thanks
Dianna
Case Coordinator
HCLTRC
Labels: hancock county, health screening, katrina, ms
Pickin Up The Pieces - GA
You can contact us at
linda@pickinupthepieces.orgPickin' Up the Pieces Relief Corp
P.O. Box 9634
Savannah, Georgia 31412
1.12 - They ended up having more donors than Angels to adopt! How wonderful! 240 children taken care of. Woohoo!It was great. We ended up servicing 280 with the help of the Stennis Rotary Club. All of our Angels got adopted out and we also had 6 families. We ran out of Angels to adopt:-)
12/2
Hi Again...
Some of you have asked about whether we were planning a trip over the holidays...the answer is YES!
December 26 - 30. Anyone wishing to finish out the 2006 year making a difference in the lives of those affected by Katrina are welcome to join us. Please visit our website under "How You Can Help" at http://www.pickinupthepieces.org/ for more information.
Linda EdwardsVolunteers Wanted to Help Rebuild a TownPickin' Up the Pieces (PUP) is working in conjunction with
Walton County Florida's Habitat for Humanity and
New Hope Construction (NHC) to help rebuild the Town of Pearlington, MS and other areas of Hancock Co. Hancock County is ground zero of Hurricane Katrina. Both organizations are currently working to provide for the citizens of that county. Pickin' Up the Pieces is assisting Walton Co. Florida Habitat for Humanity and New Hope Construction by organizing groups of volunteers to travel to the devastated area to help in this effort.
We are currently seeking both skilled and unskilled volunteers that are interested in participating in one week rotations. It has been a meaningful experience to those who have come to the area and served in the many different capacities. It is very humbling to work along side with someone who has lost their homes. People who have been involved with Katrina disaster relief say that their lives will forever be changed. We are committed to giving our brothers and sisters hope. We plan to continue working in this area to help these precious people rebuild their lives.
If you are interested in serving in Hancock County, please contact us. In the weeks and months ahead we are going to need skilled people in almost every area.
You can contact us at
linda@pickinupthepieces.org .
Our Spring Basket Project netted 79 Baskets!!!We had 9 volunteers participate in our May trip. While there we worked at the volunteer center in Kiln, MS (
http://www.campcoastaloutpost.org/ ) dismantling a hardware store next to the camp and salvaging materials to be re-used in reconstruction, finishing off the construction of a "pole barn" used to house donated goods that were previously covered only by tarps, helping the camp with "kitchen duty" in preparing meals to be served to other volunteers and gutting a home in Pearlington, Ms. In addition to our volunteer work, we also delivered 79 Spring Baskets filled with hand held vacuums, tool kits, gift cards, toys, pamper products, cookbooks, utensils, etc. to the staff and families of Charles B. Murphy Elementary school in Pearlington. The recipients of our baskets were very grateful, and it was truly a blessing to see their faces as they were picking up their goodies. I want to extend A HUGE THANK YOU for all that participated and donated items to make this project the success that it was.
Labels: donate, hancock county, ms, pearlington, volunteer
1/15The 18th Annual Mississippi Coastal Cleanup took place on Saturday, September 16, 2006. About 3,200 volunteers collected over
Volunteers collected 63,111 pounds of trash—that’s more than 31.5 tons of marine debris—
including 4 dump truckloads of marine debris too large to fit in trash bags, such as the two
refrigerators found on Deer Island along 147 miles of MS Gulf Coast and barrier islands. Other items collected were: tires, a car battery, a television, two riding lawn mowers, tires, 8-track tapes, a kitchen cabinet door, ceramic serving dishes, a bundle of foreign mail, a swim fin, wooden pallets, Princess Diana Royal wedding commemorative coin, two cars, a Tennessee Williams novel, and boxer shorts. (
2006 final results) The cleanup, which usually focuses on the Coast's mainland and barrier island beaches and waterways, has expanded to include lakes, rivers, marshes, bayous, estuaries, and other watershed locations in the marine waters extending as far north as Interstate 10.
This year's cleanup included more than 40 sites in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.Cleanup zone captains supply volunteers with trash bags, data cards, pencils, and plastic gloves. Each zone captain wears a yellow zone captain T-shirt so that volunteers can easily spot them on cleanup day.
Please feel free to print out the
data card and read it over. On cleanup day, each pair of volunteers will receive a data card like this to identify the trash they pick up. You must complete the data card and turn it in to your zone captain to receive your thank you gift. Zone captains may also wish to have a look at the
Zone Captain's Handbook (14 MB!). We also have a
data card in Spanish for our Hispanic volunteers!
If you are interested in advertising the Cleanup, we invite you to print out and post these
flyers and
posters. Please remember to obtain permission before advertising on someone's property!
Take the pledge to help clean up our coast next year on September 15, 2007! Download the official
pledge form, fill it out, and fax it back to us! This pledge form is required for those under the age of 21. It is optional, but encouraged, for our adult volunteers.
9/1 - Update From WQRZPaddlers Wanted at Grand Bay Reserve for Coastal CleanupBring your canoe or kayak and get ready to paddle for a cleaner Coast on Saturday, Sept. 16, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GNDNERR), as part of the 18th annual Mississippi Coastal Cleanup. Participants who bring their own canoes and kayaks will be provided with the equipment needed to pick up trash along Bayou Heron.
A limited number of canoes are available for volunteers (7 years of age and older) to use. Volunteers must call 475-7047 and sign up in advance to reserve a canoe. Cleanup participants who do not have access to a boat are also needed to clean up the area adjacent to the Bayou Heron Boat Launch. People of all ages are invited to join the staff of the GNDNERR in the cleaning up of the reserve. Children 12 and under are reminded that they must wear a life jacket if they are cleaning the bayou from a boat. Please bring insect spray, sunscreen and a pair of work gloves, if possible. Wearing closed-toed shoes is also recommended.
BILOXI, Miss.–Calling all boaters! The Mississippi Marine Debris Task Force is searching for volunteers with boats to aid in the island portion of the 18th Annual Mississippi Coastal Cleanup to be held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Private boaters are needed for cleanup of Petit Bois Island, Deer Island and the west end and southern tip of Cat Island. Boaters must sign up in advance to participate. To volunteer for Cat and Petit Bois islands call Terry Wildy at 875-9057, ext. 111 or Carol Loew at 875-9057, ext. 108. For Deer Island call Susan Perkins at 523-4051.
Participants in the Grand Bay NERR cleanup should meet at the Grand Bay Reserve office, located at 6005 Bayou Heron Road in southeast Jackson County 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. on the day of the cleanup to sign in and receive their cleanup supplies. Participants are encouraged to call the GNDNERR office at (228) 475-7047 to pre-register and to receive additional details regarding the cleanup. A free drawstring backpack and “Stash Your Trash” awareness bracelet will be given to everyone who participates in the cleanup while supplies last. Children are welcome and encouraged to participate in the cleanup but must be accompanied by an adult.
After the cleanup, there will be a picnic for all Jackson County Coastal Cleanup participants at The Shed Barbeque in Ocean Springs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., only on the day of the event. Cleanup participants will need to show their lunch ticket to receive a free lunch.
The GBNERR is located near the community of Pecan in southeast Jackson County and includes wild lands and waterways from Bangs Lake to the Alabama state line. A major goal of the reserve is to provide for research coordination and dissemination of scientific data to the community and local decision-makers to provide sound information on which to base management decisions.
The 18,000-acre reserve is home to several rare plant and animal species and serves as an essential nursery habitat for numerous important commercial and recreational fish species. GNDNERR is managed through state-federal partnership between the DMR and its local partners: Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mississippi State University, The Nature Conservancy, The University of Southern Mississippi and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—MORE—
The Mississippi Coastal Cleanup is sponsored by the Mississippi Marine Debris Task Force, which is made up of representatives from Allied Waste Services; Chevron Pascagoula Refinery; Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve; Gulf Islands National Seashore; Hancock County Chamber of Commerce; Hancock Insurance; Harrison County Beautification; Harrison County Sand Beach Department; Home Depot; Jackson County Solid Waste; Keesler Air Force Base; Mississippi Air National Guard CRTC-Gulfport; Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium; Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality; Mississippi Department of Marine Resources; Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College; Mississippi State University Coastal Research & Extension Center; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Naval Construction Battalion Center; Naval Station Pascagoula; Office of Congressman Gene Taylor; Office of the Mississippi Secretary of State; Outback Steakhouse; Rotary International District 6840 and Sea Coast Echo.
Co-sponsors (in-kind donations) include: Allen Beverages, Inc.; Applewhite Industries; The Bay Press; Beverage Association of Mississippi; Cellular South; City of Biloxi; Coast Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Inc.; Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Consolidated; The Dive Shop; First American Printing and Direct Mail; K99FM, Magic 93.7, 92.5 Hallelujah, and News Radio 104.9; Lamar Advertising of South Mississippi; Macland Disposal Inc.; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; Mississippi Media; Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce; Rainbow Water; The Shed Barbeque, Ship Island Excursions; The Ocean Conservancy; The Sun Herald; and WLOX-TV 13.
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the State by managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at
http://www.dmr.state.ms.us/Received in EmailHello All,
Through my work with MSU Extension Service in Hancock County, I have joined the Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee, which is coordinating the Coastal Cleanup for Hancock County. I would like to ask you, or a group/organization to which you belong, to consider signing up to be a volunteer/s for this year's Coastal Clean-up which will be held on Saturday, September 16, 8am-11am.
This year's Coastal Clean-up will concentrate on the beach from the mouth of Jordan River to Bayou Caddy. Of course, this will be a coast-wide effort so if you would like to volunteer in a different area that would be great, too.
I know some of you are out-of-towners, but I thought this would be an excellent opportunity for you if you have been wondering how you could help the Gulf Coast recover from Katrina, but don't have a great amount of time to do it.
I know most of you are locals and are quite busy with your own recovery efforts, but I think this is a wonderful chance for us all to give a little back. We have all been so blessed by the efforts of the volunteers who have come to help. Don't you think it would be awesome if we had a record-breaking number of local volunteers to show our support of our own community!
For more information visit the Coastal Clean-up official site http://masgc.org/cleanup/
or give me a call or email.
Have A Blessed Day!
Marcia 228-467-5456
marciaf@ext.msstate.eduI can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phillipians 4:13Labels: coastal cleanup, environment, katrina, ms, recovery
